This was a really special birthday for my Mom.  She just retired (WHOOOO!!!) and has free time to do lots of new projects.  She’s got plenty of plans and I certainly didn’t want to direct her use of time, but I thought it might be fun for us to slowly work on a quilt block or two a week from The Farmer’s Wife Sampler Quilt.

We haven’t come up with a game plan yet.  Do we want to work on the same blocks together, or whatever strikes our fancy at the time? One block a week?  Two?  More?  And what size quilt do we want to end up with?  Or maybe just a wall hanging?  We’re still deciding, so it might be a while until we really start.

The book comes with a CD of templates so you can create all 111 blocks in the book.  You can see some great examples in The Farmer’s Wife Quilt-A-Long group on Flickr.  (I’m really loving Erin’s at Why not Sew?)  Even aside from the quilt, the book is a fascinating read.  It’s based on a magazine contest from 1922 asking wives of farmers whether or not they’d like their own daughters to grow up and marry a farmer, and why.  The heartwarming letters they received are filled with love and stories of simple blessings.  The world changes around us, but each generation remains the same in wanting the best possible lives for our kids.

If you’re looking for a crafty gift for your Mom or daughter, take a look at this book!