Wednesday, June 3, 2020

Happy BlockHeads Wednesday. Week 21, XOXO by Lissa Alexander

Happy Block Heads Wednesday. Welcome to week 21, XOXO by Lissa Alexander, aka ModaLissa. As you can imagine, XOXO is a really cute block for hugs and kisses.  Couldn't we all use some hugs and kisses from our kiddos?

Seems like all I do is take photos and sew these days.  I'm glad I'm busy with lots going on as usual. At the end of the post, I'll share more of Elinore's Endeavor fabric and story.

XOXO


This is a fun block to piece,  I made a 6" block.  All fabrics are Nancy's Needle.
Thanks Lissa!

The photo is bugging me....seam allowances.
Good thing it will be fine when stitched into the quilt!


for Lissa's blog and the pattern.

Don't to forget to check on everyone else to see what they have made.


The wall, with this week's addition.


And now Elinore

I'm forever inspired by the story of strong women, women who regardless of circumstance, endeavor to make the best of every situation.

Elinore Pruitt Stewart was born in Indian Territory of what is now Oklahoma, in 1876.  She and her siblings were orphaned in 1894.  She cared for her siblings until she married in 1902 and shortly before her daughter was born in 1906, Elinore lost her husband in a railroad accident.
Alone, with and infant to raise, Elinore and Jerrine moved to Denver and found employment frist doing laundry and then housekeeper for a widowed schoolteacher.  In 1909, Clyde Stewart placed an ad in the Denver Post seeking a housekeeper. Elinore answered the ad and packed up Jerrine and took the train to Wyoming, with her head set on claiming her own homestead.
Life was hard on the ranch with Mr Stewart.  Chores and taking care of Jerrine and helping with the animals took up most days , but Elinore did visit neighbors, helped deliver babies, and took Jerrine camping. Elinore filed a claim next to Mr Stewart and not long after they married.
Elinore wrote letters to her friend and former employer of her days in Wyoming and those letter were published in Atlantic Monthly magazine and later published in a book, Letters of a Woman Homesteader.  In 1979, and movie was made about her life, Heartland.
If you would like to know more about Elinore, the book is available on Amazon, or the library, and try to find, or rent Heartland...it's wonderful.

Elinore was an inspiration as well as the time period, late 1800s.   Lots of blacks, indigos, cadet blues chocolates and shirtings were my choice for colors and prints....then we added an early big floral and another of those wonderful netting designs, also early to where the time period spans 1830-1910.
I showed the quilts I made, last week, now this week I'm showing the fabric.
 I love fabric, did you know that??? LOL
Romantic florals mix with practical, everyday prints so that I think we have something for everyone.







That's it for me this week. If you like what you see, please tell your local shop as it now being shown for orders. Elinore's Endeavor will ship to shops in November.
Thanks for stopping by.

Until next time,
~ Betsy

Sherri McConnell - https://www.aquiltinglife.com/
  Lisa Bongean - https://lisabongean.com/
Lissa Alexander - http://modalissa.com/