Even back in 1930, there was a desire to use up stash. I think it’s interesting that people didn’t want to buy more new fabric. Somethings just don’t change. Do you have lots of stash to use up like I do? Enjoy this cute block
Block #23 ~ Windmill
Perhaps it was due to the fact that the members had made so many blocks and done them so well that made Nancy ambitious in her next-to-last block of the alphabet quilt.
But she assured the members that the pattern was not as complicated as it looked at first glance.
“As you will see, the windmill arms are all of the same pattern. One simply places them at different angles.
“Then the windmill frame is in one piece with the door appliqued on top of it. And the small flowers at the base are embroidered. I would use lazy daisy stitch for the leaves and outline or satin stitch for the flowers. The stems are in fine outline stitch, of course. So: the base line. Here is my color scheme: The windmill frame is grey; the door is a rich blue and the windmill arms are of a white and rose print. All of these materials are fast color. I have tried them to see. I am using these particular ones, because I happen to have these scraps on hand. I did not want to buy any more materials since the quilt is so nearly finished.”
A piece of white gingham, 6-1/2 inches square, was cut and laid over the paper square which had been cut from the paper. By holding the cloth over the paper and pressing the two against the window frame it was possible to draw the pattern on the cloth by using a sharp-pointed lead pencil.
The paper square was then pasted on to piece of light-weight tagboard or cardboard and dried under pressure.
Next the initial “W” was embroidered. Nancy chose fast color green embroidery cotton and used a fine outline stitch. She might have done it chain stitch.
When the paper pattern was thoroughly dry the various parts of the pattern were cut. Only one windmill paper arm was cut out, since all four were alike and one pattern could serve for four cloth arms.
The flowers were entirely disregarded at this time.
The paper patterns were laid on pieces of cloth and outlines were cut after allowing a quarter-inch on all sides. This gave a new edge for turning under. The turned-under edge was basted and then the pieces were pressed.
First the building itself or frame was appliqued with fine slanting hemming stitches. To get the correct placement the frame was laid on the penciled lines on the white block.
Then the four windmill arms were appliqued. They were laid over the frame. The door was laid on top of the frame and appliqued in place.
A round dot was embroidered at the spot where the four arms seemed to have been joined.
Then the flowers and the base line were embroidered. And that left the block “Y” for next week.
“Nancy Page Club – Alphabet Quilt – Block 23 – Windmill” Newspapers.com, Edmonton Journal, March 31, 1930, https://www.newspapers.com/article/edmonton-journal-nancy-page-club-alpha/155995804/
If you’d like to purchase all of the alphabet quilt blocks as a block-of-the-month-club, you can do that here. This is NOT an affiliate link.
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