Project County Fair Quilt

When I was a kid, sometime during my preteen years, my mom subscribed to a craft-of-the-month club.  Every few weeks, a kit arrived in the mail with everything to make a crafty do-dad.  I don't know my mother's motivation for signing up for the club.  She was already busy with knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, Artex (anyone remember that?), embroidery, and sewing.  There already didn't seem to be enough hours in the day for all that, along with work and family stuff.

Anyway, it seemed like it was me who was always the most excited about these monthly surprises by mail.  My mom sat down and looked through the first couple kits that arrived, but I got the impression they were a little simplistic for her skill level.  So my sister and I happily shared in the most of the kit crafting together.

While I don't remember the majority of the projects, I do remember the Christmas ornaments we made from one kit.  We had to assemble and place these little holiday themed figurines inside a clear plastic tube, along with some with fake snow, and then cap either end with a styrofoam ball cut in half and trim it with gold ribbon.  They actually turned out pretty nicely and hung on our Christmas tree for many years.

I really liked those kits, but the subscription was short-lived.  I continued doing crafty things on my own, like learn to decoupage, make things from paper mache, sew Barbie and doll clothes from mom's scraps, and learn to knit and embroider.  My sister got more into drawing and painting, first with acrylics and eventually oils.  I was content with paint-by-number, myself, but occasionally dabbled with her art supplies.

All of that to say that I am once again enjoying a fun kit that came in the mail.  This was via Jo of Jo's Country Junction, from a reader who sent it to her.  (If anyone happens to recognize it as their UFO, please let me know in the comments.)  Jo was looking for someone to finish and donate some of the things that had been sent her way, and I volunteered.

I started looking at this project in more detail a few days ago.  It's a Debbie Mumm block-of-the-month quilt called County Fair.  How sweet is that!

Everything was there to make the entire quilt—all the Debbie Mumm fabric and instructions.  Wow!  A few of the blocks had been started and/or fabric cut for them.  I began with Block 1, a big 24-1/2 inch red barn.  It was already about a third of the way pieced by the original owner, so it was easy enough to finish up.  Block one completed!

Now I'm on to Block 2.  I cut all the pieces for it this afternoon.  Pretty sunflowers!  

In looking through some of the other block instructions, I can see a couple changes I'll be making as far as technique, especially when it comes to the beehive block, which is largely appliqued.

It'll be fun to work on this quilt!  It's supposed to finish at 89 x 89 inches, so the actual quilting of it may need to go to someone with a longarm, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.  I'll keep you posted on its progress.