Penny is really getting into planning her poses with these blocks! Flips and hanging from the trapeze bar are her big accomplishments for this summer.  And she said “I want to show that I am an exerciser AND a quilter.”  She cracks me up.

I was looking up my older daughter, Lily’s, Winter Window block for the cutting directions and discovered that I posted about sewing this same block with her exactly three years ago today. Isn’t that wild?  What a crazy coincidence.  And back then, I was saying that I had hoped to finish the blocks over the summer but it hadn’t worked out.  Well, it’s the same story again!  I hope to at least help Penny with one more this summer but then it is back to school and back to fitting in a block or two around homework and soccer practice.

This is the first block to correspond to The Long Winter for the Little House on the Prairie Sew Along (See Sew Along tab above for all the details.).  The Ingalls family suffered through 7 months of unimaginable winter weather.  Laura would often run to the window, waiting for Pa’s safe return, or to watch the snow mounding up.  Penny chose a white on white snowflake print for the window panes and a purple woodgrain to pick up on the purple in some of her other blocks.  The walls of the building Pa built were just rough cut wood so this works (though I am sure they were not purple but I bet Laura would have liked it if they were!).

Lily and now Penny are making these quilts entirely from my stash (except for sashing). It’s been great fun seeing them “shop” my stash and a good stash buster too.

Penny did a great job with her quarter inch seam again and the block went together easily.  She’s definitely picking up new skills.  I encourage you to sew with your kids!  It isn’t without its frustrations and it does test your patience but it is worth it.  Just a reminder, I have some tips about sewing with kids that you can read here.