The Star’s 2015 Quilt Project, Part 12: ‘Happily Ever After’
It’s time to wrap up our 2015 block-of-the-month project, “Hazel’s Diary,” a 1950s-style quilt with appliquéd wildflowers over pieced blocks. This year’s quilt is inspired by diary entries written by a Missouri farm girl.
On Christmas Eve 1950, teenager Hazel Hyde received a little red five-year diary from her parents. She wrote in the book every day for the next few years, noting events on the farm, the fun she had with friends and the news of the day.
Today: Part 12, “Happily Ever After”
In the summer of 1954, Hazel is busy planning her wedding. She writes: got the bride & groom for the cake & some satin & lace for the ring pillow & we saw about some napkins … I got my guest book, plates for reception. She was relieved when Dale liked the same wedding invitation she did.
The Hyde family took a two-week vacation, sightseeing their way out to Washington to visit Hazel’s aunt.
Hazel’s story continues with these diary entries.
Aug. 17, 1954
We’re in Custer, S.D. tonite staying at Star Court. What a day. Went through Badlands and on to Black Hills. Saw Rushmore Faces. Went on Needles Drive — saw Needles Eye & Totem Pole. Took lots of pictures.
She writes that they went through the Bighorns, visited Yellowstone and saw Old Faithful erupt. Other highlights were seeing the Redwoods, visiting San Francisco, driving through the desert, enjoying Las Vegas and going over the Royal Gorge Bridge.
When she returned home, wedding plans continued. Dale found them a place to live, and they got ready to move in. The wedding was set for Oct. 3.
Sept. 13, 1954
Me, Mom & Ruby went to Moberly today & I got my wedding gown & veil. It’s absolutely beautiful. White & satin & lacy.
Sept. 23, 1954
I went up to Judy’s tonite to practice on our songs & my gosh there came a whole bunch of people to have me a shower. It was wonderful. I got a million things — crystal, blankets & everything. About 40 there I believe.
And finally, everything is ready:
Oct. 2, 1954
Got my hair fixed at Macon today. All K.C. company is here. We practiced at the church tonite. I guess everything will be o.k. Tonite I’m ending my diary, cause I don’t want to write anymore after I’m married. I hope all my children read this & I hope they have as much fun in their teens as I have. Bye — Hazel
To read the complete diary transcript, plus recipes and other quilt patterns, visit HazelsDiary.Wordpress.com. The site also explains how to buy a PDF of this installment.
Shelly Pagliai of Wien, Mo., designed the quilt, which tells the story of her mother, Hazel Ilene Hyde.
BLOCK 12: “HAPPILY EVER AFTER”
Outer borders
SUPPLY LIST
1 1/2 yards white background fabric
19 (10-inch) squares various scrappy prints similar to or same as what has been used in the blocks
3/4 yard red solid (for binding)
Cutting instructions
From white background, cut:
8 (2 1/4 -inch by WOF) strips (A1)
9 (2 1/2 -inch by WOF) strips (A2)
From the scrappy prints, cut:
472 (2-inch) squares (B1)
From the red solid, for the binding, cut:
10 (2 1/4 -inch by WOF) strips
ASSEMBLY
Sew two A1 strips together to make one longer strip. From this, cut a length of 82 ½ inches. Sew this strip to one side of the quilt top. Press the seam toward the strip. Repeat on the opposite side of the quilt top.
Sew two more A1 strips together to make one longer strip. From this, cut a length of 86 inches. Sew this strip to the top of the quilt top. Press the seam toward the strip. Repeat on the bottom edge of the quilt top. See Fig. 1.
Sew all the B1 squares together into pairs, mixing them up randomly for a scrappy effect. Sew 57 of these pairs together into one long strip. Repeat three more times, so that you have one strip of 57 pairs for each side of the quilt. You should have eight pairs of B1 squares left over. Sew these into four 4-patches. See Fig. 2.
Sew two of the strips of B1 squares to two opposite sides of the quilt, pressing seams toward the quilt center.
Sew the 4-patches to the ends of the two remaining strips of B1 squares, and sew these strips to the two remaining sides of the quilt top. Press seams toward the quilt center. See Fig. 3.
Sew five A2 strips together to make one longer strip. From this, cut two lengths 91 1/2 inches. Sew these strips to opposite sides of the quilt top. Press the seams toward the strips.
Sew the four remaining A2 strips together to make one longer strip, and sew the leftover from the strip not used above to the end as well. From this, cut two lengths 95 1/2 inches. Sew these strips to the top and bottom of the quilt top. Press the seam toward the strip. See Fig. 4.
Layer the quilt top with batting and backing. Quilt as desired. After the quilting is complete, square up the quilt and trim away all excess batting and backing. Bind, using the red solid binding strips.
This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 2:00 AM with the headline "The Star’s 2015 Quilt Project, Part 12: ‘Happily Ever After’."