Quilt Block with Family Ties

Every so often I challenge myself.  To do what...you ask.  It depends on which Fabric, Fiber, Bead or Collectible that has my interest and attention.  Usually, there are more than one at a time.  I don't know whether that classifies me as having a short attention span or a specialist in multi-tasking.  At this point in my life...I'll take both and chalk it up to 'It's how I roll'!  For example...the quilt block on the back of this jacket called 'A Connecticut Yankee'. 

The challenge was to piece advanced level blocks with 'set in' patches from Judy Martin's Scraps, Blocks & Quilts book ©1990 published by Crosley-Griffin Publishing Company, Inc. A Connecticut Yankee is on page 33 and the first block in a series of advanced piecing blocks.  Of course I challenged myself to start with #1 and piece every one through page 59, which was a total of 66 blocks.  With a ginormous scrap pile beside my sewing machine, a copy machine for copying templates, rotary cutting tools and felt wall to layout the 79 pieces in A Connecticut Yankee...it was not long before my short attention span kicked in.  All in all and between other projects I completed at least a dozen blocks...I skipped around...so much for starting with #1 and finishing with #66.

So, how did A Connecticut Yankee block get from felt wall layout to pieced block to a scrap quilt and finally to a YoYo Jacket?  It's a rather long story with at least a 15 year history.  I'll just cut to the chase and say...the Scrappy Throw Quilt was at the top of the heap for recycling.  The YoYo's were made from vintage reproduction fabrics.  Their button centers and the white closure buttons from my button collection. 

Wow...all of a sudden, I'm realizing there is a 'Family' historical connection to this YoYo Jacket with way more than a 15 year history...more like 312 years. 

My 5th Great Grandfather and Grandmother were 'Connecticut Yankees'.

Baptist Patriarch Daniel Marshall

Making Tracks Out of Virginia

 

A Connecticut Yankee Quilt Block with Family Ties!