Grandma's Kitchen, block #11: Peppermint Swirls

We are nearing the halfway point in Pat Sloan's mystery quilt along, Grandma's Kitchen. This week I steered way off from the theme of candy. I'll explain how I got here in a minute.

Block 11 is called Peppermint Swirls and is inspired by the peppermint candy that filled her Na-Na's purse.

I love the community on Pat's Facebook page. My fellow quilters inspire me with their interpretations of Pat's weekly blocks. I especially like how Glenda White made her candy M&Ms instead of peppermint swirls.

My goal has always been to make this a memory quilt about my Gramma Ann. While Pat is focusing on the kitchen, my Gramma had a whole bit life outside that room, so my blocks reflect that. I try to have some connection to the theme, but sometimes I wander...

Wandering Whistling Duck

When I first started this quilt, I would talk to my mom about Gramma. Then, when we were on vacation with my Aunt, I added her to the conversation. Now I have my mom and all four aunties chiming in with their thoughts and memories. 

When I told them about this week's themes, we talked about Gramma liking lemon bars, ice cream with chocolate sauce, sticky hard Christmas candy (I'm picturing the ribbon kind), little boxes of raisins she shared with her great-grandchildren, and chocolate covered peanuts, which I quickly dismissed as looking like poo in this block layout!

Then my aunt Mary reminded me that she loved turtle candy.

That made me think of real turtles.

...which reminded me that one year for her birthday or Mother's day, Gramma's five daughters pooled their money to give Gramma the gift of a zoo sponsorship at the Minnesota Zoo. For one year in the 80s Gramma was the not-particularly-proud patron of the Wandering Whistling Duck.

Fun fact #1: The wandering whistling duck used to be called a tree duck, but the name was changed to reflect the whistling sound it makes when calling and flies.

Fun fact #2: I'm pretty sure my mom and aunts picked the wandering whistling duck because of its name. 

Fun fact #3: Apparently Gramma was not impressed that her daughters spent money on a duck, but it provided a lot of laughs over the years, mostly over her response. And, in my mom and aunt's defense, since she grew up the wife of a game warden, caring for wildlife as a gift wasn't that much of a stretch. I know there was a picture of her taken by her name plate, but it was before the cloud and it seems to be lost forever.

Now, as far as making my block, I stuck with the applique theme. I started with the image of the duck from earlier in the post, and removed the background using PowerPoint. I kept the shadow because I wasn't sure at that point if I would use it or not. (I didn't).

I printed the image on fabric stabilized with freezer paper.

I trimmed it down into a tight rectangle before applying Heat N Bond Lite.

Then I trimmed the duck and shadow.

I used my standard white print background and water print for the background.

I added a 80s era Minnesota Zoo logo sign and sun.

I used a teeny tiny zigzag for the applique.

I know some people remove a layer of fabric when they applique. I haven't figured out how to do that when I use Heat N Bond, so that lesson will wait for another day.

My quilt blocks so far. As much as I'm loving my cactus in the window, I'm thinking it may be too dark. More to ponder...

Previous blocks:

#1: The Kitchen Table

#2: Sticky Buns

#3: Key Holder
#4: Half A Modern
#5: Glasses & Cups
#6: Wash Day
#7: Oh My Stars
#8: Grandma's Apron
#9: Kitchen Window
#10: Recipe Box
#12: Kitchen Door
#13: Sunday Dinner
#14: Salt & Pepper Shakers
#15: Games Shows & Soaps
#16: Small Change
#17: Pantry Goods
#18: The Fridge
#19: Mending Basket
#20: Lovely Dishes
#21: Telephone Time
#22: Pick a Posey
#23: That One Thing
#24: Grandma's Purse
#25: Famous Cookies

If you'd like to see what I'm currently working on, follow me on Instagram at de Jong Dream House.

Linked to:
Pat Sloan (see peppermint swirl blocks here)
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts
Linky Tuesday @ Freemotion at the River
Midweek Makers #89 @ Quilt Fabrication
Monday Making @ Live Laugh Quilt
MCM #88 @ Cooking Up Quilts
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Off the Wall Friday @ Nina Marie
Oh Scrap @ Quilting is More Fun than Housework
Saturday Show Off @ Sew Can She
TGIFF @ Devoted Quilter
Wednesday Wait Loss @ the Inquiring Quilter
Whoop Whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict
WIPS on Wednesday @ Esther's Blog

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