Block 37 - Nameless Star - the Lucy Stone League

Our block for this week has appeared with a name new to most of us; Nameless Star. More familiarly known as the Sawtooth or Variable Star, Ms Brackman chose to highlight the name given it in the Nancy Cabot column in the Chicago Tribune in the 1930s. This name fits well with the story this week that our Grandmothers, up through the first decades of the 1900s, were required to take their husband's last name in everything including to check out a library book or register to stay at an hotel. Ruth Hale (who married in 1917) and Jane Grant (married in 1920) formed the Lucy Stone League to promote the option for women to be able to keep their own (maiden) name after marriage. The  courts finally granted women the right to do that in the 1970's which was many decades after women had been given the right to vote.

This block comes under the category of easier to piece as well as being one that can feature a relatively large central motif (in this case a 4" square). Not wanting to repeat the few big motifs I have already used I decided to find something to honor Jane Grant. In her second (happier) marriage Jane and her husband founded White Flower Farm, a mail order plant nursery in the north west area of Connecticut. In past years I have ordered from them and their catalog is always a wonderful way for a gardener to daydream. To break up that big square I found a white flower to applique in the center.

And now you'll have to humor me. You know I like to take a posed photo of my blocks. Some weeks require more thought than others. This week I had lots of ideas. Above you can see my block nestled among the blooms of the Bridal Veil spirea, an old fashioned plant that is in full bloom right now in my garden. Since the history story was all about women losing their own name after wearing a bridal veil I thought this was an apt choice.

This photo was more about the color than the quality of the plants! There are some ragged white dianthus that have made it through the winter and are doubtless waiting to see if they are going to be trimmed up and put on display again alongside a newly purchased clematis which has the matching hue to the star points.

The viburnums are also in full bloom and neatly framed the block with their white blooms - those blooms would be so simple to translate into an applique flower.

I debated about adding this one. The photo is not all that clear as there was a wind that kept moving the leaves about but I liked the chartreuse color of the leaves on the spirea (lower right). I'd go out and retake it but the thunder is rolling around and we keep getting thirty second bursts of rain.

It's been fun but there is a pile of ironing calling to me now so I must post and get on with it.