Welcome to Nebraska

AMB solids representing the Platte River, fields of beans, wheat, and corn, and a windmill with 3D prairie points to represent the importance of the water that makes our lives possible.  Welcome to the Nebraska license plate!

The lovely summer skies as photographed by my son Bill Griepenstroh of Bill Grip Media.

Lincoln, our capital city,  is a beautiful metro area with all the amenities of the city and a small town feel.  The International Quilt Study Center http://www.quiltstudy.org/  is a MUST SEE for quilters around the country.  The Sunken Gardens is a favorite place in Lincoln with koi ponds and awesome landscaping.

   Nebraska is known for its wide open spaces and a well-developed farm economy. It is defined by the Platte River that runs West to East across the state. Even the name “Nebraska” comes from a Native American word meaning “flat water,” in reference to the Platte.  When flying over the state, the landscape looks like a patchwork quilt made up of long straight rows of crops and green circles where center pivot irrigation allows crops to thrive. In western Nebraska, especially, farmers “strip” farm, growing different types of crops in multiple rows all in the same fields. It has a striking look, even from the ground.  
In a land with unpredictable rainfall, windmills were the lifeblood of the settlers and the animals they needed to survive. Bringing water up from the Ogallala Aquifer allowed western expansion to bring people to Nebraska to stay. I honor those brave settlers and their farming  descendants with my block. For the pattern and instructions for my block, please click on the link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_fotJuasWP2bml0RFVWaTFpUFU/edit?usp=sharing
Just one little addition to the written pattern...After I wrote and saved it, I decided to fussy cut and add in a piece of the black, fused fabric to extend the left "leg" of the windmill all the way up to the pinwheel.  Just lay it out, trim it to fit, and fuse it so that it looks like the picture, if you want to do so.

  I was born and raised in Nebraska, and I hope to live out my days in this state.  It truly is, as our motto said when I was a little girl, "The Good Life."  I love to travel and have so far been to most of our states, Mexico, and Canada.  No matter where I go, I always let out a sigh of relief when I return to the wide open spaces of Nebraska.  (all photos courtesy of Nebraska Tourism's website, visitNebraska.com, except the ones credited to Bill Grip Media)

Rolling hills and lush green river valleys dot the landscape.

People travel from all over the country to see the annual migration of the sandhill cranes in central Nebraska.  

Chimney Rock is a well known symbol of our state and guided the pioneers on their trip West.

The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha is rated one of the top zoos in the entire country and was recently named the #1 Family Friendly Vacation Spot by Family Fun magazine.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have a huge following and on game day, Memorial Stadium has enough people to make it the third largest "city" in the state with over 80,000!  The entire city of Lincoln turns into a sea of red on game day...it is a beautiful sight to behold!

Omaha provides us with the best possible quality health care, beautiful parks, the gorgeous botanical garden Lauritzen Gardens http://www.lauritzengardens.org/ , a world-class zoo Henry Doorly Zoo,  fabulous restaurants, shopping, and everything you could want from a big city while still maintaining the friendliness that characterizes Nebraskans.  It also has at least FIVE really great quilt shops!

Cass County in Nebraska is known for its quilt blocks on barns.

Everyone in Nebraska knows that you "Don't mess with Mother Nature"--but our summer thunder storms have a beauty all their own.

There is no place like Nebraska!
(photo by Bill Grip Media)

For more photos of the natural beauty that is Nebraska including the rolling hills of the Sandhills region, the buttes of northwestern Nebraska, or the many rivers, lakes, and recreational parks, go to the following: Nebraska Travel Photo Gallery

Now for the give-aways:  By now you know that each blog is giving away a free fat quarter bundle from the AMB collection from Clothworks.  In order to be entered into the random drawing, just leave a comment letting me know that you follow my blog, or a comment about anything else that is on your mind.  Have you been to Nebraska?  Where did you go?  

My second freebie is a little fabric bundle of Nebraska Shop Hop 2014 fabrics including a panel and two fat quarters of our Nebraska fabric, generously donated by my mom who happens to own what I think is one of the best quilt shops in the great state of Nebraska, the Quilters Cottage in Kearney, NE...Thanks, MOM!  If you would like to see more about the shop or the Shop Hop fabrics visit us on facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/QuiltersCottage or visit our website at: Quilters Cottage.  

I will use the random number generator to choose a winner on June 19th after 6 pm central time.  Please make sure you leave me an email to contact you.  Clothworks will send out the fat quarter bundles as soon as I get them your mailing address, and I will send out the Nebraska fabrics to a second winner as soon as we make email contact and I get your address.  Good Luck!