Mares eat Oats ... And Jacobs Ladder

Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey. A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?
Yes! Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey. A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

Cute, huh? My awesome 'Other Half' says he first learned this song up at the family ranch above Colbran, Co. many many years ago ....


Jacobs Ladder Block. I like making mine in three colors. It's just a personal preferrence, but they look great in two colors, too.












From Background fabric cut two 4 7/8 inch squares and cut the squares diagonally once making triangles. Also, cut a 2 1/2 by 25 inch strip. For blue colored squares cut a 2 1/2 by 25 inch strip.
Out of the red fabric cut two 4 7/8 inch squares and cut those
diagonally making triangles.

Sew the back ground strip to the blue strip right sides together and press to the dark side (always press to the dark side!). Now cut the strip into 10 2 1/2 inch sections. Sew individual sections together to make five four-patch blocks (creating a checker board effect.





I like to place a pin in the sewn seams to make sure the seams and blocks match up more perfectly.

Sew triangles together on the long side with background
and red fabrics right sides together and press toward the dark (red).





Put your mini blocks in order and sew together. I sew the top three together, then the middle three, then bottom three. Press seams and then sew the rows together top to middle. Middle to bottom and then press. Again, line the seams up and place a pin in each seam to help keep the seams and blocks together.








Now you have a 12 1/2 unfinished Jacobs Ladder block! Congratulations!!

Jacobs Ladder is just one of the several names this block goes by. Other names are Road to Arkansas, Going to Chicago, Off to San Francisco, and The Railroad.

So, you not only made your first quilt block today (way to go!), but you also learned some folklore. Mares Eat Oats song and alternet quilt block names for the same block. Yep! today is going to be a good day! Hey Grandma! Thank you for quilting and passing it my way!