All Together Now: Civil War Blocks So Far

After the last of the company left, I pinned up all the Civil War blocks on my make-do design wall.  Pinning is necessary b/c the act of putting up one block is guaranteed to knock off another, which in turns brings down at least another block.

The blocks may or may not be in their final arrangement but I can now see what colors I need more of and whether or not a block needs to be light or dark overall.

I've decided on an 7-block by 8-block grid, so I'll have to select several of my favorites of which to make extras.

I will be using this print for the border...  and will need to figure out fabric for the sashing.  I'm currently thinking of a small cream or tan print like this one:

Ideas/suggestions welcome...

Civil War Block 48: West Virginia

This week's block is #48 of 53... so only five more to go!  I'd been saving a good size fabric remnant to use and thought this week's block would be perfect....     *bzzzzz*

It was too narrow!   I love this flower and decided to piece it to make it large enough...

After I was finished, I realized I could have "framed" the center block so it would look less pieced...  but I am not taking it apart!   Y-seams are not easy, imho!

Civil War Block 47: Dixie Tea

This week's block reminds us of the food shortages experienced during the Civil War and how folks tried substitutes for coffee and tea...

...like sassafras tea!

  Sassafras Leaves

 

Civil War Block 46: Apple Tree

This week's block was an easier one...

...and I'm always thankful for "easy"...

Civil War Block #45: Port and Starboard

Interesting block today.... I have a thing for HSTs!   As I was selecting fabrics, I ended up with two piles that I liked equally.... so I made two blocks!

Not sure if one or both will end up on the front of the quilt....

...but, as usual, the photographer can't take a decent picture to save her life!   *lol*

Civil War Block 44: Union

I just love blocks with a zillion itsy-bitsy pieces.... but I will NOT let it deter me!

There!   Done....

Civil War Block 43: Right Hand of Friendship

One of the easier blocks, Right Hand of Friendship allowed a variety of interpretations as shown on the Civil War BOW Flickr site.

I chose a two-color star and am pleased with the results.... however, others have also come up with some spectacular blocks!  I am tempted to make several of these blocks just to have different versions in my CW quilt.

Civil War Block 42: "H" is for Hospital

Thankfully, after last week's challenging block, an easier one...

...what a relief!

Civil War Block #41

This block is called Red, White, and Blue Quilt....   I'm calling mine The Drunken Starfish...

...because that's what it looks like to me!

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I'm off on a road trip this morning...   it's somebody's birthday and I'm going to celebrate the day with her!

Civil War Block 40: Order Number Eleven

Fascinating history about this week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts... Order Number Eleven.

Order Number Eleven by Becky Brown

I love the block but it's applique and I was ready to give it a pass when I spotted a blue and white block from an antique quilt...

Photo from Civil War Quilts

I love anything blue and white.... so I dug in and machine appliqued all the curved pieces.

This block is also known as "The Reel" or "The Hickory Leaf" and dates back to 1840.

 Photo from Mary L.'s Quilting in Oz blog

In addition to "The Reel" and "The Hickory Leaf," Mary L. refers to this block as:   "Orange Peel" or "Rob Peter to Pay Paul."

Whatever you call the block... it's lovely!

Civil War Block 39: Hovering Hawks

This week's Civil War block is Hovering Hawks and Barbara Brackman explains the history of "jayhawks" in relationship to the War.

I had a "close encounter" with a red-tailed hawk around dusk on the way home from work.  Mr. Hawk was enjoying his dinner on the side of the road and was not best pleased that this big strange thing was bearing down on his meal.

Mr. Hawk reared up on it's legs, wings spread, and beak open, giving me notice that I was an unwelcomed guest.  I kept driving...   if I had stopped, Mr. Hawk could have easily pecked at the door handle standing on the ground... maybe even the side mirror.

A pretty fierce looking bird...

...I'm not messing with this one's dinner!

Civil War Block 38: Ohio Star

This week's block is the Ohio Star and I knew immediately which fabric I wanted to use for the center.  My Blog-land Angel sent me a gorgeous piece of red floral and I pulled it right out!

I chose smaller floral prints for the other two fabrics but thought the big swirling leaves looked cool in the back ground!

There are only 14 more blocks left... Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW will be completed at the end of this year.  Assembling the quilt top is scheduled for January...  I'm looking forward to it!

Civil War Block 37: Confederate Rose

This week's block is a beauty...

 

Confederate Rose block by Becky Brown

I searched through my CW fabrics and could find nothing anywhere near the roses on white fabric.  The only thing stopping me from breaking my promise to myself not to buy any fabric for this QAL was that the nearest quilt shop carrying 1800s reproduction fabrics is an hour and a half drive from here.

So.... I did my best to duplicate Becky's block...

Hmmm... nothing wrong with the block... but just too plain, especially in comparison to my other CW blocks.   Let's try again....

Still not as pretty as Becky's block but much better!

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Thanks again to my Blog-land angel without whose generosity this block would have not been possible!

Civil War Block 36: Kentucky Crossroads

A simple, fast block for a change...  

...the hardest part was choosing fabrics!

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The Jacob's Ladder QAL Flickr page is up and running... feel free to post photos and comment!

Civil War Block 35: Star of the West

Love this block and changed the directions a bit so I could use the wavy fabric as one piece rather than two HSTs sewn together.

Took a bit of math but it was worth it, I think!

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I'm fine here in south central NC... rain and a little wind but no damage.  My son and his family in Wilmington NC got power back mid-morning and only have limbs and debris in the yard.  There are trees down in town but not near them.

Watching Irene's path as the hurricane visits family and friends further north....

Civil War Block 34: Rosebud

This week's block, Rosebud, came with some interesting information about Rose O'Neal Greenhow, who was arrested by Union troops in 1861 for spying for the South.

 Rosebud by Becky Brown

Interestingly, this is a block that I'm familiar with because I have been reading Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts in preparation for a QAL this fall with Mama Spark. 

You don't need to buy the book to access the block patterns; 

all blocks are available on the SBS site.

Being the rebel I am, I elected to use the SBS rosebud block where it looks like 4 nosegays of rosebuds rather than the bold pinwheel in the middle and I'm-not-sure-what-the-rest-is of the block.

Doing this over, I would use a lighter red for the rosebuds and/or a darker green for the nosegay holders.   But this will look well with the rest of the CW blocks.

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Cool Give-away!

Karen of Lisnaweary Quilts is having a give-away for some cool stuff from Creative Grids!

The give-away is open to international entries and I know there are two of these prizes that I very much want to try out...  especially the rotary blade sharpener!

Civil War Block 33: Indiana Puzzle

With a house-full last weekend followed by work this week... I'm late getting this block finished.

After dressmaking for more years than I care to count, the curved seams weren't as hard as I built them up to be.

I need to do some cleaning up/clearing off in my sewing room today and tackle a couple of WIPs...  

Civil War Block 32: Carolina Lily

This was my first attempt at Y-seams...

I have no, zip, nada, nary a piece of chrome yellow or cheddar or even mustard 1800s reproduction fabric.   I've been assured I will grow to like these colors but I'm reserving judgment.

I did find a nice sized piece of a crackle-paint gold fabric in one of my scrap bins and I think that worked out pretty well.

CW Block 31: Empty Spools

Once again, looking at a photo of a newly completed block made me really look at the block.

Completed block...

Hmmm...  let's look at Becky Brown's "Empty Spools" block again...

Hmmm....  the stripes should be going the other way.   Since I already had 4 of the 6 pieces of this block cut out, I made another one.

Much better!

CW Block 29: Railroad Crossing

One of the easier blocks posted so far, I made it complicated by fussy cutting...

I remembered that I had purchased a set of acrylic fussy cutting templates at the quilt show last summer!  The 3.5" template certainly made cutting out the center block much simpler.

Hmmm...  52 - 29 =  23 blocks left to go!

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Yesterday afternoon, I did some non-fussy cutting...

...chain piecing will be happening today!