Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts & Context in the Civil War

I wanted to be sure to pass along some information for those of you that may be able to attend.

To mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (1861-1865), the New-York Historical Society presents a groundbreaking traveling exhibition, Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts & Context in the Civil War, organized by the American Textile History Museum. The exhibition uses quilts, textiles, clothing, and other artifacts to connect deeply moving and insightful personal stories about the war, its causes, and its aftermath with the broader national context and public history.

 CIVIL-WAR ERA TEXTILES OFFER A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON AMERICA’S PAST AT THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Homefront & Battlefield: Quilts & Context in the Civil War
On View April 4 – August 24, 2014

Made for “AK” in Pennsylvania by an unidentified quiltmaker, this textile illustrates the life of a Zouave soldier. It includes fabrics used by seamstresses at the Schuylkill Arsenal in Philadelphia to make Zouave uniforms. “AK” may have been Adam Keller or Albert Keen, both of whom served with the 88th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, which boasted two companies of Zouaves. Collection of Kelly Kinzle.

 

And my favorite Civil War reproduction.  A quilt originally made by Jane Stickle 1869 "In War Time". This quilt was made by me. 

Happy weekend!

Wednesday

I've been working more and I tell ya, it is interfering with my sewing time! LOL I got a bobbin wound and my machine set up with the correct color thread and that is as far as I've gotten on my Sally Post blocks this week. I'm hopeful every day though!

Marsha finished her medallion quilt from the sewalong Randy and I did. You can see her beauty HERE.  If you are looking for a fun sewalong the center applique pattern can be found HERE. 

Now, for a lack of my quilts to show I'll share with you some lovely antique 4 block quilts from a quilt show.  These are so fantastic!!

Make it a fantastic Wednesday!!

My Benjamin Biggs Block

 Here is my block 3. With the blocks being 16" I doubt I'll be making all of the blocks. I made a few changes on this one to eliminate several tiny stems. They were completely unnecessary.

And here are my three.

Now, I've had way too many distractions lately, so on tap this week is to clean up my sewing room and focus on my Sally Post blocks. My machine is all set up for applique so I just need to stay single minded!

Oh, and I'd like to baste the Halloween tree quilt so when I am on the road it will be ready to take with me.

Benjamin Biggs Block 3

 

Block 3 is posted.

You can find it HERE.

The Stars Were Aligned

This is a quilt I've been working on and wanted the recipient to receive it before posting about it. I've mentioned before about a group of us that met while making the Jane Stickle Quilt back in 1997, this is the work of that group. One in our group is hitting some hard life bumps right now and we wanted to make her a quilt to show our love and for her to feel our presence when we can't be their in person. (I just talked about this with my dad's quilt and know you all understand) Recently another friend sent me the book The Blue & The Grey, by Country Threads and the cover photo was perfect for our Civil War fabric loving friend. When I looked at that cover quilt is was only 36" square! So, a little enlarging on Electric Quilt and we were in business. We divided up the blocks and squishes were coming in from many places across the US, one package from Canada, and one from Australia.

As the packages came in I assembled, and waited. Thankfully the two week deadline worked out for Kim, the machine quilter. (She is working out of Quiltworks in Bend and I can recommend her)  I was waiting for the mail lady to come on the last day. The quilt was going to the quilters no matter what.

 

The mail lady even came early bearing a package from Australia with a block, three flying geese sashing and 2 cornerstone blocks. I was so thrilled!! And as soon as I sewed them in I was on my way to the Bend to meet up with the quilter.

 

In my haste I made a little whoops with the backing. The quilter had to add the bottom gold cause it was too short!  It looks good.

 

I had her do an all over pattern since it was such a busy quilt. It was perfect for all that piecing!

 

I sewed the binding down the evening I got the quilt back and packed it up to take to my dads and hand sew down.

These were taken at my dads house before packaging it up to send off the next morning. I did that before leaving town to head home so I could make sure it went out.

The quilt made it and I know it holds lots of prayers and healing rays. The way it all went together I know the stars are aligning to help her get over the hard knocks life is giving her now.

We love you, dear friend.

What month is it?

I think I'm confused!

I really need to get back into my sewing room.

Midwinter Linky Winner

Thank you all for your lovely emails and comments about my dad. I had a good visit with him and made it safely there and back.

  

Make sure you've seen all the lovely Mid winter blues quilts. There were 21 that linked up! And one FULL size!  All of them were wonderful!! Thank you all so much for sewing along. I do enjoy doing this and seeing all the little quilts.

I've randomly drawn a name from those links and Kathy from Kindred Quilts wins the blues! Congratulations!! Let me know your address and I'll get these in the mail.

Love to you all.

Faith-Love-Hope

Here is a quilt I made my dad 7 years ago when he was recovering from a fall on the ice. I made sure to bring it from his house so when I'm not there with him he knows part of me is there. 

I saw this beautiful sunset last night and couldn't let it pass without a photo. 

Thank you for all your prayers and encouraging words.

Love to you all.

Quiltworks First Friday

First Friday at Quiltworks was cancelled this month for the first time but it is nice the quilts hang for a whole month. This month featured quilter was Anne of Cottons N Wool

She does gorgeous work!! Nothing like seeing them in person to get your creativity going.

The group quilts were by the Fiber Chix and couldn't be more different than Anne's.

It was hard to tell what was the quilting and what was the fabric. Looks like a lot of work.

This one was my favorite of the juicy fruit challenge.

I'm leaving town for a few days. My dad was hospitalized and now has been moved to a nursing home. He is failing fast.  If he makes it he will be 89 mid- March!

Love to you all!

Be sure to add your MidWinter Blues HERE, if you haven't. And if you haven't seen them you are missing out!!

MidWinter Blues Link-Up! Edited Version

Here we go! Add the link to your blog post- please, not just your blog. We want people to click on the link and go directly to the post with your version of Midwinter Blues. It's okay if it is only a top.
If you do not have a blog, please send me a photo and I'll add it.

We want to see it!!

 Edited:
I forgot to add that I will draw a name from those who add their link and they will get a variety of blues- straight from my stash.

An InLinkz Link-up