Bitter Enemy November 7,1863

Where have I been you may have been wondering.... I have been working at the greenhouse.  When it's not raining, I have been trying to plant my flower gardens.  I have been taking care of two flats of flowers waiting for the sun to shine for the last three weeks.  It finally was a beautiful day on Friday, and I worked at the greenhouse. huummmfff... I have been getting up early and walking Wilson.  It's a new health kick I am on.... yes, I even walk in the rain.  I'm thinking I'm crazy.... Wilson gets to stay home when it rains because I don't want to deal with dirty, wet, doggie.  I don't want to add 'Wilson bath' to my to-do list.  I also helped celebrate my parents 50th anniversary.  What a wonderful celebration!  Then there is the normal everyday stuff we all need to do, laundry, shopping, cleaning....  well, needless to say the thing I like to do the most has been neglected, sewing.  By ten-ish each evening, I am found snoozing in my comfy chair.  Where does the time go?  My Civil War Diary quilt has been quietly and patiently waiting for me to return.  So this morning I worked on the next block, so let's get started!  The block is called 'Bitter Enemy', it's the 5th block to row 3.

This block is pretty straight forward as to it's construction.  You can print up foundation paper for paper piecing or you can rotary cut it.  I chose to rotary cut squares and then 'sew & cut' into triangle sections.  My fabrics that I pulled from my Civil War stash is very similar to what is presented in Rosemary's book.

From black fabric cut 4 - 2" squares
cut 2 - 2 1/2" squares
cut 1 - 4" square

From white/cream fabric cut 2 - 2 1/2" squares

From blue fabric cut 1 - 4" square

Layer 4" blue and 4" black square together right sides together, draw a line corner to corner. 
Layer 2 1/2" white and 2 1'2" black squares together right sides together, draw a line corner to corner. (You will have two sets of white & black squares)

Sew a scant 1/4" seam on each side of the line....

Cut the sections apart....

You will have 2 black & blue triangle squares and 4 white & black triangle squares.  Iron, light to dark.



Square up black & white triangle squares to measure 2".
Square up  black & blue triangle square to measure 3 1/2"



Here my sections are ready to be sewn together.

I sewed the corner squares and triangles together first, then I sewed them to the blue & black triangle squares.



"Bitter Enemy" November 7, 1863

Next week I will be working on 'Lincoln's Telegraph' it is the final block from the diary from Nancy Elly Moore.  I am looking forward to using the 'Lincoln' fabric I received from Rosemary Youngs....if you have any questions or comments on the block, feel free to email me at Cindy
Remember to post your progress on the Civil War Diary Quilt Group on Flickr
Happy quilting!




The Civil War Diary Quilt Book can be bought through paypal or through the mail from Rosemary Youngs...

The Civil War Diary Quilt book is available for $22.99 plus $4.95 priority mail, (global priority mail $11.95) . You can order the CD with the book, you will need Electric Quilt 5 or 6 to run the CD, the CD alone is $10 and there is no extra charge for postage when you order the book with the CD, total cost for the CD with the book will be $32.99 plus your postage.

Send a check or money order to Rosemary Youngs, 3704 Nicole Ct., Walker, MI 49534

Mary on Lake Pulaski: Super Duper Excited!! AccuQuilt GO! Baby Give Away!!

Mary on Lake Pulaski: Super Duper Excited!! AccuQuilt GO! Baby Give Away!!

Robbers, October 22, 1863

Before I start on this weeks block from Rosemary's book, I wanted to talk about a date I have marked on my calendar, Wasioja Civil War Days.  My father-in-law shared a brochure on the event with me.  Here's a little info from the brochure....

"When the Civil War began in 1861, Minnesota was the first state to send troops to aid Union forces.  In April 1861, the newly founded, territorial stagecoach town of Wasioja, became the location for a Civil War recruiting station.  This Historical town nestled near the Zumbro River, served more than 200 men who formed the nucleus of Company C of the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment.  Wasioja Civil War Days commemorates the sacrifices these young men made to the Union Cause."

Wasioja Recruiting Station

So if you are looking for an opportunity to experience the past, keep June 24, 25 & 26th free.

For more information and scheduled events:

Civil War Days

Here's some more information that can be found about the Second Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment;
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mnwabcw/2.htm

The block that I worked on this weekend is called 'Robbers' from Rosemary Youngs book, The Civil War Diary Quilt.  In Nancy Elly Moore's diary entry she wrote about how some men showed up late one night to rob their Shaker Settlement.  She writes about how the Brethren had to watch and guard the stable and house that night.

I choose fabrics that don't match exactly with the book.  I didn't have a black and cream strip fabric so my fabric is much darker than that shown in the book.  The gold and green that I choose out of my Civil War Fabric doesn't have as pronounce a contrast, but I think it will work out just fine.  We'll see....

I'm using paper printed up using the companion CD and I have marked the colors in the different sections.

I cut my fabric in strips so that it is easier to use while paper piecing.  The gold fabric was pulled from the scraps that I saved from any earlier block that I had done.

Sewing on the line....

Three sections done.... one more to go!  These blocks are not trimmed yet, so they are 'messy'.

Here is the back of the block. it shows my sewing on the lines.

My sections are ready to be sewn together.  My block looks different than that in Rosemary's book.  First, my black fabric shows up very dark compared with the finished block in the book so the 'pinwheel' center is more pronounced.  But the pinwheel on my block is spinning the opposite way than the one in the book.  Once again I have managed to make a mirror image of the block.  I think to correct this I would need to use a light board and trace the lines on the back side of the paper and flip the paper over and paper piece on that side.  Does that make sense? 

Here I am sewing the sections together on the 1/4" seam.  Almost done!

"Robbers"  October 22, 1863

Remember to post your progress on the Civil War Diary Quilt Group on Flickr

Next Saturday, June 11th, I will be working on the next block titled "Bitter Enemy" from the Civil War Dairy Quilt Book by Rosemary Youngs.  
Hope that you're able to join me in my journey. Feel free to email me any time if you have questions or comments.
 

Happy quilting and perfect stitches to you!

Dear Jane....

1863
Jane A. Sickle Quilt

Dearest Jane,
How in heaven's name did you get this magnificent quilt done?  I have been saving all my little bits and pieces from my Civil War Diary quilt with the thought I will make a 'Dear Jane' quilt.  Testing the waters, I started with the first block.  Traced all my pieces onto freezer paper and have ironed them onto my fabric.  Thinking this project would be a wonderful hand piecing project that I can do in front of the TV.  Thought it would be easy to sew using an English paper piecing method.  I'm struggling with it.  I either need to get new glasses, or a magnifying glass.  I can not imagine hand piecing a quilt in the 1800's under candlelight!  Jane, how did you do it?  How long did it take?

Respectfully yours,



So I have been saving all of my bits and pieces from my Civil War Diary quilt thinking "These will be perfect for a Dear Jane quilt"  I decided I would give the first block in the book a try.

I traced and iron on all my pieces on my fabric using the freezer paper method thinking how hard can it be!  I've done English Paper Piecing and finished a double sized Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt.

I start sewing in front of the TV and scream, I need more light, I need new glasses and so on.....

I managed to get half of the block done.  Yippee... half done.... and that's where I last left my Dear Jane Quilt almost a month ago.  I vow to get back to it.... maybe next week.... I'll just keep saving my Civil War Diary Scraps.