Saturday, September 21, 2013

June 29, 1863

 
This weeks block is called 'Smallpox'.  Rosemary has included two diary entries. On June 29, 1863 Cora writes about a friend that has contracted smallpox. In the second entry dated July 11, 1863 Cora writes that her friend is starting to recover. I don't know very much about smallpox so I did some reading about it. Abraham Lincoln came down with smallpox after he gave the Gettysburg Address and was sick for about four weeks. Lincoln's valet caught the disease and died. In December 1862, Richmond's smallpox hospital admitted 250 patients. 110 of these patients died. Luckily we have vaccines to protect us from smallpox. 
Interior of Civil War Hospital, Washington, DC
Civil War Hospital, Washington D.C.

Here are the fabrics that I decided to use for this block. While digging through
my Civil War bin, I have discovered that I don't have much red left.
A trip to the quilt store is in order! Red's my favorite color so it boggles my mind
that I am short red...

The block is broken down into easy to sew strips.

Here I am sewing the strips together.
'Smallpox'
June 29, 1863

The first Have a wonderful week! Remember to post your progress on the Civil War Diary Quilt Group on Flickr.

Next Saturday I will be working on the block called 'Surrender of Vicksburg' out of Rosemary's book.

Happy quilting and perfect stitches to you!
Check out Rosemary's website.  Her books and Cd's can be ordered there too!



3 comments:

  1. Love your post as usual, really like the picture of the hospital. Glad you're having so much fun sewing those blocks together.

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  2. This is so great. Thanks for the history behind the blocks.
    I have two questions. Where do you find your blocks? I would love to make some of my own. And secondly, Do you have any tips on keeping HST blocks straight when sewing them. I cant for the life of me keep them straight. They always come out crooked, which of course messes up the whole thing. Thanks in advance

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  3. HI Cindy...yes by golly you are one of our winners for the pin it blog hop..send me your info....a bundle and pattern and something extra I believe wink....congrats

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