Circle of Friends Civil War Quilt

Circle of Friends

This quilt was made for Barbara Brackman as a thank you by quilters participating in her Civil War BOW. The block I made is Calico Puzzle, fourth row down, first on the left. 

Becky Brown pieced together our blocks and added a mitred border 

Quilted by Deb Jacobs

Big thank you to Dustin and Becky for setting up and maintaining the Flickr site

Becky also made each week's block posted on the Civil War blog
Click here for a link to Barbara's post about this quilt

Being a part of this project in 2011 has been so amazing. I've "met" some wonderful talented quilters from all over the world. Started my first blog. Spending way too much time blog hopping but enjoying every minute of it getting inspired!

This project led to the 1880s Sampler BOW with Cheryl Miller. 

Love the precision piecing and challenge of making both of these quilts this year.

Looking forward to some new UFO and FMQ challenges in 2012!

Getting these two and other quilts I am working on completed.

Improve my FMQ skills and try to keep up with all of you! 

Wishing you all a Happy and Pieceful New Year!

CW block ~ Union

Finished #44 block ~ Union ~ for my Civil War Quilt.

Union

I have a few more blocks to catch up on, less than 10. This block was posted on October 29 on Barbara Brachman's Civil War blog. The block has five fabrics, which is always a challenge to pick fabrics and colors for these blocks. That and fussy cutting are but two of my favorite parts of making this quilt.

Saturday will be block #51, then just two more Saturdays until the end of the year and we will be at the end of this Block of the Week. The last block for the 1880s Sampler was posted last week and the setting triangles will be posted after the holidays. So sad that both of these BOWs are coming to an end.

There are lots of pictures now of quilters that have started setting their CW blocks. Many different ideas and versions. Some set on point, some with sashing, some with alternate blocks. Lots of choices. I have not made a decision for my quilt yet. Many of the blocks look great set on point and yet others look best straight set. There was a post with a version drawn up on software with straight set blocks AND blocks set on point in the center medallion style. So many choices, all are gorgeous.

Barbara Brachman is working on a book that will be about this project that will be published in 2012. Rosemary Youngs made her version of this quilt and it will be in the book. A picture of her finished quilt is posted on The Civil War blog. We have a sneak preview of the last 3 blocks!

I have a busy day today. Embroidery to finish on a stocking and baste the sample quilt for my Quilting 101 class. I decided to baste it on the longarm and then do FMQ on my faithful Bernina. Take mom to a doctor appointment this afternoon, vegan cooking to do for tonight to celebrate my son's birthday and have a nice evening with my son Chris, his girlfriend Christie, mom, Michael and I. 

Enjoy your holidays!

Grapes of Wrath

Block #50 ~ Grapes of Wrath ~ Civil War Quilt

Newest posting today on Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW blog. I followed the suggested colors for this block. It was a perfect fit for this gold fabric and it's wine colored leaves.

This block is a modification of a traditional block called Grape Basket. 

BlockBase #712.

The grape basket represents the history of the lyrics of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Written by Julia War Howe, the poem was published in the Atlantic Monthly in 1862. "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He trampled out the vintage where the grapes of wrath were stored." 

Click on the Civil War link on my sidebar to read more...  

Also finished a block for the 1880s Sampler that Cheryl Miller posted yesterday.

Elaborate Ohio Star

Snowball and QSTs are unfinished at 2 inches. The block finishes at 5 inches square.

Original quilt made by Barbara Snyder in the 1880s was made in different colors than the browns and pinks that a couple of us are doing, this block would be black and pink.

Click the link on my sidebar to find out more about this quilt.
(For some reason I can't get embedded text links to work)

Back to more quilting...

Two more blocks for the 1880s Sampler Quilt completed this evening:
This block was allot of fun to build. 

New Album Variation

Love stars and HST so this was a fun fast block. Seams were a little bulky.
I may make this one again with Y seams.

LeMoyne Star

Not too many stars outside with the full moon. It's clear and frosty cold.
The lunar eclipse this morning was beautiful despite a hard freeze.
We are in for another freeze tonight. Good night

1880s Sampler

Elaborate Shoofly

My second attempt at this block and yea! Happy with this one. It is spot on 5 1/2 inches (unfinished)!!! These little guys are so much fun. This one, altho not perfect, is a keeper. Also changed the medium fabric from the first block. Better contrast with this one.

I had to force myself to sew a full 1/4 inch seam allowance instead of a scant 1/4 that I am in the habit of. Just one thread over made all the difference. Also, discovered that my needle was lightly bent and not hitting dead center. After a needle change and adjusting my seam allowance this block is just the right size.

Cheryl's posts and instructions on her 1880s Sampler blog are great! There are two outstanding quilters from Australia that have kept up with Cheryl. At the end of the year they will have all their blocks finished and ready for setting.

It's going to be sad to have the Sampler as well as the Civil War BOW both end soon. Barbara Brackman posted that she plans to keep her blog up until the middle of next year. She is also putting the CW quilt into a new book.

Until tomorrow...

Yankee Puzzle and 1880s Sampler

Yankee Puzzle ~ Today's block posted on Barbara Brackman's Civil War blog

This is my version of the block...

Block 49 Yankee Puzzle

Also made a few of the 1880s Sampler blocks...

Roman Cross was posted on Cheryl's 1880s Sampler blog on Friday  

1880s Sampler ~ Roman Cross

1880s Sampler ~ Square in a Square Variation

1880s Sampler ~ Courthouse Steps

Elaborate Shoofly attempt!

Should have quit while I was ahead! lol Even with Cheryl's warning that this block tends to "grow on you", mine did! There are more pieces to this block but I stopped here. Will make another attempt at it but not tonight! Happy with what I accomplished today...

Michael started a native plant project last year for Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance. With volunteers, we hike and harvest seeds in the fall, start seeds in the spring, re pot into bigger pots in the summer with volunteers that take the plants home over the summer to tend and water them and then we plant them at the beginning of winter so they will get watered by the winter rain. Today was planting day and with the help of volunteers, 65 native plants and trees were planted in Bidwell Park today, along Big Chico Creek in Chico, CA. Michael and I also volunteer as team leaders through out the year for the Bidwell Park Volunteer program to remove invasive plants in the park. It's nice to be able to replant the same areas. Lise, the volunteer coordinator treated everyone with pizza.

Checked in with mom (she is having a really hard time with Christmas again this year)...and worked on blocks. Not too bad for a Saturday.

Hope you all are having a great weekend!

Jo

Lots to be thankful for

As we head into the week of Thanksgiving, it's always nice to reflect on the things we are thankful for. The past six years have brought many changes into my life. I am thankful to be back in the North Valley altho I miss the mountains terribly as well as family that have passed, my husband, his parents and my father. I am thankful to live close to my son and that I get to see and talk to my mom every day since I moved her here after dad died. I am thankful that I met a wonderful man who helps make my life happy again. My friends in Tahoe, internet quilting friends and new family and friends in Texas :0)

I am especially thankful to have the opportunity and the means to be a quilter. To to able to share my love of quilting with others thru teaching and the guild. To give the gift of quilts to family, friends and those in need. 

Thank you to Dan, Cathy, Nancy and Jeni at Cathy's Sew and Vac for the classroom to teach quilting. My Quilting 101 series of classes are completed. With 2 returning and 2 new attendees, we had a lot of fun making a two color two block quilt. My new Binding Workshop last week was full and went well. The BOM is ongoing with a fun group of ladies. I am thankful for new quilting friends and to share my love of quilting with you all!

This week I am taking off for... a quilting vacation at home! lol Over the weekend I got caught up on my Civil War and 1880s sampler BOWs prep work and am ready to start sewing! Am I ever Thankful to get back to my quilts and am looking forward to a week of sewing, cooking and eating! Yippee and Yum!

Square in a Square Variation

Yipee!!! Back to playing with my quilts! This morning I made the new block posted Friday by Cheryl on the 1880s Sampler blog. I cut into two of the Julie Hendrickson Fabrics that Cheryl sent. I LOVE them!


Square in a Square Variation

 Just love making these 5 inch blocks. The HSTs in the corners finish at 1/2 inch! The smallest I have ever made. I am changing to a different color theme for this quilt, replaced the black and white check with a brown and tan in place of the yellow. Plan to continue making some of the blocks in the original colors and make a small quilt using the blocks that I have already made. Love these small prints and this was a fun block to make. Cheryl makes it easy!

This afternoon will be catching up on the Civil War quilt. Today's new block is Empty Spools. The quilters that have already finished and posted on the Flickr site have already come up with 3 different ways to make this one! Amazing

It was so nice to get the duvet finished on Wednesday. It was boxed up on Thursday morning, UPS ground and it is on it's way to Tahoe! Switched my workroom back to quilting mode and began working on the Color Me Happy BOM for Cathy's. Made half of the blocks but am not happy with one of the fabrics. I am taking that bolt back to the shop and see what I can find that will work better. It's so kewl to be working from bolts! lol

Time for lunch and a visit with mom. Have a wonderful Saturday!

3 blocks for 1880s Sampler

Finished three blocks today for the 1880s Sampler Quilt. Cut them out yesterday along with two blocks for the Civil War BOW. Started piecing them but I am not happy with the fabrics I put together.

The colors in my 1880s blocks are very bright and I am not sure I am happy with them either. I do enjoy making them! Toying with the idea of choosing some different colors and beginning again, especially since I will need to buy fabrics for the sashing and borders. I like how Magpiememories has pulled soft yellow and pinks together with browns. It looks very nice. For now, here are 3 more of my 5 inch blocks:

Courthouse Steps

New Album Variation

Bordered Nine Patch

Courthouse Steps is the most recent block Cheryl posted for the quilt along. My plan is to keep up with the newest while working back from when I started this quilt. But that plan may change if I decide to go with some different fabrics. Hummmmmmmmmm

Have yet to do any fabric shopping, at least for me. Today I did get to pick out fabrics for a new Block of the Month ~ Color Me Happy. We plan to launch it at Cathy's Sew and Vac in Chico sometime this Fall. It was fun picking fabrics from samples with a sales rep and Jeni at the store. Hard part is having to wait until the bolts come in! Maybe 2 whole weeks!

Saturday's class was allot of fun. Again, I was completely drained by the end of the day. I really enjoy teaching and the women taking this series of classes have been great. We have one more class, machine quilting and binding. At Cathy's I am setting up another set of beginning quilting classes after the end of summer. So I have two quilts to plan, the BOM and a new class sample. This time I plan to make a 9 patch with an alternate block to make an Irish Chain for the featured quilt, and making the sample in red and white.

For now it's back to work. I have several home dec jobs going on including a duvet. Fabric for the duvet should arrive the middle of this week. Also have the ball rolling to have a yard sale this weekend. It's the first Saturday that I am not teaching a class and the weather is not over 100 degrees!

Will check back in with finished blocks for the Civil War BOW soon. Oh, I am also starting a baby quilt and I did make some quilted booties out of the same fabrics. Will have to take some pictures and post them next time as they are so CUTE... Cowboy Boot Booties... CUTE!

1880s Sampler Quilt ~ First block

This is a pic of my first block from the 1880s Sampler Quilt.

Five Patch Chain with Borders

WOW... I am officially insane! lol It's confirmed... I love these little guys! It took me two blocks to get my scant 1/4 inch seam allowance dialed in. Even this one I had to cut down a bit. This is the most recent block posted on the 1880s Sampler blog. It looked like a good one to start out with as others look to be more difficult. Thank you Cheryl! Measurements and cutting directions are spot on.

This is a sampler quilt originally made by Barbara B. Snyder. Here is a link to the 1880s blog site so you can check out a photo of the quilt she made. The blocks are set on point. This block is finished at 5 inches.
http://samplerquiltpatterns.blogspot.com/

Fabrics:  The four patches ~ pink ? cut from an 8 inch square from swap; dark green (in place of black) is cut from a FQ, by Jeanne Poore, the rest of the salvage is missing; yellow is a FQ with no salvage; red border is Old Sturbridge Village Collection for Marcus Bros and the green border is Sturbridge Village Greens ~ 10 inch square collection of 14 prints I ordered from Keepsake Quilting a bazillion years ago. ;0)

Yep... therapy is needed.... more fabric please! lol

This is the perfect quilt to use even the smallest of scraps from the Civil War BOW. One really gets how every piece of fabric was used back in the day. The amazing part is HOW they were used, the designs and blocks these women came up with. Truly amazing and inspiring even to this day.