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lauantai 2. huhtikuuta 2011

CWD: Bolts of Fabric AND Catherine Island

April 1, 1864. Emma Florence Le Conte Furman wrote in her diary

Since my last entry on the 18th many events of importance have transpired. About ten days ago father returned from Augusta bringing provisions, cloth, leather and tallow to make some candles - thus far we have had nothing but pine firelight after dark. The provisions were flour, corn and bacon - a few hams, but chiefly the sides. I am so sick of bacon - it seems impossible for me to eat it. It sees as if I ought to when father and the rest can eat it and think it good, but indeed my stomach turns against it and I usually make my dinner of hominy, corn bread and butter. The cloth is six bolts of factory cloth (unbleached homespun) which father on account of being a "Columbia sufferer" got it at the very low price of only three dollars a yard. It makes me groan in spirit to think of wearing this heavy stuff as underclothing all the hot summer, but as Aunt Jane eagerly observes, "it is better than nothing". Indeed Cousin Ada and I agreed we would willingly wear sackcloth and even ashes if necessary, rather than give up to the Yankees. With all the ports closed we will be obliged to give up every foreign luxury, which are even now by their high prices beyond the reach of all but speculators. As I sat with Aunt Jane (sick with the measles) we laughingly arranged it all and found we could live very well on home products. Our clothing is already mostly of homespun. Our stockings we already knit, and we make our own gloves.
(quote from Civil War Diary Quilt written by R. Youngs)

I have been silent for a while... BUT I'm back -although one day late- with two CWD blocks... AND it feels good - although those blocks are not the very best of me!

Two weeks and I haven't touched Bernina until this morning.
Can you believe it?!? Oh, I just don't know where all the time dissappear...

... and if you look the blocks closer it seems my skills of sewing are getting rusty. That must be fixed!!! So I'll try to spend more time in sewing room during April... although I have many other things (=handcrafts) to do...

Have a good Saturday Evening!!!
But before you leave, have a second moment of Civil War times...

Susie King Taylor wrote in April, 1862

On April 1, 1862, about the time the Union soldiers were firing on Fort Pulaski, I was sent out into the country to my mother. I remember what a roar and din the guns made. They jarred the earth for miles. The fort was at last taken by them. Two days after the taking of Fort Pulaski, my uncle took his family of seven and myself to St. Catherine Island. We landed under the protection of the Union fleet, and remained there two weeks, when about thirty of us were taken aboard the gunboat P-, to be transferred to St. Simon's Island; and at last, to my unbounded joy, I saw the "Yankee". After we were all settled aboard and started on our journey, Captain Whitmore, commanding the boat, asked me where I was from. I told him Savannah, Ga. He asked if I could read; I said "Yes!" "Can you write?" he next asked. " Yes, I can do that also", I replied, and as if he had some doubts of my answers he handed me a book and a pencil and told me to write my name and where I was from. I did this; when he wanted to know if I could sew. On hearing I could, he asked me to hem some napkins for him. He was surprised at my accomplishments (for they were such in those days), for he said he did not know there were any negroes in the South able to read or write. (quote from Rosemary Young's book CWD quilt)

PS: Tomorrow I'll try to update Fixed Stars of March and new Stars for April, ... atleast shortly;)

2 kommenttia:

Simone de Klerk kirjoitti...

Some lovely blocks! You have a lovely weekend too. We had a summer day today!

Cheryl kirjoitti...

Enjoy your sewing! Your blocks are always so precise that I don't think you need much practice!