CWD: Gloomy Prospects & President Lincoln's Proclamation

Let's start with a bit easier block...

January 1, 1865 Rachel Young King Anderson wrote in her diary - The new year dawns upon us one more time in the midst of a frightful war. It finds myself and family all alive and well, but without a settle home. Yesterday was my birthday. I have lived 46 years on this earth. The prospect before me is gloomy in the extreme but I trust in the same strong arm has brought me safe this far. The Lord is my shepherd... (quote from R. Youngs' book Civil War Diary Quilt)

I'm not sure how deeply you are interested in to know stages of sewing this Gloomy Prospects block... but I'll show you something... in case you would like to try it yourself?!?

I decided to use my 'favorite' method, which is Sew and trim after;o)... don't worry, there is only small wasting of fabrics! First some cut instructions:

 - from white fabric:
* 4 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares
* 2 - 3 5/16" (~8,5 cm) x 1 7/8" rectangles for the flying geese

(oh, you noticed I had to use both cm:s and inches:o)

- from green fabric:
* 6 - 8,5 cm x 1 1/4" rectangles
* 2 - 12 cm (~ 4 10/16") x 1 1/4" rectangles
* 4 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares

- from gray fabric:
* 8 - 8,5 cm x 1 1/4" rectangles
* 4 - 1 7/8" x 1 7/8" squares for the flying geese

I started sewing by making two flying geese units. I sewed them together and then I sewed two green 8,5 cm x 1 1/4" rectangles both sides of them... like this. 

The unit should be measure 3 1/4" x 4 3/4"... I think. 

Then I continued by adding gray - green - gray 8,5 cm x 1 1/4" rectangles...

 

 ... between... I checked the width of the stripes. If it looked too wide, I added the seam width.

Finally I got the middle part of the block like this! It should be about 3 1/4" x 9".

Then I started to sew the 'wings' of the block together...

 ... as before... I checked the width of the stripes this way. The red arrows point the places where the seams should meet.

Tadaa! You've got a nice contraption! (= häkkyrä :o)

 Now follows the exciting phase - TRIMMING!

Are you ready?

 Here is few arrows to help you in your trimming ;o)

Girls, you made it!

CWD block 13. Gloomy Prospects

... but this tale is not yet over! There is that horrific block coming... sooooooooo tiny square in square block!

But I'm not going to tease you... or bore you to death with a long story of making President Lincoln's Proclamation block. I shall be brief;o)

I cut the following pieces:

 Do you want some measurements?

First I cut squares.

For each mini block (= a quarter of the block) you'll need:

* 1 - 7/8" x 7/8" square 

NOTE: I didn't cut this piece, because I needle appliqued it later. So I kind of hop this step over... and started from here:

* 1 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" square

* 2 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares

* 2 - 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" squares

* 2 - 2" x 2" squares

* 2 - 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares (first I cut these 2 1/4" x 2 1/4", but later I noticed they were a little bit too small)

Then I cut all squares - except the very first one - diagonally half to get four triangles.

Are you still in?

To this picture...

... I collected various sewing steps and wrote down mini-block size in each step.

After all I feared this block too much beforehand...

when I decided to applique the smallest square, it was then much easier to make.

There is one or two small bugs on my block, but... maybe I can live with it;o)

CWD block 99. President Lincoln's Proclamation

On the first of January, 1863, we held services for the purpose of listening to the reading of President Lincoln's proclamation by Dr. W.H. Brisbane, and the presentation of two beautiful stands of colors, one from a lady in Connecticut, and the other from Rev. Mr. Cheever. The presentation speech was made by C. French. It was a glorious day for us all, and we enjoyed every minute of it, - This note was written by Susie King Taylor (January, 1863) and I quoted it from Rosemary Youngs' Civil War Diary Quilt book.

Oh boy, What a New Year's Day it was!!!