Mission of This Week

Quite silent week at my sewing corner... I had only one day-off and I'm trying to clean and organize our house to welcome a new member of the family (maine coon kitten called Fenix) soon. I'm really looking forward he and SUMMERHOLIDAY!!!! to come. Still three loooooooong weeks...

So Not much craftworks to show...

Only... I have anxiously tried to catch up Thatquilt -group. I stayed behind them while I was sewing the blocks of the CWD quilt. My mission in the beginning of this week was to finish 5 (+5 in blue) blocks and 2 triangles to myDearJane quilt.

I started on Tuesday (the day-off)...

... and this morning the situation was...

2 triangles and 4+1 blocks finished, the last one in progress.
I had to give up the idea sewing the hardest blocks (A11, 12 and 13) twice in this week. I need more time...

Better leave now and continue... before I fall asleep... must wake up early tomorrow tooooo...

Happy and Creative Weekend to YOU!

PS. If you look closer the picture, you see one page of the myDJ journal. I usually keep the journal of some BIG Quilts, which I sew.

A Union of Name

April 18, 1861 Sarah Lois Wadley wrote in her diary:

I am afraid war is inenvitable, Ft. Sumter is ours by surrender, Ft. Pickens has been reinforced and was to be
attacked on the 15th...
Block 113. A Union of Name

... What benefits can they have in view that they will introduce all the horrors of civil war into our country, think they, that they can compel the South into a union which they have so perfidiously disregarded. Oh! rather will every man, woman and child perish upon the soil that gave them birth and from which they draw their sustenance rather than call down the curses of our free Forefathers upon the degenerate race who could stoop to ask admittance again into a union of name when there is hatred and treachery in the hearts of those with whom we have been United. (quote from CWD Quilt book by R. Youngs)

Sarah was only 16 years old when she wrote this entry. Her diary entries are lengthy and very informative.

Fabrics which I used are Kaye England's In the Manor (green), Nancy Gere's Civil War VI (sugarplum&black; I really love this one) and centre square's very, very light green is from Mary Rose coll. 13. by Quilt Gate.

I had interesting week with CWD blocks. I hope that you have enjoyed it too;)

.. after little break my CWD journey will continue...

... on the 30th of April, at the picket line

Beginning of War

Second CWD block in this week...

April 16, 1861 Hannah Walton Sanders wrote in her diary

Raining hard this morning. Richard came down for the mail. Got news that the war has commenced at Charleston on last Friday. Cold enough to snow tonight. (both quotes from Rosemary Young's CWD Quilt book)

Hannah was 55 years old when the war began. Two of Hannah's diaries have been found. She wrote every day and her diary entries were short and simple sentences with references to the weather, her family, visitors, daily activities and historical events.
I'm planning to 'meet' her again in May...

Brown and red fabrics are both from Paula Barnes's Bonnie Blue Quilts line by Marcus Fabrics, line of the cream fabric is unknown... I have bought it from Fabric Shack.

Block 31. Beginning of War

April 18, 1861 Hannah wrote

A cold cloudy day. Heard that there was fighting at Harper's Ferry. Great excitement. The Grays called on to be ready. A.K. Fulton and John will go to Wytheville in the morning.

The weather forecast promised to us (here in Finland) also a quite cold day tomorrow. Maybe some wet snow... Oh, where is the Spring...

...on Saturday I'm going to sew the third CWD block in this week. Although it will be a very busy day: I'm at work and in the evening I'm going to go to theatre . Hopefully we'll meet Sarah Lois Wadley for a second time... and we might see atleast 10 purple and 10 green square... See you then;)

PS. Remember to visit at Elin's blog to see her versions of these CWD blocks. They really are worth seeing!

Declaration of War

This week my journey with CWD quilt continues with the blocks which will lead us to the first days of the Civil War in 1861.

April 14, 1861 Rebecca Loraine Richmond wrote in her diary

Civil War has finally been declared. War between the two sections of our once happy, prosperous country. The telegraph brought the startling news today that the first gun of the Rebellion was fired at Charleston at four o'clock on Friday morning April 12.
(quote from Civil War Diary Quilt book written by Rosemary Youngs)

Rebecca was 21 years old when the war began. She lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan far from the battlefield, so most of the war news reached her through the telegraph. Do you still remember Telegram block, which I sewed January 25?

Block 81. Declaration of War

I paperpieced the stars and quick-pieced the triangle squares (lightblue/blue, lightblue/pink and blue/pink). I cut 11 cm and 8 cm squares, which I splitted diagonally once or twice. After all it was quite easy block, it only looks more difficult.

Light blue fabric is Renee Nanneman's Itsy Bits, cream and pink from two different Mary Rose collections (I suppose they are from coll. 11 and 13) by Quilt Gate and blue is from Lucinda's Needle collection by Jo Morton's.

On Thursday evening I will spend some time reading Hannah Walton Sanders's diary...

Best Wishes for...

Uncover the Secret

These two lovely birds brought me a parcel from Sweden...
It was a gift from my secret Easter Swap partner. The envelope was quite plump, but yet light... I was SO exciting, when I opened it...

And look... more lovely birds and SO beautiful Easter greeting card! My new secret friend, Katarina is really talented cardmaker from our neighbouring country. You'll find more wonderful cards here... Her blog is worth of visiting!

These birds and their house will get a place of honour on my door decoration this Summer.

By the way bird watching is one of my favorite hobby... especially in the Spring!

THANK YOU, KATARINA!!!

Have you already sewn your own FABRIC BASKET????

During the past months I have seen many, many fabric basket all over the blogworld. Finally this weekend I did one by myself - I'm sure it won't be the last one. It's easy and HERE you can find the tutorial of the basket. At the Pink Penquin's blog you'll find also lots of interesting things and other tutorials. She uses colourful fabrics, what makes me happy always when I visit on her blog.

At the same time this basket was my first finished project (OPAM) in April;) A Good start!

In this month I'll attempt to finish one UFO ('Christmas' table-cloth from 2007) and atleast the other PIF -gift. Unless I won't find more tempting new or old projects ... that might happen easily, if knowing me...;)))

In the end some recent My DJ and Blue Jane blocks... At this moment I'm 1 block and 1 triangle behind the Thatquilt -group.

Waiting for Easter and four day offs...
I wish you a pleasant quilting week!!!

Smuggling Letters

March 30, 1864. Isabella 'Belle' Edmondson wrote in her diary

It seems I can never go to Memphis without some disagreeable arrangements and sayings. I was greatly disappointed in my trip... I did not smuggle a thing through the lines, except some letters...
(quote from Civil War Diary Quilt book written by R. Youngs)

I was busy tonight after work to make the next block of the CWD quilt... but it's finished;) ... and before midnight...

Block 41. Smuggling Letters

Fabrics are: Judie Rothermel's Cambridge Collection (brown with flowers), Renee Nanneman's Itsy Bits (blue) and Quilt Gate's Mary Rose Collection (very light lavender). I considered them quite long. In the book the 'background' fabric is red, but I didn't find any suitable red one with this blue. So I decided to use that brown... Anyway there is tiny shade of red on it;)

I have spent for a few weeks following Isabella's life in the year 1864. I think I'm going to leave her now and continue with her adventures later. Before it I have decided to learn more about the first days of the Civil War in the year 1861. So the next date is April 14... and block is 81...

15 days without CWD blocks...
Am I able to wait so looong...?
Yes, I am;)
Then there will be one block every other day...
...busy week after Easter with CDW;)))