week four on "Aurelia's journey"

Three more twelve-inch blocks on

"my journey"

to the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War...

Bear Paw:

 

House:

Four Star:

I really like all most of these blocks, too. 

The Bear Paw is a little "angry" looking...

(thanks, D~~~~, you have me thinking this now, too). 

Don't know if it's all of the points

or the combination of the points along with the color scheme of the block;

anyway, three more blocks down.

  

Next in the "A Path to the Civil War" book

is the applique dog block. 

It, too, is a twelve inch block,

so a really big dog (!)...

I'm thinking I will do something other than the big dog*.

Don't know what yet, but to me, the dog just doesn't "go".

Now, the history lesson:

Who would've guessed that
what started as 
a newspaper feature series for about a year (1851-1852)/
later collected to become 
the book
"Uncle Tom's Cabin", 
written by Harriet Beecher Stowe,
would have such an impact on the
United States sentiment about slavery (even having an international effect).

Ms. Beecher was born in Connecticut in 1811,
married Reverend Stowe to become Mrs. Beecher-Stowe, 
and moved to southern Ohio* in 1832,
where she taught at a school for former slave children.

About the same time as the passing of the Fugitive Slave act,
Mrs. Stowe's loss of one of her children (1849),
to the cholera epidemic made her feel for others who had also lost a child - 
much like a slave who had a child torn from their arms by bounty hunters.  

Mrs. Stowe portrayed her feelings
of loss and grief
in her story of a devout slave,
Uncle Tom,
 and she put a voice to the abuse, suffering and even death 
of slaves in the United States at this time in history.

By 1856,
2,000,000
(yes, that's TWO MILLION)
of her books had sold. 
The outraged southerners proclaimed that the book
was an exaggeration of the slaves abuse and plight.
Mrs. Stowe responded by giving newspapers documentation of the abuse in the South. 
The response was also strong in England. 
So much so, that
the British declined
to aid the South 
when the War started.

*Maybe I will do my own block-- something to tie in MY family history of the southern-Ohio Rankin House.  Just thinkin'...

meandering

more chances to meander:

I quilted a twisty, snaky, wavy, meandering line on this,

and the borders I quilted with snakes(!)

as the border was a fun, snake fabric

(sorry the pic is a little dark, wish you could see the snakes in the border better).

This is Joell's, from a mystery night, I think;

and she is just cranking them out!

Another great finish  (and I'm still just a little jealous on all of her finishes)!

Next up is a table runner by Pat:

She is a new quilter and trying her hand at a couple of small pieces, hence the table runner.  It finished at 17" by 40";

I quilted it using the "vintage" stitch from my

Sashiko machine (heart, heart).

And, she even did a prairie point edge!

I love it when we (the collective we)

do things as beginners because we THINK WE CAN!

What will you do for your next project?

houses...& dreams

We recently traveled from Ohio and went East...

We drove around some of the old villages and seaports...

Houses in Wickford, RI, from the late 1700's

to newly built homes along the rural by-ways.

I confirmed that I love architecture...

almost like quilt-making...

all of those finishing touches that make a house a home.

I have just a few pics of houses (and melting snow) from our travels:

The house where my Daughter and S-I-L live...

the square box house- very efficient and cozy:

They live on an island near Narraganset, Rhode Island, and you can't tell from this pic, but the winds have blown the snow up to the front and side doors so you can only get out by climbing out the side window and THEN shoveling!  What fun, huh?! 

My S-I-L is past tired of shoveling!

From southern RI, while we were out - we traveled up to the Adirondacks and visited friends who go cross-country skiing for a couple of months every winter, and this is where they stay:

 About the same size house as above, but a second story added for more sleeping area, with the snow piled all to one spot -right in front of the house.  Also very efficient and cozy.  I love the metal roof, with the melting snow and ice slides, the sounds of spring coming!

Lastly,

I found a house that I could have

 all of you 

over at the same time and we could

RETREAT 

all spring, summer, and autumn!

Check it out:

It's near Green Hill Beach, in southern Rhode Island,

& I don't know whose this place is, or any particulars about it,

but Sweetie agreed:

Perfect Quilting House. 

It wasn't for sale, nor could I afford it if it was,

but dreaming is good, isn't it?

Great visit and travels, but,

OK, back to work --

we are back in Ohio-

the sun is shining and the snow is mostly melted. 

I know there's still a week of February left,

so hopefully some more snow coming to finish up the winter...

and I can sit in MY house

and be cozy and hear the season getting ready to change.

snow and dreams...

Abe's logs

I LOVE log cabin blocks...

and I LOVE this little goody...only 11" x 14".

It is Abe's Log Cabin

using all one inch cut pieces!!!

from the Fit to Frame series: Set Twelve, by Lori Smith.

I used all reproduction fabrics and then hand quilted it with the

"Utility Stitch" ...aka the Big Stitch and a

Valdani floss-size 12 #O545

The color of this floss reminds me of santa's beard...

I did it as a sample for an upcoming class I'm leading

at Always In Stitches here in Ohio.

Join me if you can!

Happy President's Day

and keep on stitching!

week three on "Aurelia's journey"

For the Valentine holiday:

left, Wandering Lover,

right, Economy.

Aren't those good ones for the week of Valentine's Day?

 Those were both nine inch blocks.

Now, a couple of twelve inch blocks...

Album...using that Cheddar that I love:

 and Drunkard's Path:

They were all fun blocks to make...especially the cheddar.

I was afraid it was going to be too much, but, I'm really still liking it.

Now the history part...

The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act...

California was ready to join the Union...

Texas and lands west wanted to become territories of the U.S.

And with all the other unrest

regarding the balance of power

between free and slave-holding states,

Congress adopted five bills - known as the Compromise of 1850. 

The compromise was meant to

soothe tensions

between the North and South and

not split the Union...

The effect was exactly opposite...

neither the Abolitionists nor the Southerners were happy,

and the Compromise of 1850 just added to the unrest.

At the same time,

the Fugitive Slave Act was passed

to strengthen slave-owners' rights

and a commission was formed

to pursue slaves across boundaries,

without time limits, and

return them to slavery

without any due process.

Tensions rose...

a snowman

Ahh, snow...

Nope, still not tired of the snow...

real or fabric :)

"and in the Meadow"
by Larkspur Lane,
a paper-pieced pattern
that will be a class I'm teaching
at
Always in Stitches
 THURSDAY, February 24th, 6-8 p.m.
It's a good beginner paper-piecing pattern...
this wall hanging finishes at 33"x41",
so no little stuff...
unless you do the four corner house blocks,
(which I did not do for the sample for this beginner class).

So, I was thinking...if you are tired of the real stuff...snow, I'm talking,
then this is a great end of winter project to usher out the season.
If you are not in town, you can order the pattern and a kit from the A.I.S. shop and they'll ship!

Happy day!
And Happy Snow!!

Sweetie Day

I can't believe it is the middle of February already!!!

Where does the time go?

Here's my sweet for my Sweetie...

OK, not decorated yet, I know...

But, they are baked and

the icing is made and

decorating sprinkles are ready...

Does close count???

:)

Hope you have a great V-day,

ready or not!

p.s.  I really didn't just show him the icing and pile of cookies... :)

week two on "Aurelia's Journey"

Top to bottom, left to right:  Crossways, Devil's Claw, and two Criss-Cross blocks.
These first blocks are nine inch blocks.

Piecing blocks is a good time to reflect... to reflect on the history of our United States...

If you don't want a history lesson,

then skip the remainder of this post.

It's short and maybe not exactly concise,

but how my mind worked through the history book...

and the "A Path to the Civil War"

by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820: 
Missouri Territory sought statehood in the early 1800's...

at the time, there were 22 states in the Union, 11 of them were slave-holding. 
Missouri, the territory, had slaves. 
A New York representative proposed to allow Missouri statehood IF they banned slavery within the new state.
The proposal passed the House, but not the Senate...
so the bid to statehood stalled.

It stalled until Maine wanted to be admitted to the Union as a free state. 
If both slave-holding Missouri Territory and free-state Maine were admitted at the same time, this would maintain "balance" in the equal numbers of states that were slave and free states.
Thus, Missouri became the 24th state in the Union in August, 1821.

The language of the Missouri Compromise Bill 

prohibited slavery 

north of the 36*30' Latitude line

and it remained so for 30 years.

In Love

I am IN LOVE!!!
(Well, I was already in love-and Sweetie knows it,)
But,
 check out the stitching on this baby!!!:

click on the pic and then click again to see the stitching - up close and personal!

THAT, my friends is my NEW LOVE...

The SASHIKO machine by Baby Lock!!!

(no promotional fee given for this "ad")

I have this machine that stitches this way!!!---

the vintage look of the hand-made Utility Stitch!

Done by machine!!

Yeah, I know that's a whole lot of

Exclamation Points and Caps!

Sorry,

but totally worth it!

I have a couple of friends who also have this machine -

and they are loving it just as much as I am...

Go to your local Baby Lock dealer and try it out, I'm tellin' you!

You could have a new love, too!

NOW, to get the electricity to stay on long enough to use it again!

These winter storms with ice are really cutting into my stitching time!

Happy Stitching!

With or without electricity!

Concentric Log Cabin

Isn't this a keeper?

I love it!

The pattern is Concentric Log Cabin from
"Small quilts with Vintage Charm" - a Jo Morton book.

Remember, I talked about buying a kit and I don't usually buy kits?
'Cause, One, I already have gobs  tons  LOTS of fabric,
and Two, I REALLY enjoy choosing the fabrics for my own projects.
And there's more, but two's enough for now.

Anyway, the kit:  I really liked all of the colors and the fabrics and the price seemed right, SO...
I was thinking hard on it and the shop gals said there was a "kit sale" going on...
"SOLD"!  And since I already had the book -- well, only made sense!


Of course, knowing me, I would NOT be able to make the pattern/kit as it was kitted up...
No, had to add more strips - to fit a certain table, you know.

So instead of 25 "rounds", I did 35.  Yes, that is a whole lot of one inch strips to cut...
But totally worth it, don't you think?

Wait until I show you the close-up!!!  (tomorrow!)

Happy Monday!

week one on "Aurelia's journey"

My count-down  and reflection begins...

the count-down to April 12th...

the 150th anniversary

of the start

of the Civil War.

left to right, top to bottom:

North and South,

Ohio Star,

Bow Tie,

Ohio Star

"A Path to the Civil War"

by Sarah Maxwell and Delores Smith

is a quilt pattern based on

an antique sampler quilt found in New York...

The quilt sampler by

Aurelia Bevins of Broome, NY

was stitched by hand.

The original was dated June 2, 1875;

 with the size, the number of pieces and different fabrics,

it undoubtly was stitched during and after the time of the Civil War.

I will stitch my blocks mostly by machine,

for the next ten weeks.

1861
     "did women turn to quilting as a way to relieve stress and take their minds off troubling topics?" A qoute from "A Path to the Civil War" by Sarah Maxwell.


2011--our nation nears the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War...
     DO women today turn to quilting as a way to relieve stress and take their minds off troubling topics?

winter sunshine

Someone brought me some

Florida fresh tomatoes...

Toast with (room temp) tomato

and a couple of shavings of sharp white cheddar cheese on the side.

The breakfast of champions

here in cold, wintry, blizzardy Ohio.

:)  yum

January 24, 1991...

Do you remember the Gary Larson comics in the newspaper?

(Do you remember newspapers??!  Just kidding.)

But I have a feeling it may be coming to that -

no printed local newspapers.

Anyway,

back to the subject at hand...

The Far Side by Gary Larson...

I'd like to share one of my favorites

from The Far Side...

and,

considering the weather hitting

across the U.S. of A in the next 24 or so hours...

this is one from the end of January,

Twenty years ago...

(and, yes, this was one that I clipped and saved...

it still makes me smile)

Happy snow and ice and blizzard day to you!

Hope you are safe inside today, all warm and cozy.

I'm off to do some stitching...