the civil war quilt diary … day 1
I have been watching with growing delight over the last two weeks as several talented quilters I visit in blogland display their “Civil War Diary” wares. They have been popping them out at an awe inspiring rate and their prettiness knows no bounds.
I have seen Rosemary Youngs’ book before - in fact I own a copy but it has been on an extended holiday with a lovely woman who is not a close friend and whom I have not seen since lending it to her 18 months ago - but have always been daunted by the littleness of the blocks - 6 inch - and the incredibly detailed piecing involved in some of them.
Bound up in my slowness to tackle these blocks, has been a finicky quibbling in my mind over the colour choices - they sometimes look so drab to me - and the “oddness” of some of block constructions.
However, as I said above, I have been enchanted with the efforts of quilters such as Megan and Kathie and have decided to cast aside my wah-wahs (as J and Little C call whining) and begin. I couldn’t convince C to take part - hmmph! - but I’m hooked!
Since 1pm this afternoon, CWQ blocks are all I’ve been able to think of and I have so far produced 7 (I machine piece - hope this is okay) - as per those on Kathie’s blog as I don’t have the book. I was hoping to “win” one last night on ebay but it was not to be (you may of course be asking at this point why I don’t just ring the earlier mentioned lady and ask for my book’s return - I am a horrible cowardy custard and would rather stand in my mother’s mosquito infested back garden for an hour on dusk than be so presumptuous!).
However, dear C is coming to the rescue and lending me her copy (guess I shouldn’t complain she won’t join in!) She was going to pass it over on Friday at the quilt shop sale but I think I will have to call by tomorrow and collect - I cannot wait til Friday. So here’s my start.
Special Blessings … I really like this block and am contemplating a lap size quilt with this block in Aunt Grace / Feedsack style fabric.
John Morgan … who is he? Must have the book to find out.
Yankee Papers — I’m also very fond of this one
Now, I don’t know the names of the rest of these … I’ll name them properly when I get the book so until then, Churn Dashy thing … eeuuww on the colour combination but I’m being brave … ooh! ooh! I’ve checked on Lorre’s blog - this is Letters from Home
Red and Navy … so smart!
Blue and Brown … very demure, definitely an outfit for afternoon visits.
Pink and Brown … cocoa and raspberry meringues … and this is Enthusiasm
So there you are - my beginning. What I am loving about this exercise thus far is that it is really stopping me from over-thinking my fabric combinations. I would NEVER have used some of the colour combinations above but they were from my reproduction stash and I am determined to just plop those reproduction fabrics together in a scrappy, hit and miss way. I saw purple and blue and thought fine, purple and blue it is and didn’t stop to consider it any further, just snatched up the closest two. I’m thinking - hoping - this will add to the end charm. By golly, I hope I’m not wailing into my tea at the end of this! :)
Oh! And J will add the “Sew Many Blocks” logo to my page when he gets home - he’s in Melbourne at a conference and I haven’t a clue how to do it. OMG! The potatoes are burning, the lamb is still frozen and the greens .. what greens? And it’s 7.40pm on a school night. Enough!