Since I like to use my blog as a journal for quiltmaking activities, I thought it would be fun to snap some shots of the process along the way for the Civil War Diary Quilt.
First off, the pattern is traced from the book onto freezer paper. Each shape is cut apart and ironed on to the wrong side of the fabric. I have a tubful of Jo Morton fabrics leftover from Little Women Club days and am happy to have a nice selection of color coordinated reproductions. After the pattern pieces are adhered to the chosen fabrics, a line is sketched around the shape with either an eversharp pencil or a General's marker(pencil sharpener nearby!) .
The pieces are cut out leaving a 1/4 " seam allowance all around the edges. I labeled the pieces dark, medium and light to help with the confusion at the ironing board! The block is laid out on my handy-dandy clipboard that has thin batting glued down (great for small piece blocks at the sewing machine, too--and applique parts).
First off, the pattern is traced from the book onto freezer paper. Each shape is cut apart and ironed on to the wrong side of the fabric. I have a tubful of Jo Morton fabrics leftover from Little Women Club days and am happy to have a nice selection of color coordinated reproductions. After the pattern pieces are adhered to the chosen fabrics, a line is sketched around the shape with either an eversharp pencil or a General's marker(pencil sharpener nearby!) .
The pieces are cut out leaving a 1/4 " seam allowance all around the edges. I labeled the pieces dark, medium and light to help with the confusion at the ironing board! The block is laid out on my handy-dandy clipboard that has thin batting glued down (great for small piece blocks at the sewing machine, too--and applique parts).
The pieces are then handstitched into blocks. My first two are (left) John Morgan pg. 144-145 and (right) Abomination of Desolation pg. 172-173, both from the first book, Civil War Diary. I have ordered the second one, Civil War Love Letter, from Amazon and am so anxious to get it!!!
Here are a couple of other wonderful books I have in my quilting library about Civil War quilts and women. Both are by Barbara Brackman and just chockful of great stories and patterns. I've had them both for quite awhile so don't know what their availability is. I am definitely appreciative of the efforts these women put forth in troubled times to keep their families warm.
8 comments:
I agree! I am in awe of the quilts from this time period, can't imagine making quilts under those conditions...
I love the pictures you shared today of your hand pieced blocks...
I have always wanted to hand piece and hand quilt a quilt...
someday!
Kathie
Your blocks look great . . . one of these days I'm going to become brave enough to try out hand piecing some blocks *s*
Thanks for the great tutorial - I used this method for one block so far but know that I will need to use it for some of the more intricate blocks.
Great job on showing what you have going on. I really like all the pictures. Nothing like a hand pieced quilt.
Oh my you are doing it the old fashion way...good for you! No way do I give up my rotary cutter at the moment! LOL! The are very lovely blocks Vera!
Your blocks look wonderful so far! I'm having so much fun making them!
This is interesting!! Where can I buy those books, do you think?
I am hand piecing as well, and I can hear you loud and clear when you say Sssllloooooowww!
will you sew sashing and lattice pieces to your blocks now or after you have pieced all of the blocks?
christine
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