Southern Notes

December 8, 1861. Eldress Nancy Elly Moore wrote this note in her diary

(text copied from Rosemary Youngs' Civil War Diary Quilt book

... and here it's the beginning of the last CWD block in this year


Fabrics are

green: Lecien's Mrs March's Coll.

pink: Paula Barnes' Bonnie Blue Basics

cream: Quilt Gate's Mary Rose Coll.






Block 16. Southern Notes is finished

It was quite easy, perhaps TOO easy...

because there is some bulky in the middle and I should have been more careful with the seams...


I began my CWD quilt in the end of January 2009 and until now I have sewed 35 of 121 blocks.

Hmm... with this pace it will be finished in 2012!
Maybe I'll try to sew more blocks during 2010... 2012 feels so distant...

I have planned to sew next block on the 1st of January. It is block number 29 named Remembrances,

but before it there is so many Christmas projects...;))

Independence Day - First Christmas Cards

We - finnish people - are celebrating our Independence today, on the 6th of December.

To me it always means that I start to make christmas cards...

... what a mess on the cutting mat;)

Few hours...

... and there was some almost finished christmas cards;)))
to the three special ladies...
over the seas;)

Now I'm going to start my 'relaxing' part of the Independence Day
- a good dinner with few sips of wine...

Relaxing Second Advent to Every One of You!!!

Draft Threat

Still half an hour left...
before it's the 5th December here in Finland.
So I won't be late with my next CWD block...

December 4, 1861 Nancy Elly Moore wrote in her diary

About this time there were many rumors afloat that the young man of Kentucky would be drafted and forced to take up arms against the Government of the United States. With these reports, many young man of our neighborhood, who were determined to remain steadfast to their loyal principles in support of the government of our Fore Fathers, were induced to leave their homes and seek refuge in other states. (quote from Civil War Diary Quilt book written by R. Youngs)

...and here it is;)

It has been a while when I last time foundation pieced the CWD -block. And it felt fine;) although Fenix was little bit difficult tonight; teasing me with his playing with the pool of the thread... So it took more time to finish than usual, and a little quarrel with F...

The red (or pink) fabric is Judie Rothermel's Sturbridge Village Miniatures I, multicoloured (background) fabric is designed by Jo Morton and white fabric in the middle is again the fabric which range I don't know.

Oh, suddenly my eyes are feeling so heavy... it was early wakening this morning. It might be better to go to the bed... before I'll fall asleep---

GOOD NIGHT!
And relaxing weekend with your stitches;)

ja jos emme tapaa ennen sunnuntaita

Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää!

Samettisilmä

The Last SBS BOW of This Year

I need now few moments to relax
in the middle of sewing a traditional teddy bear ...
I hope I'll manage to finish it tomorrow:)
I have sewed a body, two hands, one leg and a head...

So let me show you the latest block of the SBS.

M-7 New Mexico

... And it's also the last BOW of this year.

I have made now 48 blocks!!!
With this pace all blocks will be sewed in 2011...
...yet a long way ahead...

I'll return back with pictures of the teddy,
but now I'll wish

Learning Something New

This week I have concentrated to learn something new...

I visited last weekend on the Finnish Craft Skills - exhibition in Tampere. And I couldn't resist this Bernina Aurora 440QE anymore. So it arrived to me on Wednesday... It opened a totally new sewing world to me. My previous Bernina is very simple model of sewing machine compared to Aurora. I'm looking forward those shared moments with it;)) Unfortunately also Fenix is really interested in it... especially the spool is spinning much more nicer!

And what else new in my quilting life...

SBS - BOW of the week number 46 was E-4 Indiana Rose... With it I learned a totally new applique method - back basting. Here you'll find a good tutorial of back basting.


It was so good experience, that I'll use it in following applique projects too. Especially the direction of the pieces is easier than it is with the freezer paper, when you do needle-turn applique. But that's only my opinion... and you have to remember, I'm not a master of applique... not at all...


Next weekend I'm going to learn more new things... Between Friday and Sunday I'll take part in the course, which we'll make a Teddy Bear. A real one from mohair, with the glass eyes, mobile joints, and so on... Exciting!!!!

So don't worry,
if you don't here me for a while...
...probably I'm sewing teddy bear and some Christmas gifts...
hopefully;)

Spinning and Knotting

November 18, 1862 Mary Austin Adelia Wallace wrote in her diary

I drew three loads of wood, went to mother Kyes and borrowed her wheel and reel. I came home and spun over three knots of yarns and gathered some cabbage.

Nov. 18, 2009 I choosed my fabrics for the next CWD block. Brown is one of the Judie Rothermel's Sturbridge Village Browns collection. Blue is Renee Nanneman's Itsy Bits fabric. The range of the white fabric is unknown to me. Orange fabric is... I'm not sure, but I think it might be Judie Rothermel's too. Atleast it's some of the reproduction fabrics. And I thought of using it very long time... Should I pick up some other fabric...???? But those coils fascinates me...

Nov. 19, 1862 Mary wrote

I went over Mr. Rowes to find out the reason my cow didn't come home. He said he turned her in with Mr. Holmes lot and told them to turned her out morning. He said he was afraid they had not and he would go and get her. --- I spun over three knots of yarn and doubled and twisted over six.

On Thursday evening (Nov. 19, 2009) I cut fabrics this way

- out of brown and orange two 7,5*7,5 cm squares, which I cut diagonally once. I had four brown and four orange triangles

- out of blue and orange six 5*5 cm squares. Those squares I cut also diagonally once, so I got 12 blue and orange triangles

- out of white four 6* 4 cm rectangles

Nov. 20, 1862 Mary dug potatoes and picked them up. And she washed her yarn. (all quotes of diarynotes are from the Civil War Diary quilt book written by R. Youngs)

Today I sewed the block 111. Spinning and Knotting

It's one of my favorites so far. And I'm not unsure anymore of that orange fabric. It matches quite well with the other...

I'm planning to sew two block in December, 4th and 8th of Dec. Although I have some other craftprojects and it's busy time at work too, but I'll try to sew atleast one;)))

SEE YOU and creative weekend to you!!!

PS. Helen has revealed her NEW QUILT: Life is Beautiful. And she has a giveaway on her blog, visit there and spread her beautiful message...
Her newest is AMAZING!!! Must have...

And if you are searching some mystery for your weekend you'll find it here;)))