Back on the Wagon - More Civil War Blocks

June 28, 2011 Leila

I have been so tempted to join in the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along, but there is no way I can start another project right now without going loopy. I also realized that I already had a project like the FWQA, my totally neglected Civil War Blocks.

Barbara Brackman posts a block of the week, complete with a historical Civil War story every Saturday at http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/. I don't think I had made any since March! So I went back through the old posts and jotted down instructions for the star/pinwheel inspired blocks. ( Here is my plan for the blocks.) I got four (!!!!!) made on Saturday and cut out 2 more today. I love sewing! Here are the completed blocks:

The Barbara Frietchie Star - named after a heroic if not historically real woman. I liked how this one turned out -nice colors and contrast. It reminds me of the curtains in The Sound of Music. :)

Illinois Road - This block was suppose to be made with a stripe, but since I didn't have a stripe, I free pieced the strips with small scraps. It's not bad, but not my favorite. It isn't quite as wonky looking in real life.

Calico Puzzle - I was sure as I was cutting and sewing that this would be my favorite block ever. It had the awesome fussy cut flower and my favorite strawberry fabric, but something just isn't right... What is it? Should I have used pink for the triangles? But that might have made the yellow print look odd.... So hard to know without making and remaking the blocks. I'm not saying it is a disaster, it still looks good, just not as good as I had imagined.

White House Block - A lot like Illinois Road, but with a pinwheel in the middle.

There you go. I am back on the Civil War QA wagon! Hopefully, you will be seeing more of these blocks soon. And if I hurry and finish the quilt maybe I can join in the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along. :)