Chaos...

Currently my sewing room 

is being repainted, 

rearranged and redecorated.  

This was initiated after (I believe) 

my cat, Bobbin jumped on 

a 30-year-old bookcase shelf. 

I found a shelf of books 

on the floor one morning.

It was the final straw.

I was prompted to act.

So I accepted the help of friends, 

hired a painter and the project took off.  

I will send photos when it is completed.

The downside is that 

nearly everything I use to quilt 

is covered, packed up 

and stored up in various areas.

I really miss my piecing therapy.  

Yesterday I pinned a small quilt 

on Roscoe (my Gammill Statler Stitcher) 

and long armed it.

It is not squared off, 

but it won't be until the sewing room is back!

So here is a preview.

This quilt was a mystery quilt 

at Scrap Happy Quilt Guild 

around five years ago.

Audria Humphreys and I chose it.  

Honestly I don't think 

it was very popular with the group, 

but we liked it.

Yikes!!!  

That reminds me 

I have yet to start my 2015 Mystery Quilt. 

And the quilt room renovation 

will only delay me further.

But to be honest, 

I haven't even picked out my fabrics yet.

Hope you are not as far behind as I am.

Carlene

Hot off the Statler Stitcher!

My latest Civil War quilt has just been squared off 

and is ready for pink binding.

My paternal great-grandfather Jacob Buck 

served as a Union infantryman 

in the Ohio 29th Volunteers from 1861-1865.  

He fought in 19 major battles and never missed a roll call. 

 Only three soldiers in the entire war had that distinction.  

Amazingly he was never wounded and

 left the military as full lieutenant colonel.

I learned all this recently 

as I was unaware of much history on my father's side.  

His parents died when I was a child and he died when I was 7 1/2.

No one was there to pass on the family stories 

and I wasn't interested then anyway.

I am making a series of Civil War quilts 

and each is being named to commemorate a battle 

in which Jacob fought.

This quilt is named Columbia, South Carolina.

Columbia was burned to the ground in December, 1864 

by either withdrawing Confederate soldiers, 

drunken Union soldiers, or by 

out of control fires that spread by the blowing cotton fibers 

which were used as fuel.

For these reasons, 

I used the machine quilting pattern "Fire" by Cyndi Herrmann.  

The backing I chose is a red and black streaked fabric 

to represent blood and charred wood.  

I clipped this photo from a magazine
several years ago 

and always knew I would make it.  

Okay, okay I know it says 

"Turn-of-the-century quilts from the Midwest", 

but I figured since I was using fabrics from the Civil War era, 

it would become a Civil War quilt.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.  

Two of my sisters think this latest accomplishment

 is a waste of my time and fabric.  

(And hope that I soon finish this Civil War phase

and start using some prettier fabrics.)

Each of the Civil War quilts is being made 

from the same pool of 1800's style fabric, 

but is based on different blocks and 

has various settings and different border fabrics.

Some have been inspired strongly by Civil War quilts 

in books by Barbara Brachman

and others have come from my collection of quilt ideas.

Since I am a quilt artist, I am creating as I am inspired.

Also they are quite warm, bed-sized 

and are most often used when eyes are closed.

So I see it as a win-win and a part of my estate when I die.

Someone will be drawn to it, surely.

Actually when you think of it, 

we still are fighting some of the same battles today.

State's rights, civil rights, economic development,

political turmoil, etc.

Humans are so ornery.  

They never learn to truly work together, 

each giving a little and doing things the best way for the majority.

Most keep their stubborn habits.

Speaking from experience,

Carlene

* * * * * * * * *

Special Trip Around the Midwest completed!

In 2005 I retired and moved 

from Buffalo Grove, Illinois to Clarinda, Iowa.

The relocation went well, 

but I really missed my church and quilting friends from Illinois.

In 2007 

my friends Cindy Kiel, Lenor Davis, Glenda Foley, 

Carmen Talbott and Beth Carroll 

drove in to Clarinda from their homes in

 Illinois, Oklahoma and Kansas to visit me.

We talked and quilted for four days and 

all went to the Praise Band service on Sunday at 

the Clarinda First United Methodist Church. 

Before they left, they gave me a gift of several fabrics 

and I added some of my stash

and made a quilt using the Trip Around the World pattern

to remember their visit.

I machine quilted it and my sister Judy Steeve 

just whipped the binding down.

Thank you, Judy!

Lovely fabrics....great friends....

Special Trip Around the Midwest!

* * * * * * * *   

My sister Deb Corcoran came today 

and helped me pin on another Civil War quilt.

Thank you, Deb!

Last night when I was choosing one to quilt, 

I found I had two (almost) identical  108" square quilts.

It appears I forgot I already made one 

from my "to do" list and remade it. 

Well, I really do like the pattern!

When they are both done, I'll send pictures. 

I can't believe I forgot I made two almost exactly alike.

(I do remember being grumpy 

because I was almost out of fabric.)  

Hope you don't do that...unless you want to.

Carlene

February quilt bonanza for Elllowyne and Linus!!

My niece Brittany Loudenback pieced this bright quilt 

for her 26-month-old daughter, Ellowyne's big girl bed.  

I chose a simple and sweet machine quilting pattern
that features hearts, flowers and circles.

The cotton flannel backing makes it so cuddly.

* * * * * * * * *

My sister, Jo Anne Souza pieced

 a Duckling and Puppy quilt for 

her new grandson, Linus Franklin Loudenback 

born February 15th.

* * * * * * * *

Ellowyne enjoyed making a snowman 

during the ongoing snowfalls in Connecticut.

My sister Debbie Corcoran pieced 

this Tawny Scrawny Lion quilt for Ellowyne.  

The illustrations on the quilt are based on 

the Golden Book of the same name.

Ellowyne will receive both the quilt and a copy of the book.  

My family loves quilts which makes me very happy.

* * * * * * * * * *

Great progress on Civil War series of quilts...

My plan is to name each my Civil War quilts after a battle
my great-grandfather, Jacob Buck fought in
during the War Between the States.



With the help of my sisters,
Deb Corcoran and Judy Steeve, 

Gettysburg, the Civil War modified rail fence quilt
shown on my last blog, is completed.

Deb helped me pin it on Leticia,
our Gammill Classic Statler Stitcher. 

 I used the Goose Down pattern
designed by Dave Dennis.  

Judy helped me square it off.  

I prepared the binding and sleeve
and attached them to the quilt.  

Now Judy is whipping down the binding and sleeve.  

I so appreciate their help so
I can get so many quilts completed.  

* * * * * * * *

  

When I saw this photo (above) 
in a Country Living magazine years ago, 

I knew I would be making it some day, 

so I ripped it out and placed it in my 
"Interesting quilts" file. 

 I decided it would be a unique one 
using Civil War fabrics 

and solid "School Bus orange", red and pink. 

This one (below) is still unnamed.

I used Electric Quilt to design it
to my preference--the 100" x 100" size
and determine fabric yardage needed.

 My family is not enamored with it, 
but I really like it.  

I'll have a better photo after it is quilted.  

I think I nailed the original, don't you?  

* * * * * * * *

Bobbin (below) in her felted wool cat cave.

Well, Bobbin, my mackerel tabby cat 
is giving me the "stink eye" 
as she is ready for "us" 
to go to bed as it is after 11 p.m.  
I can't wait to start 
another Civil War quilt tomorrow.

Hope you are staying warm
during our cold snap.

Carlene

I'm still alive and blogging again after almost a five-year hiatus!

Hello, friends!  

Several years ago I had an idea to make 

six different quilts featuring Civil War reproduction fabrics. 

 This photo is of the top half of one of these quilts.

I just finished piecing the blocks and 

sewing two sets of 25 blocks together tonight. 

Is it a pattern from the 1860's?  Who knows?  

I can't find the pattern in 

the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns 

compiled by Barbara Brackman.  

My friend, Lenor Davis suggested the pattern 

could be described as a modified fence rail.  

Good idea.

My friend, Kathy Brooks from near Chicago, Illinois 

had made a quilt using this pattern years ago.  

 I just know I liked the pattern and I had to make it.

* * * * * * 

Here are photos of some of 

the other quilt tops and completed quilts 

 I have pieced in 2014.

* * * * * *

I purchased two kits named Hanky Panky 

at the Pine Needles Quilt Shop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa 

and made this large queen quilt top.  

It is one of the 45+ quilt tops awaiting my machine quilting.  

* * * * * *

I purchased two layer cakes of the "Collage" fabric line 

and pieced this couch quilt which was a Christmas gift 

for my niece and her husband, Brittany and Doug Loudenback

 who live in Connecticut.  

I used the Missouri Star Quilt Company tutorial 

named "Cheerio" for my instruction.

I quilted it on my new Statler Stitcher and 

was pleased that it arrived at its new home before Christmas.  

* * * * * *

I had a generous selection of fabrics

 from the "Wordplay" fabric line 

and used them plus some of my other fabrics

 to piece two couch throws/wall hangings

based on the "Cheerios" pattern, too.  

After Statler Stitcher quilting, 

they were gifts this autumn to my sisters

Jo Anne Souza in Connecticut

 and Judy Steeve in Clarinda.

Well, it is time for me to retire tonight.

  My goal is to begin REGULAR blogging. 

 I hope you come back and 

find blogs every single week in 2015.

Merry Christmas! 

Carlene

Cool ties in progress

I have started another group of cool ties

 for servicemen and servicewomen in Afghanistan and Iraq

 for the American Legion Auxiliary. 

I should have started sooner....

as summer is already here, but better late than never.

I start with 17 yards of 45" wide 

cotton unbleached woven Moda 200 

which I dye with Tan Rit dye to a safer sand-colored one. 

All 17 yards are ironed and ready for cutting. 

Seven cuts 5" wide from selvedge to selvedge yield 7 Hugs.

Two 6 1/2" cuts from selvedge to selvedge

 (and then cut into 14 - 6 1/2" squares) 

become 7 Kisses. 

Using scissors I round off the corners of the 160 - 6 1/2" squares.

Sew the Hugs along the long side from one end to the other. 

Then at one open end roll the seam into the middle

 and sew across it using a 1/4" seam allowance. 

Using the piece of PVC pipe and dowel, 

I turned the 80 Hugs inside out 

and then pressed over the 1/4" seam allowance at the open end 

and crimped folds 10" from the two ends. 

The crimps are where I will sew 

after the 1/2" teaspoon of Watersorb has been added.

I matched up two circles (Kisses),

 sewed them together using a 1/4" seam allowance

 but leaving a 1" opening for turning,

turned them inside out and pressed them 

while tucking in the 1/4" seam allowances.

 After adding 1/4 teaspoon of Watersorb, 

I sew across the 1" opening to sew them shut. 

They're done.

A Hug,

 a Kiss, 

instructions for soaking

and a Thank You for Your Service 

are slipped into each snack baggie. 

They are all ready for mailing.