# A project for this year...



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I love the Civil War quilts but have just been too cheap to buy a book to make one! :shrug: I found this website recently though and now I get to make one! Not sure where I surfed into it from though! I've made my first two blocks. I figured with only a block a week even I can keep up with this and still work on other quilts!
http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/


----------



## jokey (Aug 17, 2005)

Very Nice!! Thanks for Sharing! Keep us posted as you progress Please


----------



## grannygardner (May 4, 2005)

I can never remember how I find different links either. I've bookmarked this one. Not sure I'd finish a quilt but can certainly make some pillows out of the blocks. Your blocks look great. I still have trouble getting my HSTs to come out right.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Great! I am following this but haven't started it yet - I have a decent little stash of civil war repro fabrics and have been waiting until I find something I really liked (and could afford!). Please keep posting pics of the blocks as you make them, love seeing them. There is quite a bit out there this year as it's the 150th anniversary. Here's a BOM I'd love to do, but it's a bit expensive for me right now - http://www.homesteadhearth.com/civil-war-tribute.htm


----------



## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

Very Nice.


----------



## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

Oh, those are lovely! Can't wait to see the next one!!


----------



## CJ (May 10, 2002)

This should make a beautiful quilt! I have a friend working on those same blocks right now!


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Ok...bought all my fabric tonight and will start soon. I'm three weeks behind, but maybe I can catch up. 

I've never done something like this before (not seeing the "big picture" in advance). Do you think I should have one color consistent in ALL the blocks to tie them together, like Ginny did, or do you think that a binding or sash or something will coordinate them all? I've got LOTS of different colors....bought 13 or 14 different fabrics tonight. (shhhhhh)


----------



## unregistered65598 (Oct 4, 2010)

Wow those are really pretty. I can't wait to see more of them.


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I've got my first week's blocks cut out, but the directions just say "piece it like the picture" or something to that effect. Any clue as to what size seam allowance I'm supposed to use? The blocks were 2-7/8" cut into triangles, and the finished size is supposed to be 8". If you figure 1/4" for the center seam of the block/triangle, and 1/4" for each side seam, that's losing 6/8" per square, making my finished squares 2-1/8" each or 8-1/2" for the finished block AFTER side seams. Or am I over-analyzing this?!?!? LOL

It's the one on the right in Ginnie's picture....


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

It's [scant] 1/4 inch seams CC, please don't ask me to do math this early in the AM...lol. Hope we get to see pics of your blocks too...


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I'll post them if I ever get them done. I'm excited about it....but never have time!!!! Hoping to sew the first block tonight, though. Cut it out last night and stayed up WAYYYY past my bedtime. I've never cut or sewn triangles before, so figuring out how to do it (and how to measure 2-7/8 on my ruler!) was interesting.


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Dandish said:


> It's [scant] 1/4 inch seams CC, please don't ask me to do math this early in the AM...lol. Hope we get to see pics of your blocks too...


Ok...I've got my first two blocks done. I'm still trying to figure out how to do #3. These are the first blocks I've ever done that weren't just squares! Hope I get better! LOL


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Those look GOOD! Working with triangles can be very difficult, bias edges all over the place. You may find that starching while pressing the fabric helps hold things in shape a bit (but your blocks look like you had no problems!). I love your fabric choices, that green is wonderful! and I especially like it with the red - looks great.


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Those triangles are pesty things to work with! Had a hard time trying to figure out how to line them up so that when opened, they'd be even. Didn't quite get it right.

Ginny, have you started #3 yet??? I'm still debating on how to do it. When does the next week's block come out?


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I need to finish two more stars. I am NOT happy with my applique though. All I've done is top stitch applique and on pieces MUCH bigger than these stars. I'm getting the hang of my thread not showing but I'm not happy with the points. I tried printing them on freezer paper and then cutting them out and glue basting the edges down. That does ok and it makes it easier to sew but I have big clumsy fingers so getting the points right has not been fun. I should finish it tonight and will post a pic tomorrow. This may be a block I end up redoing later on though if I get any better at applique.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

When you get just before the tip, try turning the tip of the point down under itself straight across, then take the last stitch into the point from the side you are on, extra stitch right on the point, turn the other side and continue - this illustrates it well...

http://www.allaboutapplique.net/2009/09/25/pointy-points/


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Wow, Dandish, that helped! I'm having the same problem as Ginny. Got one done last night and it's terrible.  I cut it out and folded/pressed it over a cardboard star, and then removed the cardboard and pressed it again. And then tried to keep it all nicely folded up while I sewed it, which was the challenge. 

I'll have to try it again, tucking in as I go. Do you think they have it pressed in advance, or do they just turn it under as they go??


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

That does help. Maybe I will cut another one out tonight and try it that way. I did really like the glue basting though to hold it in place. I watched the Sharon Schamber video on glue basting binding and thought why not? I want to get the tips she has though as using a glue stick is not easy on tiny pieces!


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

YAY! No applique this week! New block is up!

I was also wondering if we can sticky the two threads about this since several are doing it and it will be a year long undertaking? Thanks!


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

cc-rider said:


> Wow, Dandish, that helped! I'm having the same problem as Ginny. Got one done last night and it's terrible.  I cut it out and folded/pressed it over a cardboard star, and then removed the cardboard and pressed it again. And then tried to keep it all nicely folded up while I sewed it, which was the challenge.
> 
> I'll have to try it again, tucking in as I go. Do you think they have it pressed in advance, or do they just turn it under as they go??


Glad it helped. It does take practice. You have to find what works best for you. When I needle turn, I don't press anything or use freezer paper or anything, just mark my turn line and turn under with the needle as I go. It's slow going, though, but I love hand work (just don't have enough time!).

If you want to press over some kind of template, starch may help hold things in place. I'd try applying a 50/50 liquid starch/water with a Q-tip to the turn-under and then press. There are a few techniques using freezer paper, but I personally don't like working with that. 

Right now I'm working on a BOM applique project using RinsAway for the templates and glue stick for holding them to the fabric and the turning allowance - this is an 'invisible" machine applique process and I'm not sure I'd want to hand stitch through the RinsAway, but it could very well be fine, too - haven't tried that yet. It's kind of hard to find (I had to order it from Amazon), but when the finished block/quilt is washed, the RinsAway dissolves into tiny fibers that virtually "disappear" and the applique has the regular "hand" of the fabric. I'll be posting the finished block in a day or two (or three, lol), hopefully the results will be good - we'll see. It's the Fiesta BOM I posted about in anther thread (with link to the process).


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I saw your fiesta BOM thread. VERY ambitious. Beautiful, though! 

When you said you marked your turning line....was that on the TOP (where you can see it), or on the bottom of the material?


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

cc-rider said:


> I saw your fiesta BOM thread. VERY ambitious. Beautiful, though!
> 
> When you said you marked your turning line....was that on the TOP (where you can see it), or on the bottom of the material?


I mark it lightly on top with pencil and turn so the line is barely not visible. Since it's light pencil even if I miss some it washes out easily. 

For placement on the background I've used clear cheap thin vinyl that I've traced the pattern onto and laid over the background, pinning the applique pieces in place. You can also lightly trace the shapes on the background - window or light box really helps.


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

and here's my attempt at Seven Sisters. I'm not happy with it though so will be redoing it.....sometime before the quilt is done!


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

cc, for future reference, learn how to make 1/2 square triangles (two right triangles = one square) by putting two squares together, making the seams, then cutting. Most teachers will teach this, or get books by Eleanor Burns or Kaye Wood.


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Thanks for the hint. The website that we are getting the BOWs from is GREAT at showing the finished block, and cutting directions, and lots and lots of historical information.....but has NO information on how to sew the quilt block together. I guess they assume you already know the basics....which I don't. All of my previous quilts have been based on squares, rectangles, or stripes! I'm sure learning, though!

So, you put two squares together, and sew 1/4" on each side of center, and then cut down the center? That makes sense.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Yes, it makes lots of sense! If your fabric is flimsy, starch it first. It will help the piece from pulling out. Eleanor Burns makes her triangle units this way, but makes them too big. She then squares them up. You use the center seam as your base, then cut to square.

You can also make several at once by using large pieces of fabric and marking them into squares, sewing the center seams, then cutting the squares out, then the centers.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

When I applique, I use fusible webbing. Cut the webbing into the pattern in the finished size (stars). Place on star fabric already cut out. Press with iron the edges as I turn the seam over the webbing. Remember to cut where there are v points. 

I pin the star to the fabric. Applique the very edge to the background fabric, using a thread that matches the star. Sew two inches this way. With another needle and thread, I faux quilt the two inches I just appliqued. By this, I mean that I topstitch 1/8" from the edge, enough so that I am going through the seam allowance underneath. This sets the star firmly and it looks like I quilted on the star. I use a satin stitch or tight blanket stitch in the v points. I cut off fabric on the outside points so it doesn't bunch.

When I applique a large piece, as for Hawaiin quilting, I do it differently, but for small pieces this seems to work well.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Maura said:


> cc, for future reference, learn how to make 1/2 square triangles (two right triangles = one square) by putting two squares together, making the seams, then cutting. Most teachers will teach this, or get books by Eleanor Burns or Kaye Wood.


http://quilting.about.com/od/quickpiecingtechniques/ss/halfsquaretria.htm

Here's a link that explains how to do half square triangles. You add 7/8 of an inch to the size of your finished unit and cut the squares to that size. Then mark, sew, and cut. Easy peasy. it does eliminate a lot of stretchiness and it's a bit quicker than doing every one individually.


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Ok, I got block four done, but it about beat my butt!! Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead! I didn't think I could get all those triangles to line up. I think I tore out three different places to tweak the seams better. But when I was done, it came out to be 8-1/2", so I guess it's OK. LOL 

Now, back to finish block 3. I've only got one applique done so far.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Okay ladies, I couldn't resist...your blocks look so good I had to come and play too. I made blocks 1 and 2, working on 3. I hope I'm caught up by next week for the next block. I'll post pics soon. I don't know if I can keep up right on time as I have 2 other pretty big projects in the works, but I'm going to give it a go!


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Here are the first two -


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

There is no reason to piece the blocks in the order they are given. If you are having trouble, you can wait for easier blocks. Piece the easiest blocks, then piece the harder ones. The North Star can be made with flying geese or 1/2 squares and is a good pattern to learn using 1/2 squares and matching points. Catch Me If You Can is harder because there are 48 pieces total (44 if you use flying geese), and you have to try and match points. If I was new to quilting, I would put this aside until I had better control.

Dandish, those look really nice. Catch Me looks better than the sample.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Thanks Maura.

"Catch me" can be done with all half square triangles. Cut the squares, match them with their partners and stack right sides together, mark diagonal and sew scant 1/4" seam on both sides of marked diagonal, cut and you have all your HSTs without dealing with bias edges. Matching points is the hardest part.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Here's a great "speed piecing" technique for the 4 flying geese for the North Star - 

http://www.quilterscache.com/H/Howtomakegeese.html

The "B" instructions are even the right size -


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

the hardest one to me hands down has been the applique. Catch me if you can I thought was easy. Gonna try to get this weeks done either tonight or in the morning. I've been busy this week and trying to finish dd's quilt top. Top and bottom sashing and its done though!


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Stars are not easy because of all the points. One applique technique is to use interfacing. Place the star with right side down on the interfacing. Sew around the star, leaving one side open. Trim points and notch v's. Turn. Use a knitting needle to poke where necessary. Apply to backing by either catching the edge, or sewing a straight line all around about 1/8" in.

Another way would be to lie the cut star onto the background and stitch 1/2 inch from the edge, being careful not to stretch or bunch. It would help to mark this line before stitching, esp if doing by hand. Turn the edge under so the edge meets the stitches, this gives you almost a 1/4" hem. Tack down.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

I'm not done sewing down the stars (I'm using my newly learned "invisible machine applique" technique), but these stars were a BEAR! I'm using light stars on a darker background and so I used lightweight nonwoven fusible interfacing to back the stars so the background wouldn't show through. Well, the glue stick didn't like that fusible and they were hard to turn. It was very fussy going. I think it came/is coming out okay though. Will post a pic when I get it all done.

Oh, and not to drift, but I'll be posting a pic of my first "Fiesta" block tomorrow or the next day. It's all done, and washed, but I missed sewing down one small flower part and since the Rinsaway and glue are gone (because I washed it!) I'm going to have to do that piece by hand. I'm thrilled with how it came out - that is great technique (mentioned above).


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Here's a blog where this lady shows each block being pieced - sort of a tutorial - may be of some help. Lots of folks are having problems with the Texas Tears block - I haven't started mine yet - looks tough.

http://lillianscupboard.wordpress.com/category/quilting/civil-war-quilt/


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

I got the Texas Tears one done, but fretted the whole time about whether it was going to "fit" together. It did. I had to redo a couple seams to make it line up better, but I'm happy with it.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Okay, I'm caught up - whew.




























The last pic with all 4 blocks is the truest color pic. I thought the last 2 blocks were pretty difficult!


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

New block is up - lots more HSTs! 

http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Not sure when I'll be able to start this, busy next few days!


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Ok, I looked at it. Is this one where it would make sense to piece all the light and dark squares as SQUARES and then cut them in half? The technique you mentioned earlier? This one looks a bit confusing to me....


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

cc-rider said:


> Ok, I looked at it. Is this one where it would make sense to piece all the light and dark squares as SQUARES and then cut them in half? The technique you mentioned earlier? This one looks a bit confusing to me....


Yes, exactly. Cut the squares, mark a diagonal on the wrong side of the lighter fabric (just so it's easier to see), pair them up in combinations needed (in this case 1 dark, 1 light), run them through the sewing machine sewing scant 1/4 seam on each side of the diagonal line you drew, then cut them apart on the line. You can even make the squares a bit bigger and do the same, then trim them down to 1-1/2 inches to make sure you have them exactly the right size. 

I notice her instructions have you piece a separate dark triangle on the HSTs for the tips of each quarter block - you can do it that way, or you can make the corners and center of the block in HSTs (all one row) and trim a corner off the bigger triangles (the "A" triangles" in her directions) to match. The finished effect will be the same, just a couple extra seams (but easier piecing, actually). Did that make sense?


----------



## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

I love your colors..you are doing great! you keep on going and by the end of the quilt you will have learned lots of techniques and will say..Wow..why did I ever think these things were hard to do!!


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

cc-rider said:


> I got the Texas Tears one done, but fretted the whole time about whether it was going to "fit" together. It did. I had to redo a couple seams to make it line up better, but I'm happy with it.


I sweated through it too, and came out just a smidge under 8-1/2, but I'll make it work. LOL.


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

Don't make the 1/2 squares one (2) at a time. Lay the light fabric on top of the dark, then use a ruler and pencil to mark off the full size squares, 2 1/2 x 2 1/2" . Then draw the center diagonal on these squares, then the sewing lines if you are marking sewing lines. Sew all the squares before cutting. Then, cut into squares, then 1/2 squares. Trim to proper 1 1/2 x 1/1/2".

When trimming, use your 45 degree line on your ruler to square up everything to the sewn line so you get equal light and dark triangles.


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Maura said:


> Don't make the 1/2 squares one (2) at a time. Lay the light fabric on top of the dark, then use a ruler and pencil to mark off the full size squares, 2 1/2 x 2 1/2" . Then draw the center diagonal on these squares, then the sewing lines if you are marking sewing lines. Sew all the squares before cutting. Then, cut into squares, then 1/2 squares. Trim to proper 1 1/2 x 1/1/2".
> 
> When trimming, use your 45 degree line on your ruler to square up everything to the sewn line so you get equal light and dark triangles.


Cool - thanks!


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Thanks for the tip, Maura! I had already done it before I saw this, but will remember for next time. I used the tips about sewing them as squares, and the one about cutting it a tad big, and trimming. I cut my 1-7/8" squares as 2" (easier to read on my board!), sewed, and then trimmed to 1-1/2". Wow....easy, peasy....and they all came out nice and square that way. 

I didn't quite follow directions for the Kansas one and made all of the tiny triangles different colors (well, 3 different colors, anyway). I like it better that way. 

Here are the four I have done...still working on the durned stars...

No, I didn't miscut the bottom two....my camera chopped them off. LOL


----------



## cc-rider (Jul 29, 2003)

Here's the Kansas one by itself...
Hmmmmm, when you photograph it, you see every flaw, don't you? Hadn't noticed the gaps between the outside triangles before...wonder how that happened?


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

CC-Rider those look really good! I like the different colored tips A LOT. I love the paisley in your Texas Tears, too. 

Don't worry too much about little gaps, much of it will be hidden when its quilted. I squeezed a little time in tonight and I'm working on my Kansas Troubles now. I cut the squares larger too, and I just walked away because I couldn't figure how to line them up right on my ruler to trim them - time to take a break - lol.


----------



## stirfamily (Jun 18, 2002)

Great job! And boy are you fast! I plan on doing that one today. I want to do mine like the one pictured in the blog with black and red. I told DH if these blocks keep getting harder I'll have no hair by year's end! LOL!


----------



## Dandish (Feb 8, 2007)

Hi Stirfamily - do we get to see pics of your blocks?

I thought this block was going to be easier. NOT! much. I did get #5 (Kansas Troubles) done last night, but boy, I had to concentrate. Twice (in a row!) I sewed the HSTs together the wrong way and my seam ripper got some exercise. I was tired too, and I'm sure that didn't help. Anyhow, it's donel, pic later.

Where's Ginnie5? No post since the Seven Sisters --Ginnieeeee?


----------



## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

have been busy trying to finish another top....hoping to work on these last two blocks this afternoon!

And here is one! the other is cut out and ready to go together.Texas tears about put me in tears though! It took me forever to get it right.


----------

