Bluegrass Quilt Festival

Day two at the Bluegrass Quilt Festival in Shepherdsville.  What great fun to everyone and the great ideas that are offered by the venders.  Here are a few pictures from the Festival:

These are from my booth at the festival.

The following are some of the quilts on display:

Hope you can come by to see us.

Happy Quilting .........

September Pinwheel News

I know everyone is enjoying this great weather we are having, seems Fall is in the air.

What's New:

Now through September 27th, "Lily Anna Stitches" Trunk Show.  Come see 17 beautiful designs by Lori.  Patterns available for all 17 samples plus a few more.

I have also received the Fall banner pattern that some of you have been waiting for.

September Table Mat Kits are going fast.  This is the monthly table mat by Kathy Schmitz, Autunm Time.

I started the Underground Railroad Quilt Sew a Long on my blog this month.  Check it out and see if you want to join us.  This is the first block:

"Baskets from the Past" this is my latest pattern.  I was inspired by a 1830's Antique basket quilt.

Upcoming Events:

This weekend is the Heartland of Kentucky Quilt Show in E'town, KY.

Will be held at the Pritchard Community Center Sept. 19th & 20th.Doors open at 9am.  After the show, I hope you have time to stop by for some special deals I will be running during the show.  Shop hours are 11-6 Friday and Saturday.

Next weekend is the Bluegrass Quilt Festival held in Shepherdsville KY. at the Paroquet Springs Conference Center.  September 25, 26. & 27,  Doors open at 9am.  I will have a booth at this show.  Come by and see me if you make it to this show.

Classes: 

I will be posting some classes in the next week.

September is National Sewing Month, visit your local shop for a new project.

Happy Quilting,

Carol

Underground Railroad - Block 1

I Block 1 is the Underground Railroad 

Also known as Jacob's Ladder, this block has an alternating path of dark and light that can be used to show direction. 

There is a story about a slave owner chasing a runaway who swore the man vanished as if he had stepped on some kind of "Underground Railroad."  The idea of an Underground Railroad taking people north to freedom was used to describe the network of abolitionists and safe houses that helped escape to Ohio and Canada.  Safe houses along the way were known as "stations," those who guided the escapees were called "conductors" and the runaways themselves were called "passenger."

Reaching a "station" in the North meant food, clothing, and a place to hide when capture was imminent.  But it did not yet mean freedom.  The Underground Railroad took them all the way to Canada in some cases.  Estimates are that as many as 100,000 people escaped slavery between the American Revolution and the Civil War.

Block 1

You will need 3 fabrics:

Chedder -- cut a 2 1/2" strip 30" long.    

                   cut 2 - 5" squares

Cream --  cut a 2 1/2" strip 30" long

Navy -- cut 2 - 5" squares

Note that I am using Chedder as a light in this block, and may do it later in other blocks.

Sew the two 2 1/2" strips together.

Make 4 half square triangles using the 5" squares.  Square to 4 1/2".

Make 5 four patch squares.

Then lay your squares out  and sew together.

This is the block from the book:

See you next month for Block 2.

Underground Railroad - Day 3.......

It is fascinating how quilts and or quilt blocks were used in th Underground Railroad.  The Log Cabin block was used to signal a "safe house" for runaway slaves.  Quilts were used to communicate information about the Underground Railroad, the blocks were used as a code.  

Ocella McDaniel Williams, from South Carolina, remembered the code this way:

"The monkey wrench turns the wagon wheel toward Canada on a bear's paw trail to the crossroads.  Once they got to the crossroads, they dug a log cabin on the ground.  Shoo fly told them to dress up in cotton and satin bow ties, go to the cathedral church, get married and exchange double wedding rings. Flying Greece stay on the drunkard's path and follow the stars."

According to Ozella and her family's oral history, there were ten quilts used to direct the slaves to get ready for escape.  Ozella also mentioned a number of secondary patterns.  Each of the blocks had a different meaning and part to play in the code.  The quilts would be hung one at a time on a fence or cabin door, left to "air out" while communicating a specific action or step in the journey.

As a result , a sampler quilt featuring the ten primary codes and the five secondary codes was a perfect way to document the blocks and share the story with others.

There will be a story of each block as we make the blocks.

 

Tomorrow will be the first block.

See you then.

Carol

Underground Railroad ......Day 2.......Deciding on fabrics

Today lets talk about fabrics.......

If your going by the book it calls for 4 background fabrics and 13 medium and dark fabrics.

This will make 15 - 12" blocks.  Now if doing a scrappy quilt you could use even more prints.

I have been collecting Navy and Chedder fabrics for about 6 or 7 years now and have decided

to use them for this quilt project.  I have plenty of Chedder, but might have to add a couple more navy's. 

For the background colors, about 3/4yd to 1yd of 4 prints. You can also do the background in just one print if you like,  it will take about 3yds to 4yds to do it that way.  Fat quarters are great for the 13 mediums and dark prints.  My theory when doing this type of quilt a couple of extra fat quarters can give you more options. If doing a scrappy quilt you could just pick your fabrics each time you have a block to do.  Your welcome to ask me any question you have about your fabrics. I would love to see what you decide on. You can download your pictures so I can see. 

Other fabric needed:

1 1/2yds for sashing

1/4yd     for cornerstones

1 1/2yds for border

1yd.       for binding

I can't wait to get started with these fabrics I have chosen.  

Have fun!

Join me tomorrow for more of " getting  started",

Underground Railroad sew along:

Starting this month I will be doing the Underground Railroad Sampler, using the Quilt in a Day book by Eleanor Burns & Sue Bouchard. I would love for you to work along with.

This is a quilt I've been wanting to do and so excited to finally get started.

It will be very helpful if you have the book to follow along with me.  Though I will be showing ways to make the blocks so you don't have to invest in all of the rulers and templates that the book asks you to use.

I would like for you to start thinking about the fabrics you want to use. It will be exciting to see the different way the quilt will look in the different fabrics.  If you make it scrappy, in 1930's, reproduction civil war or something totally different it will be fabulous.  

Join me tomorrow for the next segment in this week long start to your quilt.

See you on Tuesday,

Carol

September Table Mat

We now have the kits for the Kathy Schmitz, Autumn Time, table mat.