New Project

I initially started this blog so that my friends and family could see what I was working on. I was quite proud of my dollhouse although it took me years to get around to starting it and awhile to finally finish it. I am quite proud of the outcome. And as seems to be my habit once I finished the project it was time to move on to other things. Even though I have tons of stuff related to miniatures - so if any of you have picked up the hobby call me, perhaps I have some stuff you need.

For the past year or so I have been sewing and quilting. I have finished about six quilts so far, haven't gotten around to posting them yet, two that I am working on that are almost finished, and a couple more in the cutting and planning stage.

But I have a new project - I like to read and am addicted to the Internet as many of you know, if you e-mail me something I am going to "google it." Anyway, I have decided to make a underground railroad quilt. As the story goes, and there is some controversy on this - secret messages in the form of quilt patterns aided slaves escaping the bonds of captivity in the Southern states before and during the American Civil War. Here's a couple of links on the subject. http://www.osblackhistory.com/quilts.php; http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0205_040205_slavequilts.html; http://www.amazon.com/Facts-Fabrications-Unraveling-Projects-First-Person/dp/1571203648

I couldn't resist, this encompassed three loves, reading, history and sewing - such a deal! I purchased the book "Facts and Fabrication" because it seemed to be one which showed the most blocks with the best instruction on making them. I have decided to make a try and make a quilt of the blocks - the blocks are categoried by level of difficulty so some of them may end of being a mess. My goal is a block a day - or at least a block every two days. Because life sometimes gets in my way, I am giving myself 40 days to piece the blocks (there are 20 blocks). I considered using fabrics from the Civil War period but that was just not me - so I am doing my with ethnic/African fabrics. I started my first block last night, so lets see how this goes.