Sunday, March 25, 2012

And the winners are . . .

This has been a wonderful week doing the blog hop & reading the posts.  I want to thank The Quilting Gallery for this opportunity; what a great way to make the connections & hear what everyone is doing out in blog world. 

I wish everyone great fun & success with their quilting projects.  Come back to my spot often or easier yet, just follow my blog & you'll know when there is a new post.

I have chosen one post per day of the hop to receive a free pattern of your choice from my website Clothesline Quilts.  Please email me at evonnecook@clotheslinequilts.com with your choice & your mailing address & I'll get it right out to you.  I have also replied to you on your post of that day.  Again, thank you so much for the fun week!

Day 1 - Sharon
Day 2 - Charlene
Day 3 - Martha
Day 4 - Lesley
Day 5 - Jodi
Day 6 - iluvmybugs
Day 7 - Cheryl

Saturday, March 24, 2012

#'s 10, 11 & 12

ok - here's the end of the Battle Series for those following along.  I didn't want to leave you in the middle when you are so interested.  I'm so very happy to have you all along; have enjoyed this blog hop so much.
Gettysburg

#10 - Gettysburg
  This design features the Lincoln block & reminds me of the open battlefield at Gettysburg with artillery lined up all around the outside.  Can't you just see the infantry running across that open field . . . 

I should explain to you that while I worked on these quilts, I didn't have a plan to make them look like a certain battle at all.  It just happened as I worked; many times after the whole quilt was done, I'd be reading & writing about the specific battles & then I'd see these signs within the quilts. That is what emerged with the Gettysburg quilt for me.  

 Surreal . . .
Chattanooga

#11 - The Chattanooga quilt uses the Going Around the Mountain block which is so representative of the Battle of Lookout Mountain in 1863. 

The zig-zag pattern also reminds me of the meandering of the Tennessee River Valley where much of the fighting occurred.

I love the coloration of this quilt; the golds, dark reds & blues are just my colors.  However, we have done a new quilt for the market booth in the large size with the blocks in shades of just brown & blue.  It is fabulous, too.

Atlanta


#12 - The Atlanta quilt features the Atlanta quilt block sequence found on page 143 of the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns by Barbara Brackman.  That amazing book is where I get all the guidance for the blocks used in my Civil War designs; it is always a starting place for me.

In my narrative inside this pattern (included in all my series quilts) you will find this fictional letter from an army doctor to his wife -  "I am so weary from fighting the tide of bodies that stream in from the battlefields.  When the worst of it is over & I am able to walk around & look at the men, I tell you, with all the blood, dirt & bandages, you cannot tell a southern boy from a northern boy.  I stand in the middle of all this suffering of my countryment & pray for this war to be over soon.  Take care of yourself - your love keeps me sane in the midst of this madness."   Your loving husband, James




Friday, March 23, 2012

#8 & #9

Is this the day we are to announce the winners?  But I'm not done showing the quilts yet; isn't that the truth, there are always more quilts to see!

Chancellorsville
Anyway here is #8, Chancellorsville -  the block is the Virginia Reel block.  Doesn't it make you think of the South - how the young people danced the dance twirling around & around on the floor.

So you see the quilt blocks twirling -

Of course, it was at Chancellorsville that General Lee lost his right hand man Stonewall Jackson, who actually was mortally wounded by his own men at dark as he & his men rode the Orange Plank Road planning a counterattack for the next day. 

It was a turning point for the war favoring the North.



Vicksburg
Here is #9, Vicksburg -

The town of Vicksburg, Mississippi lays high on a bluff along the river.  After many failures, Grant decided that the only way to win Vicksburg was by a prolonged siege of the city. 

The siege began in late May & lasted until July 4th of 1863;  a few days later Grant & his Union forces had taken complete control of the Mississippi Rive & cut off the states of Texas, Arkansas, & Louisiana from the rest of the Confederacy. 

The tides of war were turning.

See the city surrounded in the quilt??


I will post the winners later day!!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

#6 and #7

I apologize; my internet was down yesterday & I've just got it back.  Feel like my hands have been tied behind my back.  The only good thing about it has been that I finished a couple small sewing projects.

Antietam
Anyway here are #6 and #7 of the Battle Series - Antietam and Fredericksburg. 

I designed Antietam to remind me of the old split rail fences that zig-zagged across the open battlefield.  History talks about how the bodies were laying on these fences out in the fieldsafter the battle.  How gross is that . . .

I sure love the quilt though.

Fredericksburg








In the Fredericksburg quilt I see the hills of the battleground in the dark cornerstone areas & the sunken telegraph road in the sashing.  The twirling blocks depict the armies moving into position. 

If you look closely, you can see the stone wall moving diagonally throughout the quilt. 

Don't forget to leave a comment!  Have a great day!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Day 4 - Are you blogging today?

This is just the most fun I've had blogging since I started.  Just knowing you are all out there has helped me communicate better.  I hope you are having as much fun as I am.

Shiloh

Today we feature #4 & #5 of the Battle Series.  I'm going to start doubling up the quilts or we won't get through all 12 by the end of the blog. 

Shiloh was designed with my own variation of the Stars Over Tennesee block.  I love how it makes you search for the beginning & ending of the block.  

And I think that the use of the Blockade block represents the battle of New Orleans very well.  I'm also showing you a close-up of a large size New Orleans so you can see the blocks better.  You see if you make 5" blocks you get a small quilt, 10" blocks give you a bed-size quilt.  All of the Battle Series quilts are written that way.  Also the Generals Series we're working on now.

Close-up of a large
New Orleans quilt
New Orleans
Don't forget to leave a comment & maybe win a pattern of your choice!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Day 3 Already . . .

Pea Ridge - #3 of the Battle Series
Today it's Pea Ridge - #3 of the Battle Series!  The first Pea Ridge we made has motifs in the center of the star blocks.  

I think I like a solid fabric better that helps the stars show better; however, I do like the motifs; they were from a Windham grouping Old Glory III.  I still have a large piece of it in red for beautiful backings.  I love to use toiles for backings, especially if they are Civil War related.

My blue/brown/teal version of Pea Ridge was just on the cover of the Jan/Feb issue of Quiltmania!  That certainly made me proud; love that magazine.

Be sure to leave your comment here or on a previous post to be eligible to win a free pattern of your choice to be given away every day of the hop.  Go to www.clotheslinequilts.com to chose a favorite.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Day 2 of the Blog Hop; it's great fun! 

Today I'm featuring the second pattern in the Civil War Battle Series - Bull Run.  This was the first major battle of the Civil War & was fought near the Manassas, VA, railway junction in July, 1861.

Bull Run quilt
Civil War Battle Series
I used the railroad crossing block to depict the railway junction & a beautiful toile fabric, popular at this time in history, for the alternate. 

I hope you like the quilt.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Yes, many of you are out blog hopping today!

Welcome to my blog & to the blog hop hosted by Quilting Gallery.  When you visit my website www.clotheslinequilts.com don't forget to sign up for the monthly newsletter.  I will be back every day featuring a pattern in the Civil War Battle Series.

Today I'm featuring the first in the Battle Series, Ft. Sumter, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, that was a federal garrison in South Carolina.  Thus began a war that lasted far longer than anyone imagined it would & cost unbelievable loss of life.


Come back every day & enter by making a comment.  You may win a pattern of your choice.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Join the Blog Hop Party!

We're having a party!  Join the Blog Hop at Quilting Gallery & win prizes. 

Starting March 17 - that's tomorrow - you can qualify for give-aways!  What a great way to celebrate the weekend of National Quilters Day.   You will find a list of the blog sites at www.quiltinggallery.com beginning tomorrow.


Leave a comment here about my website www.clotheslinequilts.com & qualify for a free pattern of your choice from my site.  One name will be chosen each day of the hop from tomorrow, March 17 through March 23.  Sorry, I do not ship international.

Go to http://quiltinggallery.com or simply click on the logo to the right to begin the Hop!

Home from Vacation !!!

After a very wonderful relaxing time in Mexico we are back to work.  With the super Iowa weather these days John is working on getting the machinery ready to go to the field.  Me - I'm hitting it hard working on new patterns for --- you guessed it, spring market!


WELCOME SPRING
I have also been pondering about Easter & making plans for that holiday which is right around the corner.  In doing so I was thinking about how spring is about color in our world, in our homes, in our work & in our play which led me right to the Child's Coloring Apron. 

How those little girls would love the coloring apron to wear while drawing & coloring - taking their crayons right along with them.  I'm sure you can find at least one little girl to make such an apron for.

Go to www.clotheslinequilts.com for the pattern or call me at 712-362-3022 & I'll get one out to you.  There is still time to sew it up for the Easter basket!
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