Small Quilt Challenge for February

For the challenge this month we are making the Civil War Scraps quilt from my book The Civil War Sewing Circle  (page 36). There are quite a few quilts in that book we'll be making this year and I'm excited to see your versions.

 

I really love this little quilt and am sure it has something to do with that green mixed with the indigo, am I right? Or maybe it's the red in the blocks and border that makes the quilt dance. I used  a simple, overlapping binding technique, which is explained in the book, just so  I could get an even scrappier look. There's a wonderful blend of scraps in this little quilt and if you're going to try to replicate it, take out your small fabric pieces and play around with the colors a bit this week before you decide. When I look at my tangled strips and squares of fabric in my scrap basket it makes my creative spirit soar. I tell myself: I really need to make something! I wonder, did women of the past feel this way too?

 

The quilt was originally published in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts  magazine a few years ago but I think it still holds up today. I was going through the basement yesterday looking for my box of Civil War photos and props to include in the pictures of the quilt and I found some extra copies of this magazine I bought when it came out. What am I going to do with them now? Think my kids will want to use them after I'm gone?

 

 

I thought it was so cute that they photographed the quilt with a Shirley Temple doll because as a child I had the one made by Ideal in the early '60s (Wish I still had her now. Yes, don't remind me - I am old old old.). And even though Shirley was born quite a bit after the Civil War I love that she's there in the picture with my quilt.

 

Some of you still may have this magazine lying around in YOUR basements. It's from Summer 2008 and sold out quickly if I remember. Go check -

 

 

Most of you probably don't have this issue anymore so I decided to have a giveaway. Yes, that's right, folks  - I am cleaning out my basement and giving away OLD magazines! What could be better?? The good news is if you do not own the book we are using to make the quilt this month, the pattern is in the magazine. A genuine freebie and winners will have an excuse not to buy the book until later. It's a great book if you like making little quilts with lots of reproduction fabrics though.

 

 

So, leave a comment and tell me what other stupid things you think are in my basement that I should  give away and your name will be entered into the giveaway. I will announce 3 winners on Monday. And if one of you hits the nail on the head and really guesses something I don't need that's there then it's yours! (Please, please, somebody say boxes of AICPA journals from the '90s.  I'm telling you, my husband won't even notice they're gone . . . . )

 

PLEASE include an e-mail address where I can contact you if you win. If there is no way to contact you I will move on to someone else.

 

By the way, this is NOT the fantastic giveaway I keep talking about and plan to hold in a few weeks. You will love that one, which is expected to be announced sometime during the week of Feb 11. It might even have something to do with a special heartfelt holiday. Hint, hint.

 

Remember, you can also follow me on Twitter for more hints as we get closer to the giveaway.