Finally finished

 I completed my Civil War Sampler (again) this week.  I started it with the 2011 Block of the Week program on Barbara Brackman's Civil War blog.  (I love that you can see my grandson's hands at the top of the quilt.)

I call it Succession to Emancipation.  The 7 stars in the middle represent the 7 original states that succeeded from the union.  And the border of girls of different skin tones, holding hands, represent Emancipation.  I also pieced the batting to represent the Union being pieced back together.

I finished it to the hand holding girls border and put it in my closet awaiting  quilting.  When I took it out to quilt I decided it needed another border and sewed the panel strip border around the outside.

For whatever reason (do I really need a reason?) it got put away and when I decided to get it out  again. . .   it needed another border  I ended up buying Barbara Brackman's book of patterns (which it really good BTW) and added another border.  It was complete at last.  It is 81" square.

I backed it with a faded looking floral from the "Say it With Flowers" line by Jan Patek and then pin basted it.  I watched Kate Jackson at the Last Homely House (on youtube) quilt at her table with a cutting matt between the quilt and the table.  I wanted to try this method..  So I pin basted it and using size 8 DMC cotton thread, I 'big stitched' it.  It came together so fast and quilting at the table didn't strain my back or hands like quilting at the frames does.  

I will definitely be using  this quilting method again.

I'm still working on the "Northbound Quilt" pattern designed by Mary Fons.

I wanted to use up my Blackbird Designs scraps but I have had to add a lot of other pieces.  This is a great scrap buster.  I need 121 blocks for the size quilt I want to make and I've only made 80 so far.  The block size is 8".  It's coming along.  

I'll finish with this fabulous looking hamburger my daughter #2 made.  We had a family party last Thursday night and I had to get a picture of this luscious looking burger (green chilies - yum!).

Enjoy,  Robin