Month 12 Turning Yankee

Here we are at the end of the Dixie Diary project.

 Last month we read about Sarah and her family facing some hard choices; starvation or succumbing to pride and having to swear allegiance to the Yankee/Union side. And yes, their will to live overcame their pride and they did mutter the words of allegiance that would allow them into New Orleans.

The next step is to get my twelve blocks put together in a top. What I have in mind will require me to make four more blocks to give a square  four by four setting as well as to make the simple setting units. So, as they say, watch this space.

 To add to the excitement of this project I have tried each month to take  a fun photo of my block to share with you. It has required a little bit of a search to come up with some props each month but it has added more interest for me. This month I decided to use ceramic carnival masks that were purchased in New Orleans on a visit thirty years ago. Of course there was no time for such frivolity as this for Sarah Morgan and her family on their visit to New Orleans.

But as well I could not resist posing my block at the beginning of the first snowy day for the season.

In January there will be a new project, Threads of Memory, posted by Barbara Brackman on her Civil War blog. And yes, I expect to follow along and make the blocks. This new one will be a block of the month which gives more "breathing time" to create the blocks than does the block of the week project that was Grandmother's Choice. But somehow, the challenge to create a block a week is more exciting.

Threads of Memory will have the Underground Railroad as it's theme. Since I did purchase a number of civil war reproduction fabrics to use in my Dixie Diary project I may just carry on with using the greys and pinks. Doubtless I will still add to the collection but maybe with more restraint. The blocks are apparently all to be pieced stars at a 12" size so I am going to hold off on my decision about block size until I see the first one.

Are you going to jump on board with Barbara, Becky and Dustin and sew along with a really great group of quilters from all corners of the globe? It really promises to be another good trip!