Catch Up Begins

At a certain point during the semester I realized I was just not going to get much sewing done, and the Barbara Brackman Civil War Sampler blocks were one of the casualties.  But now it’s summer break and time to get back on track. 

I do love working with reproduction fabrics!

One of the things I’m realizing is that I am pickier than I’d thought.  There are a number of the blocks that with the cutting directions given would finish either an eighth of an inch smaller or larger than eight inches.  And there it is: I can’t do it.  I know that an eighth of an inch can be worked in easily enough when finally assembling the blocks.  Still, I can’t do it.  I modify the directions so that I’ll get a block that finishes at exactly eight inches square.

Like with the Lincoln’s Platform block below right.  I added an eighth of an inch to the measurements on the cross.

Or with the basket block where I changed it up entirely and picked another basket block that is built on a eight patch grid. 

Some cutting directions were fine as given, of course.

And I am a gadget girl, so I liked how the block  below left gave me an opportunity to play with the Eleanor Burns flying geese method and ruler – which worked perfectly, by the by.

So, there it is.  Ten blocks down.  Four blocks more and I’ll be caught up.  And, really, I don’t mind that I’m anal and have to modify those directions on occasion.  I’m just grateful Barbara Brackman is putting together the sampler – and each week I look forward to the history that she provides to the chosen block.  Wonderful stuff. 

Think I can get those final four blocks done this week?