I got some fabric in for a special project I'm making for my husband - a wall-hanging using small, reprinted battle flags from the Battle of Gettysburg. (Key battle in the US Civil War, for my international readers!) One of the fabrics is a large panel of the battle flags - and I also bought some coordinating Civil War reproduction prints in a "layer cake" -- 10" square pre-cuts. My plan was to cut the battle flags out separately and turn them into quilt blocks to then sew back together. I decided to throw the flag fab in the wash. Then I thought... with as unevenly as things shrink, I really needed to wash those layer cakes, too. I wasn't choosing a pattern that called for precise 10" squares anyway (actually, I'm not using a pattern, I'm making it up as I go along ... but that's our secret!) so I really thought it would be wise to wash the squares. Best to have everything in the quilt either pre-washed or not pre-washed -- not to mix!
I threw the layer cakes into a little mesh bag, ran it through the washer and dryer, then took it down to the Studio to iron it all. Remember the post I wrote not long ago entitled "To Wash Or Not To Wash"? These two squares both measured exactly 10" prior to washing:
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| "To Wash!" is the answer! |
Imagine what that kind of shrinkage differential would do to a quilt! Yikes!
I put my first block together yesterday afternoon after I finished removing all the paper from the Frenzy Quilt!!! (I'm halfway done with Season 2 of The Rat Patrol, in case anyone is interested!) All of the blocks will be different, but here's Block 1:
I thought it only fitting I would start with J.E.B. Stuart's flag, as the first high school I attended (of three) was named in his honor! LOL! Also, this is the longest of the flags; I want to do the longest and the tallest first. I'll keep you posted!
Thanks for reading!
Where in the world did you find the flag reproductions!? I must have them! I lived in Harrisburg for about a year a few years ago, and my favorite part of that time was Gettysburg. I can't tell you how many times I dragged Brandon to tour it with me, then go home to watch the movie. Again. Also, Gettysburg had this wonderful fiber shop where I picked up the most wonderful dark red lace weight yarn. Anyway, where did you find those reproduction flags?!
ReplyDeleteI love that first square! I can't imagine how you are going to put more together so I'll anxiously await updates.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to make a cool quilt, I can tell.
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