Quilts at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum

I am spoiled. 

Every year my sister and I plan adventure’s for the other’s birthday.  Another birthday rolled around this past Monday.  According to the Oxford English Dictionary, I’m now the definition of “middle age”.  (< Thank you to Steve for letting me know this).  Not too bad…. I spent all last year saying I’m 45 already and it was a fabulous year so it’s OK to re-live it, right?

Early Monday morning my sister, Lorna, picked me up and headed off.  Destination unknown.  We are great in car trips – we can gab away the hours and love watching the world go by the car windows.  140 miles later we pulled into Kalamazoo.

I’ve got a gal… in Kalamazoo!

We spent the morning in the Kalamazoo Valley Museum: The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is a "hands-on" museum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The museum is largely aimed at families, and focuses on science, technology, and history.

Although small, it had an impressive assortment of displays and programs (including the Challenger Learning Program and Evidence Found: Explorations in Archaeology).  They utilized their space phenomenally and the museum had a great flow about it.  

Truly hands-on – we had to try everything!  I regret I don’t have pictures from the hands-on weather exhibit – we were too busy playing!  But I did take pictures of us live in the newsroom!

One of the main features of the museum included the history of Kalamazoo.  It included Checker Cabs, Gibson guitars, and medical breakthroughs.   

And even though the museum had limited space, they did incorporate some very pretty scrap quilts in their Kalamazoo in the Union (Civil War) collection.  My favorite is the log cabin mourning quilt with the embroidered binding.  It really made me itch to pick-up embroidery needle.

Afterwards, we headed over to the Olde Penninsula Brewpub and Restaurant and off into the sunset for geocaching.  

Another amazing day in the record books!

Elisa and Lorna at "Big Red"
Holland State Park

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

Nothing more satisfying than 30 perfectly-pieced 9-patches in your favorite fabrics!

Happy Stitching!
Elisa

Civil War Remembrance at Greenfield Village

This past weekend was the Civil War Remembrance weekend at Greenfield Village (Dearborn, MI).  This one was particularly important as it's the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War; over 500 reenactors from all over the country participated.  

For three days (in some truly awful humidity and hurricane-infested storms), men (and some of their families) setup their tents and camped in full reproduction regalia.  On Monday, a special ceremony with foot soldiers & cavalrymen, "politicians" & belles, color guard & band occurred on the Village green to commemorate those that have risked and those that had lost their lives for the freedom of this country.  It was particularly moving.

Last week, I featured quilts of Greenfield Village (part 1 and part 2).  Today, I thought I'd share quilting in the Civil War encampment.  I know these images are small here; if you would like to see a close-up, click on the picture.

Actually took this one last year, but I like it and figured you haven't seen it yet.

These are the owners of The Dressmaker's Shop in Leslie, MI.
They've setup shop in Sutler's Row for the last few years.
Great people and good prices!

Most of the tents were closed due to the humidity so it was nice being able to peak into this one. 

Some quilts were right out in the open.  Later, after the noon ceremonies, the owner came back and took a nap with it!

I'm having a greater appreciation of cheddar in quilts.

Lovely lady, hand quilting, on a VERY humid day.

Soldiers have to transport them somehow, right?

I'm assuming this was Union and not Confederacy.

Not part of the outside exhibit - this quilt took the workers of Firestone Farm 15-years to make by hand using 19th-century techniques.  It now resides in the Henry Ford house.

Has nothing to do with quilting, but aren't they sweet?

I do hope you enjoyed my Civil War quilt show, and that you and yours had a safe & healthy holiday weekend.

Elisa

Civil War Anniversary Blocks

Came across the coolest site today:

Civil War Quilts

Commemorate the 2011 Sesquicentennial with a block a week from Barbara Brackman

On this site, updated every Saturday, is a story of the Civil War as well as instructions to make a Civil War reproduction block! Too cool! At the end of this major milestone year you will have 52 - 8" sampler blocks. There's even a Flickr group posting their completed blocks.

This has motivates me to pull out my blocks made for a recent Civil War block exchange.

I have a total of 104 of these beauties!

I guess it would be most appropriate to finish this beauty this year!
Elisa