It's New Year's Day, and we will soon be heading back to our classrooms to start the new year with our students. It's an exciting time of year, but getting back into the routine of school can be challenging for students - and teachers. One way that I will work to end the post-break blues with my class will be by diving into our African American history unit. I always like to begin the unit in January so that we can display our beautiful work during the month of February. Each year, in…

By Madison Petrella This week we’re taking a look at “Freedom quilts.” Quilts were often created to send a message, each uniquely embroidered to tell a story. Before and during the Civil War, peopl…

Make your next red white and blue quilt with one of these patriotic quilt patterns. Includes free patterns and patterns to buy.

Here's my North Star block which is the penultimate block in this project, the final block being a story to tie all the Underground Railroad quilt together. North Star... And my story block...This came with mini photos of blocks in place but I replaced them with photos of my own blocks I've made to tie everything together. I've really enjoyed this project with my online quilting friends and have acquired some fabric for the back of the quilt which will be perfect so watch this space....but…

NORTHERN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD CONNECTIONS, 1830-1865 CLICK TO ENLARGE (wikipedia) The Underground Railroad was a secret movement that consisted of a set of constantly changing trails and paths which southern slaves used to escape to freedom. In southern states, the African American slaves were pretty much on their own until they reached the northern anti-slave states. There they were assisted mainly by African Americans as well as some white abolitionists and Quakers to assimilate into the…

Civil War reproduction quilts are incredibly popular and offer history lessons wrapped around sewing and piecing. The best of both worlds!

HAPPY OCTOBER!!! I'm tired of complaining about slow internet as an excuse for lack of blogging, so I'll skip it. You're welcome. :) Update: Change that. This is my FOURTH attempt at posting this in as many days. Sigh. Just imagine, if it weren't for our miserable excuse for internet service, you'd be reading about what actually happened YESTERDAY, not 2 weeks ago. Oy. So things are going well here in Chez Hairball, except we all miss Noel. He's still working his butt off in Utah, learning…