Ann: Civil War Top complete

Here are the last 5 blocks and the finished top

This is block #49. It is called Yankee Puzzle, a subject of concern was Lincoln's philosophy of Liberty and Union. Was it possible?

Block # 50 is "Grapes of Wrath" (sorry it is so blurred) This block represents the song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". The story behind the poem, and later the music is it set to...Julia Ward Howe was on a trip to Washington DC and the song "John Brown's Body" was a favorite marching song for the troops. She was disturbed by the words, thinking the music needed something more patriotic. When she returned home, she wrote the poem which was set to the music of the marching song.

Block 51 is called "New York" remembering the ladies of New York who held bazaars and other fundraisers to aid the soldiers.

Block # 52 is called "Christmas Star" in remembrance of the first Christmas of the Civil War.

And the final block #53 (there were 53 Saturdays in 2011) is called "Union Shield" a symbol used in many quilts and samplers during the 1860's and '70's.

The blocks are 8.5 inches square, and I wanted to make a King sized quilt, so I made several blocks with different fabric, and came up with 80 blocks. I set them 8 across and 10 rows down. I probably should have mitered the corners, but with the pattern in the border print, I was afraid I would not be able to match them exactly, so they are not mitered. The quilt is being held side-ways view, with the top corner on the upper right corner. The corner blocks are all the same pattern, but with different fabric, so they do not look much alike.

This was a fun project. I am glad it is done to this point. I have to find fabric to put on the back. I will probably give this one to one of Vonda's children, as Robert served in South Carolina while he was in the Navy. He came home with a Rebel flag, and loved the history he learned while there.