Saturday, April 25, 2020

Our Country - Germany

As I continue my research for the Pieces From the Past Sew Along, I have been reading a book authored by Kurt Landsberger, who was a translator for Camp Trinidad from June 1943 until its close in January 1946.

A portion of his book, Prisoners Of War at Camp Trinidad, Colorado 1943-1946, includes translated journal entries by one of the POWs.  There were many things that captured my attention (and I will be sharing tidbits with future posts) but this particular entry Karlhorst Heil  was especially reflective in June of 1943...

"We hope for an honorable end of the war or don't even dare think about it.  Would it change to something good or an annihilating defeat, a second Versailles with its consequences and after-effects or worse?  Was there not a gamble with the fears of human beings on the once side and hunger for power to be satisfied on the other side, some with a clear thought of reason but others with thoughts close to madness.  But deep inside we hoped that everything would be for the best, that a noble desire for improvements for mankind would succeed in the face of paranoia...

Our thoughts are again with our country, which has to suffer so much, struggling for victory or an honest defeat.  Will we ever see our loved ones again, our friends and which of our friends will be able to return home?  Reject the thoughts of death.  We have to live, hoping to return."


While many of the authors of the letters that Phillip and Katie received longed for a return to the United States, Heil longed to return to his home country, Germany.

As I read his journal entry I wondered "what would the block "Our Country" would look like in the colorway of the German flag?" - Black, Red and Gold.  I HAD to give it a try!




I don't tend to work with black much, but, WOW does it make the colors pop!

If you haven't completed your block, feel free to consider a completely different colorway for it.  Perhaps it is your home country, like one reader from Canada chose to use Red/White for hers.  Or maybe choose colors to represent your family heritage...  Or just your favorite colors!


What ARE your favorite colors to quilt with?

I naturally gravitate toward blues...

Leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you!

Keep calm and quilt on,

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along
that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Colour & Inspiration at Clever Chameleon Quilting
Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts


Wednesday, April 22, 2020

A World of Hearts

Saturday was my birthday... a speed limit birthday.  I had honestly forgotten what day it was - I'm pretty sure everyone is in the same boat since the days of the last month+ have all become a big ol' blur.  I was reminded when I sat down and signed into facebook.  The birthday greetings were awesome!

As my mind was waking up at 5 a.m. I had a quilt idea in my head.  it would be a tiny quilt... I'm not sure what my obsession with tiny hand-sewn hello 5" x 7" quilts are lately, but it was an idea that would not go ignored!  

As I wandered to the kitchen to start our morning routine... let Shelby out, make coffee, pour juice, bring Shelby back in and feed her... I looked forward to some time in my studio.

Time spent in my studio recently has been spent scrapbooking and mask making.  I've been working on documenting our life's activities in 2017... Rebecca's and David's wedding was the big event 2017.  It was also the year we  purchased our truck camper and enjoyed a 10-day camping trip... all in all, a good trip down memory lane.

I realized that having this blog is a great tool... it offers a timeline of quilts and events as well as photos and all the details.  It helps to speed up the process. 

On Saturday morning I snuck in to my happy place and grabbed a few pieces of muslin, fusible batting and some red batik to implement my idea...  The whole project didn't require much... small scraps were suffice.

I needed a two inch square of red that I quickly cut into strips and then cut again, cross-wise to create some "confetti".  I carefully sprinkled that red confetti onto the prepared muslin sandwich in the shape of a heart.  I then covered the heart shape with some ivory tulle.  I did some free-motion heart-shaped quilting with transparent thread to secure the pieces into place.

The look of matchstick quilting has always appealed to me but the more traditional looking, scrappy projects that I tend to make doesn't really lend itself to the modern look of matchstick quilting.  This was my opportunity!

I had the hand-sewn hello ready to be trimmed and for binding in less than 30 minutes.

As our time of "social distancing" due to the threat of the corona virus draws to a close I have seen reports of how the earth and the atmosphere has been healing.  For so many that have been driven by productivity or over-filled schedules of meetings and activities, this may have been a time for healing as well.  

For some, not having the opportunity to get away from toxic relationships or atmospheres, it has been dangerous, perhaps both physically and mentally.  For those in such a situation, my prayers go out to you.

For some, it will not be "safe" to return to their "normal" activities, possibly for months... For those, I will pray for your safety and protection.

For all the parents that are suddenly forced into a "home-school" situation... I feel for you and will pray for you and your children.  

I am naturally a social introvert and staying at home is usually one of my favorite things to do... the social distancing hasn't really affected our lives... for this I offer gratitude! But sometimes the two-year-old inside of me wants to rebel just because I have been told "no."  If there are others out there that feel the same... I'll pray us.



As our hearts join together, as we navigate the next steps in our current world remember to let your heart speak to others' hearts.  

Blessings!

Melva
Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along
that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts



Thursday, April 16, 2020

Pieces From The Past - Our Country

This letter is written in English... However, I have typed it out (below the copies of the letter) for your reading pleasure.


Karl – Heinz Born
(22) Solingen-Ohligs
Niederstrasse 7
Germany
British-zone July 15, 1946

My dear family Schleich!

Now, I am a few months in my country and will send to you the best greetings.  Our crossing over the Atlantic Ocean was good.  Most of the men was seasick but we all was glad to see our country so soon.  All my relations were well too.  Often, I must think of you and on your farm who we have harvested the last sweetbeets and I will not forget to say my best thanks to you and to your wife for the excellent treatment and entertainment of us.

The POW life is over but I would (it) like (if) I could (be) there now, than here in Germany.  The conditions of life are very bad.  Everywhere you see rubbish and ruins, it is a very awful sight and the people has nothing to eat.  The same ration which we have got in one day on your farm, it must suffice here for 14 days.  As soon as it will be possible to go to the United States of America or to Canada I shall go that way.

I have not a good knowledge in writing the English language because I only have learned one year and I would be very glad when one boy of yours would write me a short letter.  Farther, I would be much obliged to you if you would send me a small parcel with food and something to smoke.  I shall pay it back one day as soon as it is possible.

Now, I will finish my letter and beg you to reply me soon.

Many regards to you, your wife and children.

Yours,
Karl Heinz Born

Several statements stand out to me.  The first is the compliment of the excellent treatment and entertainment.  

Camp Trinidad was noted for their love of entertainment... This excerpt is from an article about the POW Camp, written in 2017.

"Within a few weeks, the officers began to demonstrate their talents for efficiency and organization. They scavenged lumber and metal in order to make their own furniture. They put together an orchestra and converted a rec hall into a theater, suitable for staging concerts, operas and plays, including all-male productions of Goethe’s Faust and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. (One performance re-enacted their arrival in the camp and featured dead-on parodies of certain guards.) They put out their own professional-looking newspaper, Der Spiegel (The Mirror), printed in town, which put to shame The TIC, the American soldiers’ flimsy mimeographed camp newsletter. (The TIC — short for Trinidad Internment Camp — eventually appeared in newsprint, too, but then ran out of funding.)"  ~ From Westword written by Alan Prendergast


The officers tended to be highly educated, even aristocratic — including a smattering of counts and barons. They were doctors, dentists, lawyers and professors, as well as career military men.

I wonder... what sort of entertainment was offered to these men while at the Schleich Farm?  

Most likely, simple conversation in the mutual native language of German.  Phillip and Katie weren't musicians, they were not a family that enjoyed poetry readings.  But they probably could have been considered story tellers.  I imagine that there was also conversation of news events... local and world news headlines that would have been available to them via a local newspaper.

The second item of note to me is the statement that the portion of food that was served in ONE day at the farm was what an individual would have for two weeks...  How sad is that???

One of the few recipes/meals that my Mom would make for my Dad that always invoked stories and memories of his Momma was Bierocks.  They are also known as krautburgers, German cabbage rolls, cabbage and onion burgers, and sauerkraut runzas.  

For years as Dave and I traveled across Nebraska between Colorado and Illinois we noticed that there was a popular chain restaurant by the name of Runza.  We would joke about the name, but never ate there... well... let's be honest... because of the name.

We learned last summer while helping the widow of Dave's college roommate that the Runza chains served bierocks... or cabbage rolls... also known as Runzas!  There was/is a large community of German's from Russia that settled in Nebraska (the American Historical Society of the Germans From Russia is in Lincoln) and someone capitalized on the popular food item.   

I can see that it would be an easy meal to deliver out into the field when the farmers were too busy to take a long break for the noon meal.  These hand-held pockets of bread filled with ground beef, cabbage and onions would have transported well to the field, or enjoyed after grabbing them during a quick stop at the farmhouse as they returned to the fields.  

When our girls were smaller I made them a few times.  I found that they were too labor intensive and only created an unpleasant atmosphere (and odor???) as there was generally some arguing about them eating their meal that night.  I gave it up, even though I had chosen to take a short cut and purchase frozen dinner rolls that were ready to shape and fill.

I recently tried my hand at it again and the result was really good!  Making the bread from scratch, with the help of my bread machine, was a cinch.  Making the filling was filled with guess work... brown one pound of ground beef with onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  I shredded a half of a cabbage, with my food processor, and let it cook down.  The proportion seemed about right to me... The question was whether or not I had too much or too little filling for the bread balls.

It was sheer luck that it all ran out at The. Same. Time!  Perfection!

I baked them off and they looked gorgeous!  My Dad would have been super proud of me and very pleased with them.

But I think that is one of the great things about these bierocks... you can add more cabbage than ground beef to stretch them a little further and the bread not only contained the filling, but helped to fill the belly.  

The final thing that captured my attention and thoughts was Karl's request for a small parcel of food and something to smoke... along with his begging for a response.  

Karl stated that he and the other men were happy to see "our country", but he also longed to return to the USA... Karl was not alone in wanting to make the US his home... You will see in coming letters many of them wanted to be able to say "the United States is Our Country".

And for this reason I chose the Kansas City Star pattern "Our Country."  The block, unfinished, will measure 16-1/4" square. This pattern has four squares that are foundation paper pieced... only four, so don't be scared.  Below I have some tips to help you out...




Once you’ve printed off your pattern, cut out each section, making sure to keep the 1/4” seam all around.  Take a postcard or a piece of cardstock and fold back the first line to create a nice crisp crease.  





Next you are going to trim the fabric to the size of the Red1 section BUT with a ¼ inch seam all around.  Pin into place.  RIGHT side of fabric facing down.

Now moving on to section White2.  This piece of fabric needs to be bigger than the size of the section.  It is best to always be generous in size as it’s very frustrating if you find it’s not large enough when you’ve sewn it as unpicking tiny stitches through paper is a pain. (Yes I speak from experience!)  The best way to ensure this is to hold it up to the light to check the fabric covers the whole section plus a 1/4” seam allowance all around.

Use a rotary cutter to create a straight line down one side, leaving the 1/4" seam allowance and line it up with the first section, RIGHT sides together. 


Open the pattern, right side up, and stitch along the line between section 1 and 2, remembering to use a shorter stitch length to make the removal of the paper foundation easier.  




Flip the paper over and iron section White2 into position. That’s your first two sections accurately sewn together!


Repeat the same steps for White3, as shown.





Trim to size and you are ready to piece the larger block.


So, there you go!  Wasn't that simple???  

Are you new to Foundation paper piecing?  One of the great features of FPP is the accuracy of points... nice and crisp and nearly always perfect!

While my Grandparents were never able to fulfill the requests for small parcels or care packages to the men that requested them, they probably offered the best gift possible to those men while they worked in the fields... They offered kindness...


In these challenging times of the pandemic we need to be intentional about being kind...




What is a simple act of kindness you can extend to others today?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear about how you are spreading cheer!

Quilt Happy!

Melva

Was there something else in the letter that captured your attention?  Any other tidbit of info that brought a question to mind?

I'd love to hear that as well!


Don't forget to link up your finished block for an opportunity to win a fat quarter!  Tag me on instagram @MelvaLovesScraps and use #piecesfromthepastsewalong or post on my fb wall - also Melva Loves Scraps.  I love seeing the variety of blocks from everyone!

Are you new to the sew along?  All of the previous posts are still available...

Block 1 - Signature Block
Block 2 - Lost Goslin' Block
Block 3 - Mayflower Block
Block 4 - Flower Garden Block





Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy
BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts




Thursday, April 9, 2020

Masks, Fishes and Loaves

Like so many other quilters and sewist around the world, I have been making masks to be used during this current health crisis.  I have mixed feeling about the virus that I will not go into... but when asked by others if I can make them masks, I have done so.

The first batch, which consumed all of my elastic supply (or so I thought).  Shortly after I had a friend ask if I had any to spare... I checked in the back of the drawer in my sewing table and found some more laying loose back there!  I shared... depleting my supply again... or so I thought.














Last week the Colorado Governor announced that everyone should wear a mask when going out... I was asked by two more friends if I would be able to help them.  I went back to that same drawer and pulled out a storage bag and found even more elastic. At the same time I was asked by another friend if I had any to spare.  I shared a portion and used the rest for masks... depleting my supply once again... Yep!  Or so I thought!

I had only 3/8" elastic... and then I looked in a box under my cutting table that I had received from my sister-in-love more than a year ago.  Guess what?!?!?

I found more elastic...

During this very challenging week and the anticipated news of peak cases of COVID-19 and deaths that happens to come during Holy Week I am reminded that Jesus fed the multitudes... TWICE!  And both times when everyone had their fill, the disciples gathered up what was leftover... YES!  Leftover!  

I have not dug any deeper than necessary in this little box of treasures...  I don't need to right now.  I have all that I need.  Will I need more elastic??? Time will tell...

As I was cutting fabric for the masks I had a bit left over of this sweet birds and flower fabric and the passage from Matthew 6 came to mind... "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

I had to make a tiny quilt to remind me... I will always be taken care of... and we will have MORE than enough.



The free-motion script is a little primitive, but it was a welcome break at times that I really needed it.  And that super tiny binding (overall width was just 1 inch) was found in a stash of other items passed on to me from a friend or family member cleaning out a loved one's sewing supplies.

After finishing another small order of masks this morning I sat and enjoyed some "big stitching" that wasn't really big stitches at all... Using a double strand of regular coats & clark thread (also from someone else's sewing stash) I sat and soaked in some quiet time.  


What are you doing to keep your creativity and positive thoughts flowing?  

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Quilt Happy!

Melva

Linking with:

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese
Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Creative Compulsions at Bijou Bead Boutique
Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts




Thursday, April 2, 2020

Piece By Piece - Flower Garden Block

Last week I released Block #4 of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along - the Flower Garden block.  It is an English Paper Pieced pattern, but mentioned that it could be pieced on the machine as well... so I decided I would give it a try!

If you hesitated with making this block because of the labor intensive hand stitching, I encourage you to consider trying this machine piecing method.  It is still time consuming, but also much faster... I had it done in about 2 hours.

I started with tracing the templates onto the paper side of freezer paper...



After cutting the templates out (using scissors approved for cutting paper!) I pressed them on onto the fabric - shiny side down!  Trim apart leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.






Beginning at the edge of the freezer paper template I attached the 6 petals.  Finger press each petal out and do not stitch to the edge of the fabric... only to the end of the template.

Carefully fold the "flower" to match and align fabric edges and stitch along the template, but not to the edge of the fabric.  Be sure to lock your stitches or back stitch to secure.




When the entire flower is formed, from the back, press seams... as they desire.  You will notice that there is a natural direction in which they will want to lay down. 😉



Press the outside edges under 1/4" and pin to a 10-1/2 inch background piece.  Applique as you desire.  Trim to 9-1/2 inches square.

I machine appliqued this one using a button hole stitch to show you that there are different options.



As I worked on the machine piecing of this block I enjoyed a cup of tea... one of my comforts that I seek out when I need some calming or grounding.

I thought that the quote on the teabag tag was so appropriate!




Are you participating in the Pieces From The Past Sew Along?  
Have you pieced the Flower Garden block yet? 

There is still time to finish it and link up for a chance in the fat quarter give away!  Follow the links above for more details and patterns.  The next release date is April 16th...


Are you a fan of slow stitching?  

Leave a comment... I love to hear from my readers.

Quilt happy!

Melva
Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along
that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!





PS - I recently learned that the embroidery pattern on Payhip had a fee attached to it...  This was NOT supposed to be case and I have corrected it.  It is indeed FREE!  If you wanted to do that block as an alternative to the Flower Garden Block, and hesitated because of the cost... GO GRAB IT NOW!



Linking with:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie
Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More
Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting
Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts
BOMS Away at Katie Mae Quilts
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
What I Made Monday at Pretty Piney
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts