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

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

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

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

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

Faith, Hope and Creativity

I had shared last week over on facebook and instagram...

"Hey everybody! I had been thinking all week that I was 'broken' because creativity was just NOT happening... I was in a funk. 

The tide finally turned  after finishing a baker's dozen face masks for a friend's medical office.

Woohoo!" 

The creative ideas started to flow...  I started jotting down ideas and pulling fabric out for some small projects and sketched out some block ideas for my camping journal quilt...

And then I had decided that the pieced backing I had attempted for my Pieces From The Past quilt had spent long enough in "time out" so Jack (the ripper) and I sat down and had some good long talks about how sometimes you just have to try something and if it doesn't work, you try again. It doesn't mean you failed... it doesn't mean you give up... You just try again!

I quit fighting what the quilt wanted all along and set aside my own desires for a pieced backing and went with a unbleached muslin backing.  I also knew that the quilt wanted some sort of traditional 1930s style quilting... but I wanted more than just cross-hatch stitching or outline stitching in each block...  I wanted something fancier...  As I prepped the sandwich I considered options... and then I googled vintage 1930s quilts and studied the quilting of them.  

A few things I noticed... vintage sampler quilts did not have sashing strips...  vintage quilts often had no borders... and the vintage utilitarian quilts had simple all over quilting designs.  I liked the Baptist Fan pattern and decided on that.  Except as I sat and pondered the size of the fans and the distance between the arcs of the fan I groaned... I whined... because even an inch apart they would take fooooooorevvvvvvvver!

I reasoned and rationalized that the quilt already has a modern spin to it because of the sashing strips and borders... I decided I would make jumbo fans.

It was exactly what the quilt wanted!  With each arc that was stitched I felt hope grow... like that little mustard seed of faith.

















In the current times of the Corona Virus and stay at home orders and the fear of "what ifs" and statistics that are delivered to us via news stations and social media we have to work extra hard to hear what the message of the mustard seed is... it is faith!  It is hope! 

It is okay if faith starts small... It is okay if sometimes it falters and fear steps in again... Just like the conversation that Jack and I had... get yourself up brush yourself off and try again!

I will be finishing the binding on my Pieces From The Past quilt with another bit of a modern twist... but I'll save that for another time.

If you have been struggling with creativity and joy in quilting (or other hobby), have you "turned the tide"?  Where do you go for inspiration?

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

That is all... carry on!

Melva

Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along

that features vintage Kansas City Star quilt blocks!

Linking with:

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
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

Pieces From The Past - The Flower Garden Block

This post brings us the first letter that required translation...  Dated July 14, 1946 Mr. Ernst Ruehr opens with recalling the work in the sugar beet fields.

He had a lot to say!  He covered both sides of the paper and he wrote in the margins as well as making a PS statement upside down on the top of the second page!

Here's what he shared...  My volunteer translator, Amy, had some difficulty reading his hand writing (go figure!), but did a great job in translating.  I offer my deepest appreciation to her.

Wiesbaden, July 14, 1946

Dear Mr. Schleich,

I often think back to the time when we were pulling up beets for you and the other farmers.   I have the nicest memories about Mr. Eckert and especially about you and your wife and your strong sons, about the fields and the house and the farm.  Everything was in good order.  You and Mr. Eckert were the main conversation and the aim of our whole group was the beet harvest.  We were so very sorry when we split up and sent to another workplace.  We would have liked the chance to say goodbye to you and your family (and also Mr. Eckert).   We were deeply disappointed to be parted from our friends and were inconsolable for a long time.  I finally had the good fortune to exchange a few words with your son.  I am sure he passed on my greetings and said how much we enjoyed coming to work with him.  It was good working for the others, but not as good as for you.  Believe me, I think back often and fondly to those times.  In many respects, it went better for us back then in Model than it does here today.   ? a friend from back then writes that to me and many others think of it the same way.

We worked gladly there.  Most of the people were kind and friendly to us.  After the work was done, there was often something good [a treat].    I have all that as a lovely, grateful memory.  I came to love the landscape and the view of the Rockies and the only thing that affected the peace and happiness was the worry about my dear relatives, about whom nothing was known.   One only knew that in Europe everything went upside down, that that horrible war had brought terrible suffering.  And we were able to live so well in your happy land!  [??Nearly?? from us],  there was not homeland any more,  the parting had been difficult.  I would have gladly remained there, for I also have a home no longer.  My old father (74 years old) was ? year in July driven out of our house, out of the [?old] homeland in North Bohemia, and he had to abandon all his belongings.  He couldn’t even bring a bed with him.  He lives very badly and he is often terribly sick.  I have only received news from him twice.  He is in the Russian Zone and I cannot yet visit him.  I finally found my brother in Bavaria where he is working for a farmer.  (He was captured by the Americans on April 20th, but he was released again as sick on May 30, 1945.)  I own only what I had on me as a released POW.  I found work in a nursery and accommodations here with an acquaintance.  It means lots of work, which I am happy to do, but there are never any friends, and that is the saddest thing, with which many, many people suffer.  

How are you and your dear family, and how is the Eckert family, to whom I send my best regards.    It would make me very happy to receive good news from you.  With best wishes for you and our loved ones, and also for the Eckert family.  I sent my best wishes also to your children.  
Yours Ernst Ruehr. [address listed]
[ he adds some additional text at the top of page 2, written upside down – very blurry and smeared!  I can’t read most of it but I captured what I could]

Please give my regards sometimes to all my acquaintances, neighborhood friendly from me!   Mr. Joe Heard, Mr. Baker, Mr. Garcia. and Family Degurse and Family Winger   [I think he is listing the names of people he remembers and wants to send his regards to.]and last not least Mr. Remer!
--------------------
[he adds additional text down the side of page 1.  It is rather squished in, so a bit difficult.]

May God protect you and watch over you!

On January 16th, we left Trinidad, went to San Francisco and the on the boat ( SS Brasil, 20,400 tons), through the Panama Canal, next toward England, a short stop in Liverpool,  then over to  Le Havre France, toward Germany, Heilbronn, where I was released on March 23rd.  The trip to Le Havre was interesting and pleasant. I wonder if I will ever get to see it again.  The world is actually small.

*****************

The photo of the SS Brasil was found on the Naval Historic Center's page.  {{It is simply amazing to know that there is so much information and old photographs available at our fingertips!}}

****************

I grew up hearing about sugar beets, yet they remained completely foreign to me!  With the help of Britannica on-line I learned that sugar beets are a form of beet in the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), cultivated as a source of sugar. Sugar beet juice contains high levels of sucrose and is second only to sugarcane as the major source of the world’s sugar...  Sugar beets were grown as a garden vegetable and for fodder long before it was valued for its sugar content.  

Having grown up in the lower Arkansas Valley area I knew that there had been lots of sugar beets grown there and that they used to be processed in the area... a town was even named for it... Sugar City.

It would appear that the US prefers sugar cane over sugar beets, but sugar beets remain a popular sweetener choice in South America, Africa, the Middle East, and southern Europe. 

In my research I have discovered... "Today, sugar beets account for HALF of all refined sugar production in the United States, and around 20% of all sugar in the world! Cane sugar and beet sugar are the two processed sweeteners that most of the world’s processed food industries are built upon.

The processing of the beets results in the same end product as sugar cane processing – pure white sugar. Once refined, it has no nutritional value beyond the calories it contains. Calories are not something most people need more of! Incidentally, visually and taste-wise, beet sugar is completely indistinguishable from refined cane sugar.

The trouble is, beet sugar is one of the very WORST sweeteners on the market today. And if you eat anything processed in North America that contains added sugar, you are probably eating it whether you know it or not."
Interesting!

I was curious as to why the crops had changed and asked a fb group from the LaJunta area.  The thoughts and info offered in response to my questions varied.  From the loss of water rights to the lowering of tarriff rates and the increase of sugar cane production from the Caribbean, as well as the possibility of the introduction of artificial sweeteners. 

However, I don't think that Katie was too concerned about the source of sugar for her special treats.  But, remember... sugar was one of the rationed foods.


Here is a Zucchini Brownie recipe that I recall getting from Katie's & Phillip's oldest child, Clara when I was about 10 to 13 years old.

The brownies are light and moist and tasty (even a little healthier since there is zucchini involved??) and became a regular in my Saturday morning baking routine.  It is one that I still use... with a teeny bit of adapting for my dietary restrictions.  The first would be to reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup and use coconut sugar instead of white sugar.  The second change would be use a GF all purpose flour or Einkorn flour.

Aunt Clara was more like a Grandma to me... We would visit her and her husband, Uncle Bill and get special treats as well, but we were never to ask for them.. yet somehow we just could not resist asking and would get either cookies that she had on hand, or as an extra special treat, ice cream sandwiches!  

<===  Clara & Bill's wedding picture from 1939.

Because Clara also had a brother (Edward William) who went by the name of Bill, Clara's husband was referred to as Büschwah (I made up the spelling, but it should be pronounced Būsh-wah)... 

I'm fairly certain it was a word he made up.  He was a real character {{a BSer??}} with an bit of an odd sense of humor and used the word often enough that it became the name the family called him.  

In the letter Mr. Ruehr mentioned that he had the good fortune to exchange a few words with one of the sons... I believe that would have been Bill (not Buschwah), as he was the oldest of the boys... my Dad, the youngest, would have been only 13 years old in the fall of 1945, the next oldest, Leroy would have been aged 17 and Bill would have been 21.

Mr. Ruehr also mentioned that he found employment at a nursery... it is for this reason that I chose The Flower Garden Block - found on page 203 of the Kansas City Star Sampler Book.  This pattern has been made available to you at no cost with special permission from C&T Publishing.

It is a simple English Paper Pieced block that, after being pieced, will be appliqued onto a background square.  I used two strands of black embroider thread to applique and outline each piece.

If you have never done EPP, I encourage you to give it a try.  Here is link to help you get started.  

Rachel at Fiona Sandwich walks you through glue basting your pieces in preparation for hand stitching them at the 3 minute mark, explains thread color selection around the 11 minute mark and how to stitch the pieces together around the 13:30 -15 minute mark.  Rachel uses plain paper for her templates... I prefer to use card stock.  It is your choice...





Once all your pieces are prepared to be joined together you will need to gently bend the piece (without creasing it) as you stitch it together...

A couple of beginner EPP quilters tested the pattern for me.  

One stated "As a beginner to EPP, I found the video link you sent me very helpful plus the hint to fold the petal."  




You always have the option to machine stitch this block using Y-seams.  Be sure to add your 1/4" to the pattern templates and lock your stitches at the beginning and the end of your stitching - indicated by the dots that the arrows are pointing to... DON'T sew all the way to the edge of the piece.










If you would like a completely different alternative to the Flower Garden block, you can choose to use this embroidered flower pattern.

It is a design for a pillow case.  Popular items in years past as wedding shower gifts or even for a young ladies hope chest.  

I received several sets as a child that I recall fondly.

I used the pattern in two different ways...

The first was a single flower that was enlarged to fill the square.  You will find the enlarged pattern on page 2 of the pattern.  

I used three strands of embroidery thread for the stitching and a blended 4-strand piece for the lazy daisy stitched leaves.  

What I mean by blended is that more than one color was used to make up the strands of thread I sewed with.  

I used a blended three strand of two peach and one  rusty-orange color.  The center of the flower has blended threads of one yellow, one peach and one darker rust.

The blended threads add a unique touch and added depth to the piece.  This was a trick I learned in cross-stitch many  make that many, many years ago.

The second layout out used the original pattern size - four times.  I adjusted the placement of the flower's tendrils until I was pleased with the look.

I used a single strand of outline stitch for this one and a double strand for the leaves.  The center of the flower was stitched with a blended peach and yellow two-strand thread.












Roseanne and Sue over at Home Sewn By Us created a lovely layout as well...

I look forward to seeing a completed block from them.













Not a fan of hand embroidery either?  You can do what I did in 2018 with two blocks from the Save The Bees BOM.

I traced the pattern onto my fabric with a wash out pencil and then selected various colors to "paint" and outline the lines using a variation of a zig zag stitch, it looks more like a lightning strike.  

So, you see... you have options!

It is only a 9-1/2 inch block and it really won't take very long...

Gather up the ingredients and whip up a batch of brownies.  While they are baking, pick your favorite show to binge watch and enjoy a few relaxing hours of hand sewing... When the brownies have cooled take a break to rest your hands, enjoy a cuppa and then go back to it...  slow stitching is a real trend now.  

And with the recent self-isolation/ stay-at-home situation, you probably have a few more days to get it done before schools and jobs return to a normal routine.  

It takes time to adjust to the slow stitching pace... trust me!  It wasn't that long ago that I refused to slow stitch this block to the left...  I hope that you will find some pleasure in the slower pace.

So... What are your favorite "binge worthy" shows?  

I need a few more since I have recently completed some of my favorite series.

Leave a comment and let me know what you are watching!

Don't forget!  When your block/blocks are finished come back and link up for the fat quarter prize drawing.  (Sadly, because of prohibitive costs and complicated customs forms, winners need to have a US mailing address.)  But I would still LOVE to see blocks from all over the world!

And to mix it up... if you do the English Paper Piecing pattern you will have an extra entry into the fat quarter give away!  How's that for incentive??? 

Share to my fb page or tag me on instagram... be sure to use the hashtag #PiecesFromThePastSewAlong so that we can see the variety of blocks everyone has created.

Happy Stitching!

Melva
Need the previous blocks???  You can still download them...

Block 1 - Signature Block
Block 2 - Lost Goslin'
Block 3 - Mayflower



Linking with:

BOMs Away at What A Hoot Quilts 
UFO Busting at Tish’s Wonderland