42 H is for Hospital and Oh Yes–The TX Rangers are Headed for the World Series!!!!!

This week’s block for the Civil War Quilt is “H” is for Hospital.



Once again, my photograph and cropping skills are far less accurate than my sewing skills.  I absolutely love this block.  When I taught Beginning Quilting several years ago, this was the first block I taught so we could test the student’s 1/4” seams and make the necessary corrections before pressing on with the other blocks.  This block being #42 means we have only 10 more blocks and weeks until the end when it’s time to piece the blocks into a top.  I’m still debating on which way to set them although I have a pretty good idea (in theory anyway).

Barbara Brackman mentioned a book that I plan to read written by a nurse from the Confederate side of the conflict called Kate, The Journal of a Confederate Nurse.



Several months ago I read the memoirs of a nurse on the Union side of the war, Amanda Akin’s The Lady Nurse of Ward E.  Earlier this year there was an exhibit based on Nurse Akin at the Smithsonian Institute.  You can take an online tour of the exhibit by clicking HERE.   This quote from Nurse Akin is so poignant:

“We pass up and down among these rough men without fear of the slightest word of disrespect. They feel their dependence upon us for comfort and entertainment, and the difference in the wards where there is no ‘lady’ shows how much can be done for them.”
—Amanda Akin, 1863

The lives of so many women were affected just as much as some of the soldiers who fought the war, and that subject is of great interest to me. 

On a totally different note, tonight was a great one for the Texas Rangers as they head to the World Series for the second year in a row.    Nelson Cruz was the Most Valuable Player after breaking numerous post-season record in total number of home runs, extra bases, walk-off home runs, etc.



My hand quilting project is coming along as you may or may not be able to see in this photo.



If nothing else, you can tell where I’ve quilted because the safety pins are removed.  I am doing outline stitching around the flowers and leaves.  My stitching is getting smaller and more consistent the more I stitch but it will never be super-great.  That’s just not who I am I’m afraid.  I do the best I can do and that’s all I can do without fretting or worrying about such things.  I’m having fun doing it and that’s my goal.  I’ll have at least four more games and possibly seven to continue on my quilting quest during the World Series. 

That’s all for now.