Saturday, July 6, 2013

Dixie Diary 7: Living Off Cornbread

Block 7
Living Off Cornbread
8" Version

Southern shortages affected everyone, even spoiled girls like Sarah Morgan who lamented she could find no strings for her guitar or seed for the pet birds. By the end of the war these minor complaints might have embarrassed the older, wiser woman she became. Food for people was becoming scarce in Louisiana and would become scarcer.



A 12" version with a 1" frame, set on point
By Sandi Brothers.

A child and a fancy birdcage

September 4, 1862 Clinton
Ouf! what a country! Next time I go shopping, I mean to ask some clerk, out of curiosity, what they do sell in Clinton. The following is a list of a few of the articles that shopkeepers actually laugh at you if you ask for:  Glasses, flour, soap, starch, coffee, candles, matches, shoes, combs, guitar-strings, bird-seed,---in short, everything that I have heretofore considered as necessary to existence. If any one had told me I could have lived off of cornbread, a few months ago, I would have been incredulous; now I believe it, and return an inward grace for the blessing at every mouthful."




 The Morgans were probably better off at the crowded boarding house in Clinton. Photographer Andrew Lytle captured breadlines outside his studio in Baton Rouge.


The pieced block is #2039 in BlockBase,
 called King's Crown by the Kansas City Star in 1931.



Cutting 12"
A: Cut 1 square 6 1/2".
B: Cut 1 square 7 1/4". (5-3/16" if you use the 1/16th" default) Cut into 4 triangles with 2 cuts. 

C: Cut 4 squares 3 1/2".
D: Cut 4 squares 3 7/8". Cut each into 2 triangles with 1 cut. 


Cutting 8"

A: Cut 1 square 4-1/2".
B: Cut 1 square 5 1/4" (5-3/16" if you use the 1/16th" default)Cut into 4 triangles with 2 cuts. 

C: Cut 4 squares 2-1/2".
D: Cut 4 squares 2 7/8". Cut each into 2 triangles with 1 cut. 

Add smaller triangles to either side of the B triangle. Make 4 of these. 



Add the squares on either side.
Make 2 of these rectangles for top and bottom.


Add the remaining rectangles to either side of A.
Piece the 3 strips together.




Optional applique:

Applique a star or a heart after piecing.
Go back to the January 5, 2013 post to see a JPG with the heart and the star.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday to Barbara!!!!

Barbara Brackman said...

Thank you Mimi!

Anna V said...

Well, a Happy Birthday to you Barbara! I love this block, for growing up in the south I am very fond of cornbread!

WoolenSails said...

Wonderful block and story, it is amazing what we can do without when we have to. I hope you have a wonderful Birthday!

Debbie

The Hardy Quilters said...

I am a great fan of yours Barbara ever since I saw 'Ride with the Devil' and saw your name in the credits for Costume. Antique Costume is my speciality but am working on a quilt about the Underground Railroad at the moment for Exhibition at Festival of Quilts Birmingham, UK and am asking your permission to use an image in your book Unravelling the History of Quilts and Slavery. It is the image of the Runaway Slave. I am not an artist so can't draw what I want to show. I will give credit on the label. I am working to a deadline so need to know pretty soon. Thank you in anticipation. Sorry to do this here but didn't know what else to do.

Terry said...

Gorgeous!