Threads of Memory 1

Barbara Brackman is hosting another of her wonderful Block of the Month projects. This time it is Threads of Memory, as she explains on her Civil War Quilts blog:

The theme Threads of Memory refers to the Underground Railroad. Each month you'll get a block named 

for an important place in the story of the network that assisted slaves on the road to freedom. We'll explore true stories of people who lived in slavery, escaped on the "Liberty Line" or helped the fugitives.

The twelve blocks will finish to 12" and each is an original pieced design for a star block.

(No applique!)

The first month tells us about Ona Judge Staines, a slave who belonged to George Washington and her saga through escape and remaining free.  Read more on this very interesting story here.

The first block is call the Portsmouth Star, and here is my version:

I will be using a variety of stripes, reds, white and gray. My initial fabric pull from my stash:

I need some medium tones, and maybe another light. I have already added a very light grey, used in the block above.  I am working on technical aspects with these blocks along with honing my design skills by incorporating lights/med light/medium/medium dark and darks/bright.  As you can see from the fabrics I like dark, light and bright! But the mediums add the depth I really like. 

I think I will use red in the star points as we move forward. This is just month 1, though, so that's is subject to change at my slightest whim!