Throwback! Lincoln's New Salem crafts and my hand-sewn scrap quilt

During Summer 2010, I spent a lot of time at Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site as a Historic Interpreter. This was probably one of my favorite summers and one of the best experiences for me, not just because of my wonderful intern family but because of the wonderful craft projects I got to make and the skills I learned while I was there.

Part of the summer 2010 interns during our Fourth of July Celebration

Since everything had to be historically accurate, I was sometimes limited on what I could and could not do. For example, this was the only type of scissors that was allowed on the grounds (well at least out in public view).

These shears were sharp, but so uncomfortable on your hands.

One new skill that I learned was a particular type of cord making called a Lucet.  This was what women in the 1830's would have done if they needed a thin cord. Except I was using acrylic yarn and they would have harvested and spun their own (which is no easy task!!)

My whittled Y stick that served as my tool to create the Lucet. 

I spent a lot of time outside and doing various fiber arts. Here I am making Lucet cord.

I wove my own basket to carry all my little crafts in when I was working. It now holds some of my scrap material until I make it into other projects.

Here is a corn husk doll, something that would've been common for a little girl to have in 1830.

I finally decided that I couldn't take any more yarn arts and that I wanted to make a scrap quilt! I raided the stash on the site and my mom's stash. What I found were some tiny scrap pieces that were perfect for me to hand sew together as I sat in the buildings telling stories about the people that lived there during Abraham Lincoln's time. After a few rainy days I ended up with this:

I tried my hardest to pick out small print fabrics that were more appropriate.

Later on I was a little less picky about the scrappy shape so that way I could finish the topper before I ended my time as an intern that summer.

About mid-summer, I decided that I wouldn't go any further, but I would back it and make a wall hanging.

During a summer festival, I taught little ones how to hand sew their own pieces together.

After my internship ended, my wonderful scrap project got put into the closet and I hadn't worked on it in years. I've brought it back out of the closet and have plans to work on it more over the next year. Stay tuned for more pictures on the scrappy quilt!