Blocks about crime!
 

I'm starting Jury Service tomorrow and have been told that there will be a lot of waiting time and to take my sewing. I thought I'd work on blocks to do with crime, prison, court etc but can only think of Courthouse Steps! Does anyone know about other blocks I could piece while incarcerated! Many thanks!

What a great idea
Here's a few that might fit into the theme;

Patience
Devil's puzzle
Capital T

ONe more...Robbing Peter to pay Paul

What about Drunkard's Path block?

You could always do applique -- scales of justice, prison stripes, police cars, etc.

Someone posted Sunbonnet Sue and the different methods of her death. I think one was a sue-icide. :D

Lucky you! I have done jury duty 6 times and seated on 5 jury trials. It was really interesting but there can be lots of waiting time so take some handwork or a good book!

I just love my hexes so that is what I would take.

Broken Windows
Lawyer's Puzzle
Temple Court

Went to quilters cache. There were lots! Here's a few...Ball and chain, beggar's block, Cain & Abel, chain links, courthouse star, depression block, framed, hourglass (doing time), Leavenworth 9 patch, Saint Paul (he spent a lot of time in prison), solitaire, wild goose chase. There were others, but they might have been a stretch, like Jack-in-the-box. What a fun idea and keepsake for your experience.

I just wouldn't choose a block that could in any way be interpreted as having to do with or making a statement about the case.....like "drunkard's path" in a case involving DUI.....Just a thought.

Courthouse Steps

I just had jury duty last month and any needles or scissors of any kind were not allowed. You could take a small book to read or something that would fit in your purse. Had to leave at security gate. Maybe your county is different than ours.

The last time I was on jury duty, they almost took my cell phone and told me I would not get it back. Leave anything questionable either home or in your car. It is a long day and boring at times.
Sue

The "singing Quilter" who has travelled and performed extensively in N.Am. has a quilt based entirely on crime. She composed a song as well and sell a CD. Goggle her and you may find enough to keep you busy.

www.singingquilter.com If you look at the 11th photo on her photo page, there is a quilt hanging Each block is part of a song about a crime. Hope that inspires you!!

I was called for jury duty a few years ago. I took hand work for the waiting time. However, the bailiff took my 3 inch scissors and my needle saying they were 'a security risk'. Hmmm. I was not a happy camper. I took a book the next day!

I once sat on a jury for a pedophile case. Can't imagine a quilt block for that! Don't want to, either!

sandy

yep. Sit quietly and read. Making crime related quilt blocks may be interpreted as contempt! ;)
sandy

Oh geez. I didn't read your post right and I though YOU were incarcerated :-). I was thinking, 'wow, they let them quilt in prison?' Do you think I need another cup of coffee this morning? Hee hee.

The Worcester, MA courthouse doesn't allow cell phones. Sometimes I have been able to get through the security area with a needle and a seam ripper (in place of scissors) to do my hand sewing but sometimes they confiscate them. Must depend on who is checking your stuff.

I do foster care so I spend lots of time just waiting around in the juvenile section of the courthouse, depending on the situation. I bring a few magazines or books just in case, though.

Once I had a screwdriver, from my purse, confiscated. I forgot it was in there...I keep it in there in case I come across a vintage sewing machine that needs to come out of it's cabinet before I bring it home...lol.

I've been told by locals here we aren't allowed to take anything in with us. Not even purses of bottled water. I would hate to just sit there......need something....

Me too! And I just brewed my third pot of coffee this morning so have absolutely no excuse. (Although I do think that our interpretation was much more intriguing, don't you?)

You ladies have made me just laugh out loud!! No, I'm not the one in prison (although it does feel a bit like it!) There's no problem taking in my sewing but mobile phones have to be given into the Court Usher only when sent for deliberation.
You've given me such a lot of excellent ideas that I'm going to start going through tonight to take to Court tomorrow.
Thank you all so much for your help but especially for the laughs!!!

I just love hexies too! I can't get enough of them even though I started decades ago, with a hexie quilt. By mistake, I used 8oz polyester wadding. It ended up being called Marshmallows as that is what it felt like sewing through!

Oops! I meant to reply to Maniacquilter! But, Tartan, I seem to remember a group years ago that didn't like Sue and made quilts where each block had some way of killing her off! Perhaps, one of my blocks could be Sue sent to the Tower (of London)

Or overall Sam in prison stripes.

I couldn't take in needles and scissors last time. Hope you can. Might want to have a Plan B just in case....like a book to read.

I live in Montgomery County, TX, and I couldn't take my crocheting in. They said the crochet hook could be used as a weapon. So you may not be able to take your pins, needles and scissors in. Get there early enough to ask, then if they say no, you can take it back to your car.

It is ok here to take sewing stuff into the Jury rooms. We can even take in phones and iPads - not into Court of course, but in the Jury waiting area.
I'd never have thought of Sam in stripes but they might get what I'm doing! I think it safer to stick with the names of blocks (they're not obvious to the uninitiated!). I was thinking of making some of the blocks and then applique-ing something appropriate afterwards?
I've got some amazing ideas from you ladies now - thank you!

I've been lucky enough to avoid jury duty, because of health issues; but I think a "crime" quilt would be very interesting. I would go to quilterscache where there are dozens, if not hundreds of quilt blocks that might be appropriate.

What a fun thread this is!! I would take a Sudoku puzzle book if it were me.
The last time I was called in for jury duty, I thought surely not! I am not able to do that at my age. Found out that in New Mexico you can be excused permanently at age 75. Yay!

Went a few times but as I was a victim of crime and had a brother who was RCMP and friends who were cops, was never selected, guess they knew I would be rough on criminal.

So sorry you've been a victim of crime Carol34446, I don't mean to take any of this lightly, just to pass the waiting time well. But, I have to have a Mountie - I love anything Canadian! Here you can't be a Juror if you are over 69 but I'm sure that will change soon as we're all living so much longer but, sadly not long enough to finish all those WIP's! I'm up to around age 245, I think!

When I went to jury duty, we could not bring in needles or scissors. You may want to find out before you go to the court house. Just a thought.

I saw one Sue's on face book that is a chain gang of Sue's guilty of touching show quilts without their white gloves.

I work for a federal judge and am in charge of the jury during trials. I tell the jurors that if there is something they want to bring in (like hand-sewing items), to just let me know and I will be able to help them get through the screening process (which is very strict in federal court). Don't be afraid to ask . . . that's what we are there for.

Hi tinliz, that's so funny and could make an excellent border! And, thank you klgls, I did check just to make sure after all the advice on this thread and I am allowed to take in my sewing bits and pieces. They seem quite a lot more relaxed over here regarding what is acceptable and what is not, for jurors. Thanks for all your advice - all very useful and as for your suggestions, who knew you would all be such experts about crime!

Lucky you -- on jury duty. I learned how to knit socks and turn the heel frm another juror. It is not only a civic duty, but a great way to observ the justice system at work

Mim

lol, what a cute tag line :thumbup:

Hi Mousie. I'm showing my ignorance here, but I don't know what a tag line is. (0: