what is your email address. I will send you the picture of my underground RR wall hanging and the block that tells the story. I do not know how to attach it to this. Lucille from Ohio.

I just completed making Eleanor Burn's Underground Sampler quilt. I love it.

You might want to check out the book: "Hidden in Plain View" by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard, for more insight.

Regardless, I think you will enjoy the project and resulting quilt.

My quilt chapter is going to do one of these quilts beginning after our quilt show in Jan. I don't care to use the recommended colors and according to the book, we can use any color scheme we wish as it's the symbols on the quilt that were the signs. I personally suspect the story is true. I was born and raised in north central IL and we have lived in communities where there are old homes that claim to have been part of the underground railroad system. They had to have a way to signal the runnng slaves as most couldn't read. If they did manage to learn, many were beaten severely and some even killed as the owners didn't want them to be literate. Since quilts were so common back then, using quilts sure makes a lot of sense to me.

I plan to particpate in the group project but am seriously considering making mine a scrap quilt from my stash and purchase other fabrics if needed. I love pretty colors and scrap quilts. Back then, quilts were made with old clothing and scraps. May were worn and faded but since quilts were needed, every scrap was used so I personally feel that whatever fabrics we use should be just fine. Also, those replica vintage fabrics just don't appeal to me either. My quilt can still tell the story with beautiful fabrics from our time. Although I'm not sure I can tolerate the techniques used in this book, I'm going to give it a try.

I made this quilt a few years ago. It was a block of the month and I love it. The fabrics were reproductions from that era.

Story of the Underground RR
The Monkey Wrench turns the Wagon Wheel toward Canada.
With help from Jesus, the Carpenter, follow the Bears Trail, threw the woods. Fill the Basket with enough food and supplies to get you to the Crossroads.Once you get to the Crossroads dig a Log Cabin in the ground. Shoofly told us to dress up in cotton and satin Bow Ties. Follow the Flying Geese and Birds in the Air stay on the Drunkard's Path take the Sailboat across the Great Lakes to the North Star above Canada.

This is printed on one of my blocks of my wall hanging I made

Wow! Yours is just gorgeous! I love your fabrics, you did a great job!
Kind Regards,
MaryAnna

There is a book entitlled HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW, by Jacqueline Tobin & Raymond Dobard. Tobin met Ozella Williams at the Old Market in Charleston, SC. Williams told her that her mother related stories about quilts she had heard from her mother, who was a slave. Much of the early history of African Americans is oral, so it could be true, because we know that many slaves did escape from the south and on to Canada and to Mexico. There had to be some secret communication between the Abolitionists and the slaves, as this was extremely dangerous for both.

I agree! I love the stories of the URR quilts. My top has been made for 3 years and is still waiting to be sandwiched.

I believe the stories, and in the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus, and the tooth fairy. I love American Girl dolls, no daughters but Molly and her great wardrobe live in my house! I love this board, you all are great!

By the time I finished the quilt, they would have already passed me by.