memorial day

Several years ago my son was in scouts and his troop plus a lot of others, had the task of setting up the luminaria which are lit every Memorial Day, here in Fredericksburg (the 2nd largest military park in the country) on the graves of some 15, 000 soldiers who died in the Battle of Fredericksburg, and surrounding battles. The number is mind boggling, and to see the luminaria lit at night is completely sublime. It is going on again this weekend..

Words really do not explain how powerful the sight is.  I had brought along a camera, as we made our way placing bags/sand and candles, and took several shots of the terraced grave sites. I made a quilt of the day sight of all those bags, flags and graves..

I'd started a nighttime scene as well, also in the works is a quilt of the Sunken Road, a place where a good part of the Battle of Fredericksburg took place..

shade

While walking the civil war trails, this is the Sunken Road, where you read a lot and look for shade on blazing days!

Memorial Day quilt

Our town is a big Civil War town..
We have a luminary on Memorial Day, at our Civil War cemetery, and each year the scouts put out the bags and candles. Something like 5,000 candles are put out. It's an awesome sight, all lit up for one night. I went out and took a few pictures while the set up was going on. My photo is above, and the quilt made from it, is above it. "Memorial Day Luminaria" is 46x38" and all hand and machine appliqued, sewn, embellished and quilted (still quilting it a bit..). I layered the fabrics, rather than piece them, and then sewed down the larger pieces. Then went back in with thread and floss to embellish. I found a cool flag print at Joann's and fussy cut the flags to applique on.