Say Hello to the Little One!

I am listening to Eragon by Christopher Paolini.
The dragon is Saphira, the rider is Eragon. Saphira's name for Eragon - Little One.

Finished Flimsy

I have a finish to share. Finishing at just 37.5" square, it is one of the smaller baby quilts I have made.  Hence the name - The Little One.

3" squares of Kaffe Fassett fabric

Made with 3" Kaffe Fassett Squares, some left over from Clay's Quilt and others cut up from 6" Design Strips.

Irish Chain Layout

There is no story in the flimsy. At least, not yet.  The backing on the other hand...

I started this quilt sometime in October last year, after Esmeralda was completed. The flimsy was finished a few months ago but there was no rush to complete the quilt.

The Little One

When Jake mentioned that she was destashing, I agreed to buy some of her fabric. I chose a few solids, some dark prints with vines, and a few polka dot fabrics.  Jake stuffed the box with fabric tighter than a pregnant woman's stretched belly.  When I opened the box, this gorgeous, bright, beautiful fabric just jumped out at me.

Celestial Bodies

The colors are so rich and bright that they shimmer on a black/navy background.
As I noticed the deep red and emerald green, it became clear that these bright colors matched perfectly with the Kaffe Fassett squares in the top. Seems like a miracle for a backing that I did not choose.

Bright Sunny Binding

Now I had to finish it. How could I not? The richness of the fabric beckoned to me. I chose a bright sunny fabric for the binding.

Finished!!!

A small quilt in an infinite universe.

On the banks of Lake Ontario, Canada

The quilt and the lake - shine and shimmer

A backing that depicts the infinite universe for a small baby quilt may seem like a paradox.
But a baby is just that - a universe of possibilities in a little bundle. Say hello to the little one!!!

Niagara by the Lake, Ontario, Canada

Thank you, Sandra (she took the picture)

Who gets that, you may ask.
Well, just as the top and backing found each other, I am sure the quilt will find its home.
The universe is listening.

Labelled

I think it was Albert Einstein who said "There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. "

The Little One

It is obvious that I belong to the second category.  Did anything take you by surprise lately?
I'd love to hear from you. I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties; see full list on the sidebar.

100+ Quilts and a Giveaway

Have you seen the movie The Jane Austen Book Club?
The movie is about five women (and one man) who form a book club, with each member leading a discussion on one of the six books by Jane Austen. How their lives reflect Austen's stories and their characters relate to Austen's characters, forms the  narrative of the movie.

Work in progress

There is this one scene in the movie where Prudie (played by Emily Blunt) is pouring her heart out to Bernadette (played by Kathy Baker) talking about the temptation in her life.

"He looks at me as if he is the spoon and I am the bowl of ice-cream."

Best. Line. Ever.

Speaking of temptations, have you seen the new 70% sale on Connecting Threads?

Connecting Threads Sale ends 7/23/18

So I just splurged on fabric.
And I am not even feeling guilty. Because, unlike ice-cream, the fabric won't go to my hips :-p

Whether you want fabric or ice-cream or both (why choose), this giveaway is for you.
Why, you ask.  Well, I completed 100 (went over actually) quilts and this calls for a celebration = GIVEAWAY!!!

2 FQ Bundles - 6 solids from Kona

There are six prizes!!!
Two FQ bundles - six solids from Kona (picture above)
Two FQ bundles - four cool prints, four warm prints (picture below)
Two scrap bags - one cool and one warm (picture further below)

2 FQ Bundles - Warm and Cool

Super simple rules.
1. Leave a comment on this blogpost, telling me what is tempting you at this time - food or fabric :-)
2. You may leave an additional comment if you follow my blog

Assorted Scraps - Pinks/Reds

Assorted Scraps - Blue/Green

You are welcome to these scraps because I just completed another Scrap Vortex flimsy.  Thanks to the nudge from Julie ;-)
Will write the blogpost after the quilt is complete and finish taking pictures.

Scrap Vortex Flimsy - Basted

Forgive the Squirrel distraction. So going back to the giveaway. Here is a funny conversation about how I realized I had exceeded 100 quilts.

Muggle: So how many quilts do you make in a year?
Me: I'd say a dozen in a year, sometimes more. A quilt per month is a decent average.
Muggle: So if you'd quilt for the next 30 years at the rate of say 10 quilts a year, you could make enough quilts to keep a small village warm.
Me: Sounds right. Don't forget the quilts I have already made. I may be able to keep a large village warm :-D
Muggle: How many have you already made?
Me: Let's see. 11+16+28+16+20+13.
Muggle: That is 104.
Me: I crossed 100 quilts???
Muggle: You did not know?
Me: Duh, I am busy making, not counting.

At this point, I excused myself and began writing this blogpost and assembling the bundles for the giveaway. It is your turn now.

To celebrate 100+ quilts,  I'd love a tall cake (or ice-cream sundae) made up entirely of your comments :-)

Pieced Backing for the Scrap Vortex above

If you are a no-reply blogger, please include your email.  The winners will be announced on August 1, 2018.  I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties, see sidebar for the full list.


This blogpost contains affiliate links.

One with Everything

What did the the monk ask the hot dog vendor?
Make me one with everything.

A Finish!!!

I am back from my vacation with Sandra (http://www.mmmquilts.com). And it was a vacation with a little bit of everything - Friends, Food and Fireworks.

with Linda

Elizabeth, me and Linda

We met with Linda (http://artinsearch.blogspot.com) and Elizabeth (https://www.pinterest.com/elizabethdeare/) - artists/quilters from the Buffalo area.  Chatted non-stop about all things quilty - art quilts, quilt shows, and quilt guilds over steaming hot falafel.

House of Hummus in Buffalo, NY

The vacation provided a whole range of experiences from the quiet lake that gently shimmered in the sun...

Lake Ontario, Niagara-On-The-Lake

to the falls that lit up the night sky.

Niagara Falls at Night

From the Maid of the Mist where the water spray made you smile and giggle...

Rainbow at the Maid of the Mist

to the Buffalo Riverboat Tour that made you wonder.

Remnants of an Industrial Town, Buffalo River

Buffalo riverfront revitalization includes repurposing some of these old structures for modern use. There are restaurants, concert spaces, rock climbing wall, community space for poetry reading and much more. Look up Silo City. I will when I visit Buffalo next time. As a city planner, I get high on sustainability and this adaptive reuse is a planner's dream come true.

Grain Elevator, Buffalo River

We had a handsome man pour us wine and take our picture...

At a wine tasting in Chateau de Charmes Winery, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario

and a very handsome man who made me take his picture.

Statue of David in Delaware Park, Buffalo, NY

From overwhelming and awe-inspiring beauty of Niagara Falls that is impossible to miss...

Niagara Falls - American on the left and Canadian in the distance

to the quiet beauty of street art that we almost missed, but is an inspiration!

Buffalo, NY

And here is the quilt - Since it has at least one of everything (scrap vortex), I am calling this "One with Everything". To learn how to make your own scrap vortex, check this link - http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2015/06/scrap-vortex-qal-week-one.html

One with Everything - 46" by 54"

The backing came from Mary - another quilter friend I have yet to meet. When she was destashing, she send me a box of lovely fabric, including this large print blue flowers which made the perfect backing. Combined with a strip of purple leftover from Clay's Quilt.

Pieced Backing (Label on the bottom right)

It includes scraps from cute animal fabrics, leftovers from Animal House.

Crabs and Owls piece-fully coexist with fish and hedgehogs

 The quilt has every color!!!

Red, green, yellow, blue, pink, purple, orange, brown and black

Like I used every crayon in the box.

Snoopy!!!

 The fabrics remind me of quilts past including the one I made for mom.

Kittens at Play

The quilt finished at 46" by 54". It is a crib size quilt, I think. I wasn't trying for a particular size - just wherever the scrappy improv journey took me.

Walking Foot Quilting

The aqua binding ties everything neatly and makes me very happy.

Aqua Binding

Paul: Did you not take a bag full of quilts to photograph?
Me: Yes, I did. But each quilt is a separate blogpost :-) You will just have to wait for the next post, just like my readers.
(Paul rolled his eyes. He rarely reads my posts.)

Paul - Looks like you had a fun time
Me: Yes, we did. But I missed you.
Paul - Missed me? You two were having too much fun to have missed me.
Me: I was hoping you could drive, so that I could enjoy the gorgeous scenery on my way home :-D
Paul: Brat!!!

Beauty and Inspiration was everywhere. I knew what to expect in Niagara Falls, but the beauty of the City of Buffalo was a pleasant surprise.  I can write a whole blogpost about it, but here are a few pictures.

Lake Hoyt - Delaware Park in Buffalo, NY - View from the pedestrian bridge

I loved the pedestrian/cyclist bridge over the Scajaquada Parkway connecting pedestrians and bicyclists to the trail along the Delaware Park. Being a transportation planner, it is heartening to see other modes of travel (walking, cycling, transit etc.) get their due.

Monarch Butterfly on our morning walk, Buffalo, NY

 Birds and butterflies accompanied our morning walk.

In front of the Buffalo History Museum

It was hot and since the cities in the north rarely get this hot, many places did not have air-conditioning. If I could change one thing, it would be this - I wish it wasn't so hot.
But climate change is real and it is worse than you think.

Paul: Did you not grow up in a hot climate?
Me: Yes, but we did not go sight-seeing on a hot day. Moreover, I am too American (spoiled) now to do without such amenities.
Paul: I agree - you are a hot mess.

Hot Mess

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. But I'd love to hear from you. How is your summer going?