Oxygen

It started with Bernie.  She held a contest and a giveaway. I did not win. Emily did. 
But then Emily forfeited her prize so it came to me. A charm pack of Moda Wovens.

A charm pack of seemingly plain (black, white and gray) fabrics did not match anything in my stash. I should've just set it aside to be addressed at a later date because January was hugely busy month for me. There was the IB Unboxing Video and post (nerve-racking), making of placemats (first IB project) and the challenge of being the first in the IB Create for a Cause Blog Hop.

"Set it aside" or "Pass it Along"would be the logical approach. And therefore, in my completely illogical quilty way,  I chose to chase this squirrel. I dropped everything to make this quilt. 

A New Finish

I am blaming it on Bernie and Emily. With friends like these who needs enemies :-D I love you both.

There is not much you can do with a single charm pack. However a free pattern by Elizabeth Hartmann is perfect. I know because I have used it to make Finger Lakes.

Started here

I started with wide strips of yellow and started inserting slashed and whole squares. But gosh - it looked so bland. Aren't these the Pantone colors of the year - Ultimate Gray and Illuminating?

What was ultimately illuminating to me was this - I was suffocated. Goodness, this quilt needed color like I needed to breathe.

A touch of color

I inserted a few narrow strips of solid green and solid purple.  Although it is still a far cry from my overly cheerful style, these strips of color provided the respite my eyes craved.  Of course, addition of these strips skewed the pattern but nothing I could not handle. 

Solid Green Slivers

Spicy Backing

I chose a spicy backing to make up for the rather bland front :-) A yellow binding seems to fit.

Labelled

If this yellow-gray quilt is a metaphor for our Covid-suffocated lives, the strips of green and purple are symbolic of my quilty friends. Their connections provide the oxygen and the virtual hugs I need to get past these trying times.  

Sunkissed

Yellow Binding

This Dreami quilt finished at 33.5" by 41". It is named Oxygen and is dedicated to Bernie and Emily.  I will be linking with Sandra's Dreami Linky.

Colorful Backing

And a few more pictures...

Oxygen 33.5" by 41"

Walking Foot Quilting

Green & Purple = Happiness

I can breathe...

A Breezy Day

But wait there is more. A few charm squares were still left over. Time for some scrappy improvisational piecing. A few solids (colorful please) were added to the mix.

Using up all the scraps

After all the Moda Wovens were used up there were some solids left over. Oh my, this was the classic cookies and milk dilemma.

Zippers and Lining

I am loving these :-)

Contrasting Zipper Pulls

Finished three Zipper pouches

Color = Joy

Three fine finishes!!!

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Here are my completed Sister's Choice Blocks in Yellow for the February 2021 RSC. Will be linking with Angela's RSC Linky. 

Smiling Flower

Focus Panda

Speaking of RSC, I am basting the second quilt (Leela was first) from last year's RSC, using the Picket Star Quilt Block.

Basting

I am in love :-)

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The two winners from the Create for a Cause Bloghop Giveaway are Comments #25 (Patti) and #58 (Susie H).  Emails have been sent to the winners. If I do not hear from you in a week, you will forfeit your prize and I will pick someone else. 

If you did not win, there is still a chance to win the grand prize by Island Batik. 

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. As usual, I 'd love to hear about you. Did you already get vaccinated? Are you holding your breath for the vaccine? What is your oxygen in these suffocating times?