Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Spring Broken

The best flowers are at the Keukenhof in Amsterdam. A bit out of my reach, mostly.

Tulips in Amsterdam, 2019

Keukenhof Gardens


The Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania are huge and absolutely beautiful, but still a few hours from me.

Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania

Water Lilies


The Cherry Blossoms in Washington DC are more accessible and I don't mind the long train ride although I will avoid the nightmarish parking in downtown DC. 

From 2008. My first time :-) 

So beautiful

Due to their popularity and the huge crowds (then), everyone was photobombing someone else's picture. The best pictures were taken skywards.

My favorite picture, 2008


The buds are pink but the blooms are almost white, with the faintest hint of blush.

Boating in the Tidal basin, 2018

The trouble with cherry blossoms is that they are so short-lived. One week at best and then all the petals compete to become a carpet.

With Kim, in the train to see the blossoms, 2018

Felt like winter, 2018


So I made careful plans. Checked and re-checked the "Bloom Watch" calendar for the peak bloom dates. Coordinated with friends to meet and walk and take it all in on that one fateful Saturday in April. I was looking forward to the picturesque walks around the Tidal Basin.

But then $#{% happened. The National Park Service, in accordance with CDC guidelines, implemented temporary site closures in response to the Covid-19 outbreak. I pouted and I sulked.

My hopes were dashed. My plans destroyed and my Spring Broken.


Scraps


In frustration I turned to fabric. Thinking of pink buds and white blooms, I started cutting and sewing.

Cutting and Re-cutting

Design Wall


Whatever?

Hmm...


Paul: Is this going somewhere or are you just destroying fabric?
Me: Leave me alone. 
Paul: Just checking if you are ok.
Me: Not yet.


Getting somewhere?

Maybe

Likely

After loads of cutting and sewing and arranging and reversing, something is bound to emerge? Right?
At least, my poutiness had subsided. 

Oh yes


AND, we are there!!!

Paul: Not bad.
Me: Um Hmmm.
Paul: Feel better?
Me: Yes.

I had a finished flimsy and I liked it.  It was my destroyed plans for the Cherry Blossoms that prompted the making of this quilt. I have therefore named it Spring Broken.


Not bad, indeed


This is working :-)

Red and Pink? Why not?


OK, we are there. It worked. The pouting was productive. 

I felt like I had captured the blooms (in a deconstructed way) and I wanted to add the effect of water with quilting. I turned to Rebecca. She said YES :-)

I got the quilted sandwich back, added the pink striped binding and forbade Rebecca to share the pictures of the finished quilt (the front at least). The wait is now over.

Meet Spring Broken.

Paul, the model

On the banks of Potomac


Pieced Backing


Breezy Day, Muddy Banks


Brightness = Happiness


Striped Pink Binding


Here are some close-ups to show off Rebecca's quilting.
 
Raindrops on Water


Tidal Basin, captured


Blooms and Blossoms


Eye candy :-)


Quilting Detail


I highly recommend Rebecca for your quilting needs. She knows what she is doing :-)


Pretty in Pink :-)


Peach and Copper


Spring Broken finished at 46" by 48" and I am very happy with her :-)

Spring Broken - 46" by 48"

Spring and Tidal Pool themes continue on the backing.

Backing


Labelled


There are quilters (fiber artists to be precise) who will appliqué and embroider and embellish to create a piece of art that will rival the natural beauty of the cherry blossoms. But deconstructed Spring looks a whole lot different. That is my story and I am sticking to it :-D

And just a couple more...


Hullo My Lovely


You make me Happy :-)

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. 

Are you having a good spring? Did you enjoy the Spring Break? Or was it Spring Broken? I'd love to hear your thoughts - pouty or not.  

___________________________________________________________

The leftovers from the red Sister's Choice Blocks were repurposed into these little blocks.  Will be sharing with Angela's Linky Party on Saturday.


The Red Leftovers

These leftovers are growing. I hope I can get a baby quilt out of them :-)

Bonus Quilt

I wonder what color is June. Will it be orange or purple? May be it is time for teal. What do you think?





38 comments:

  1. Oh I LOVE your spring quilt!!! So lovely :-). I'm enjoying the lilacs blooming in my back yard right now...the smell is heavenly! And, I'm very partial to striped binding too. My favourite. Great job on the quilt and glad you feel better!!!

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  2. I always enjoyed Cherry Blossom time during our time in DC. How awful to pick peak viewing time to close down the mall and tidal basin. On the upside, you made a beautiful quilt to reflect the beauty of the blossoms. Way to make lemonade out of the lemons you were handed.

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  3. Wow, this is a really beautiful quilt, pretty fabrics and pretty broken blocks! It looks like blossoms, well done! The quilting is gorgeous too.

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  4. It's beautiful, and the quilting motif is the perfect choice for the quilt. I'm glad that you were able to work through your disappointment and create something that will last so much longer in the process.

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  5. Spring Broken is a fun expression of your disappointment. Great job! I love those concentric circles in the quilting. In a previous life/career I was in DC nearly every spring for a dozen years - usually just at cherry blossom time. It is an amazing sight.

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  6. Wonderful quilt with a great story!

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  7. I love Spring Broken! The pieced sections with repetition in different sizes and directions give order without being dull. I have a few boxes of scraps grouped by color that would benefit from this type of design. The circular quilting is great, one of my favorite ways to soften straight edges in piecing.

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  8. I am sorry you didn't get to see the cherry blossom, but look what a magnificent quilt you made instead!! Love the quilting too.

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  9. What a gorgeous quilt!! It will last longer than any cherry blossoms for sure. I really love the quilting so I'll keep your FMQ in mind. thank you for sharing. Your posts always bring such inspiration and cheer!!

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  10. Oh yes indeed! It's a gorgeous quilt Preeti! I love your colours … your quilting … and your story!

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  11. I am sorry, your trip to the cherry blossoms didn't work out. But I loooove your Spring Broken quilt! It is awesome :) xo

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  12. I love your quilt!And your story of how it came to be. Thank you for sharing the progression of the quilt-I always enjoy seeing the process. I've never seen the cherry blossoms in DC but maybe some day :).

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  13. ooo I love it and red and pink? yes please ..one of my favorite combos. Great pics too.

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  14. Amazingly beautiful quilt! Your color sense is just wonderful! Great story of this quilts beginnings. I am looking forward to your QAL at the end of May!

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  15. I feel the same! You conceptualized it SO well!

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  16. I'm so sorry about the cherry blossoms trip! Thankfully, they'll still be there next year, and you can take your beautiful quilt and get some photos with the inspiration for it. Won't that be fun? Perhaps you can also toss a few pebbles into the Tidal Basin to echo the quilting! :)

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  17. It is a lovely quilt, which will last longer than the darn cherry blossoms. We had a crab apple tree at the old house, I loved it. But somehow, I was charmed by the pink snow as the petals fell ... another short lived blossoming tree. I hope you get to go next year.

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  18. Such a beautiful quilt from such a disappointment! I love the combination of colors. Sometimes fabric therapy really is the way!

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  19. The one year, many decades ago, that I was in DC at cherry blossom time, it snowed - 6". The only thing I recall about the trip was that DC drivers do not know how to drive in snow. Spring Broken is a perfect reflection of last spring for sure. At least this spring there's a little more hope in the air.
    Pat

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  20. I've never seen the cherry blossoms in DC, but maybe someday. Your pouting led to something really fun and pretty. I think you worked through your emotions well!

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  21. What a fun way to sew away that pouty mood, Preeti!! I particularly like the fact that you found the perfect binding fabric to finish off your new quilt. LOVE it!

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  22. I like how you took your Broken Spring and made something beautiful come of it!!!

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  23. Great story and beautiful pictures. Spring broken quilt is awesome.
    And the bonus rainbow blocks will make a cute baby quilt.

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  24. I think your frustration sewing turned out to be good therapy, Preeti! And the result is a beautiful quilt. The close-up shots are full of fun surprises in color and pattern!

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  25. I was thinking, oh you're going somewhere... more more more is better and boing! So good!!!

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  26. What a beautiful interpretation of cherry blossoms. That’s one of my earliest memories. I’m sorry you missed the trip with your friends but absolutely love the fabrics and the way you combined them. And the quilting is great. How nice to have it done and ready to use. Congratulations.

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  27. Hi Preeti! I'm new to your blog (following). I'm so sorry your trip was cancelled. Instead, you made the gorgeous 'Spring Broken' quilt! Well done. I'm so glad we have fabric to turn to when life doesn't do us good.

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  28. Another fantastic quilt and story. Love your writing Preeti. Somewhere there is a huge opportunity for you to write..... The blossoms are gorgeous as is this quilt.

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  29. Spring Broken is wild! And I absolutely love it!

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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  30. I am sorry you didn't get to see the blossoms for real but your Spring Broken quilt is glorious! Paul makes a great model;)

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  31. I love seeing your completed Spring Broken quilt in situ in D.C. You brought your OWN Cherry Blossom Festival! :-). It was such a pleasure to quilt this for you and I love your sassy striped binding, finishing it off!

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  32. Your color choices in this one are amazing. Thanks for sharing with oh Scrap!

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  33. So sorry about not seeing the cherry blossoms. How disappointing and surprising, I think. But your quilt is gorgeous. Thanks for showing your process. And I enjoy the dialogue that went with it.

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  34. I've only been to DC once, and it was early October, so there were no leaves at all to view! Glad you got to seem them in the past, sorry about the lockdown lockout. Your quilt is gorgeous, truly.

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  35. So sorry your spring was broken! They are lovely to see in full bloom. Hopefully you will see them again soon! Thanks for sharing your quilt with Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  36. damn, Preeti, that's the prettiest pout I ever saw. Talk about making (pink) lemonade, sheesh...would love to do some full/queen size versions of this, it is divine. Nice work!

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