Teal, Aqua & Turquoise

Honestly, I find these Teal, Aqua and Turquoise names confusing.  Different websites will label fabrics differently. Kona and Bella have additional names like Lake, Bermuda, Lagoon, Pool and Seafoam etc.

For simplicity and clarity I have divided my stash into Greenish Blue and Bluish Green.

Greenish Blue

Bluish Greens

Picture this - Leaving the Blue station, the train will stop first at Greenish-Blue and then at Bluish-Green before coming to a halt at Green station. For all the colors that lie between Blue and Green (but are neither Blue nor Green), March is the month in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2020.

Greenish Blues on the left, Bluish Greens on the right

Paul: So, what is Cerulean?
Me: Simple Answer - It is a blue.
Paul: And what is the complicated answer?
Me: Cerulean is one step away from Blue in the direction of Greenish Blue.  Think of it as an exurban area of the City of Blue, but still much closer to blue than to Greenish-Blue.
Paul: (Huge eye roll)
Me: Here is a ColorWheel. Enjoy!!!

Let's ignore Paul (for now) and focus on my RSC March blocks.
A couple of readers asked for a tutorial on these blocks. Basic Directions follow.

1. Border a 3.5" background square with 3.5" wide strip of focus fabric 1.

Framed Square 9.5"

2. Place RST with 9.5" background square. Make HSTs.

RST with background square

3. Repeat the process with focus fabric 2.
4. Once you have 4 HSTS, snowball the colored corners before making a giant four patch.

Airy and Lovely!!!

Here are the other blocks.

Greenish Blue Blocks

Bluish Green Blocks

And of course RSC Project#2

I have decided to frame some in medium gray so that the overall quilt has a checkerboard look, rather than just colored squares floating in a murky ocean. What do you think?

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In other quilty update, I am testing a pattern for Mell Meyer. It is called All the Diagonals.

Fabrics

All blocks are paper-pieced. And I am trudging along slowly.

All the Diagonals, pattern by Mell Meyer

More blocks in process

This yummy fabric is from the line Speckled by Ruby Star Society.

Connecting Threads has this Speckled FQ Bundle with all 32 fabrics and you can get it at 20% off using the promo code QUILTLOVE.  But hurry, the code expires on 3/22/20.

Speckled FQ Bundle, 32 fabrics

As quilters, we sew in happy times to celebrate.
In sadness, we sew to cope. In times of uncertainty we sew to prevent ourselves from going crazy.
If we do not have a sewing machine, we will sew with a needle and thread.
If we don't have new fabric, we will re-purpose old clothes, feed-sacks and tea-towels.
There is never a reason to not sew. In that way, this time is no different.
The sewing just goes on :-)

I'd love to hear your thoughts - be they about color or calamity...
I will be sharing with Angela and all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. We are in this together.




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Pink Blooms and Turquoise Maidens

It is that time of the year - SPRING!!!

Washington Monument in Washington DC

Cherry blossoms get all the hype.

Cherry Blossoms

But this is my favorite flowering tree this time of the year in this part of the world.  Do you know the name? Please let me know.

My favorite tree/flowers

I love these deep pink, thick and fluffy blooms. 

The tree in full bloom

The color is brighter, the flowers are more substantial and the blooms last days longer than the ephemeral cherry blossoms.

Thick blooms

Imagine these buds at the edge of a sweetheart neckline. You see? 

Gorgeous pink

If I could clothe myself in anything, I'd be wearing a gown and a headdress made out of these pink flowers. But the April ladies are wearing aqua (or turquoise) because Angela said so.

Fabrics and Complexions

Meet my aqua (or turquoise) maidens. If you can tell me who is wearing aqua and who is wearing turquoise, you will be the winner :-D

April Blocks for the RSC 2019

AquaMaiden

Daisy Queen

Flora May

Bold & Beautiful

OK, this may be teal

Flora Nay

If you read the bloopers post, you know that the closed palms was a mistake. I have decided to make it a deliberate decision choice.  Check out Flora May and Flora Nay above :-)

And although most ladies are willing to dance, a few are not. They indicate their choice by keeping their palms open (yes, please) or closed (no, thank you).

Check out all the other lovely aqua (or turquoise) blocks in the RSC here.


In other sew-along update, I have completed all my blocks for the Trinket Sew Along.
Insert happy dance emoji here.

Things Blocks

I wanted to finish my trinket blocks before I left on my trip and this last weekend was the giant push and they are done. I will be posting on Instagram according to the schedule, even if remotely.

My best attempt so far

Of course I am excited about my trip and the main reason for that excitement is my quilty buddy Melanie. My bag is so chock-o-block full of fabric that there is barely room for a change of clothing.  But then who needs clothes when you can drape yourself in fabric :-D

With Melanie, May 2017

I first met Melanie when she was visiting US in 2017.  Now I am going to Germany to meet her. So excited!!!  You can read all about our first meeting here.  And I promise to write about our 2019 adventures after my return.

I will be linking with my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
As usual, I'd love to hear from you. Your comments are like the pink blossoms on my blog tree.

Buh Bye October

SterlingFest was on October 8. It was a cold and rainy day. Resulting in a disappointing turnout and very few sales but I did get something.

A cold.

A Soggy Affair at SterlingFest

Since Paul is the susceptible one, I told him to stay away from me.  Fast forward a week - I am half recovered, but Paul is sick.

Me: I told you not to kiss me
Paul: But you are so hot
Me: You can kiss my toes. Why did you have to kiss my mouth?
Paul: Because I like how my mustache tickles your mustache

Rangoli

He makes me laugh even when he is sick.  Love him so much.

Master at Work

Today is Diwali - the festival of lights.  Last night, we (Paul was in-charge) made the rangoli, to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi.

Completed Rangoli with tealights

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Being sick really does a number on your mojo.  Things moved rather slowly.  However, I am relieved that I managed to complete my October goal in October itself.

The first blocks - 10" finished square

Blogging had to take a back seat. I am deeply touched by the emails (from a few friends) and a phone call, asking me if I was well. They had noticed my blogging absence. Aw... you are so sweet.

Finished Flimsy

Well, I am back and I do have something to show for my rather long silence.

Aqua, Blue, Teal and Turquoise

This quilt is for Erica. Erica is my sister's sister-in-law.  My sister is married to Erica's brother. For the sake of this blogpost, we shall call her Erica, but that is not her real name.

Baste? Shall we?

Backing Fabric from Connecting Threads

Erica was in New Delhi when mom was "visiting" the hospital back in April of 2016.  When mom was told that the surgery was required "right now", mom panicked.  It was Erica who made all the arrangements and talked to the doctors before calling my sister.

Quilting the Beast

Erica is a doctor too and she understood all the medical jargon and eased mom's fears.

Mom's follow-up surgery was scheduled for June and we (my sister and I) flew to India to be there for her.

Binding in Process

When we reached New Delhi airport, I was very surprised that Erica had come to the airport to receive us.  It was a very hot, sultry night. By the time, we cleared customs and immigration it was past 11:00PM. As we loaded our luggage into the car, I noticed she had brought cold water for us.  So thoughtful!!!

In the morning

She had also brought my sister's favorite sweets :-) to snack on in the car!!!
Although it would have been perfectly acceptable to wait till we got home to offer tea and snacks, I was completely floored by her attention to our comfort and joy.

A queen size beauty!!!

Erica escorted us to the Metro station next morning and ensured that we were always at ease. Further, she does this with such laid back attitude that I never felt like a guest. Her home felt like our home.

Oh, how those blues sing together

Erica also took us to the indoor mall where we ate street food.  That is such a treat.  Much as we crave street food, we absolutely cannot eat it anymore from the street vendors in India.  Our systems, have been too insulated from Indian germs now and any exposure to unclean food/water will send us to the hospital.  No, I am not exaggerating.  It happened to my sister once and to me in 2012 before we learned our lesson.

I finally learned to make neat bindings :-)

Pictured in soft morning light

As we were finally packing our bags, Erica provided more snacks (sweet and savory) not just for the flight but also to take back with us.

All rolled up

I said to my sister - I need to pay her for the snacks.
Sister: Nah, she is family.
She is your family.  I am a step removed, remember?

When I asked Erica about the costs, she said pish-posh (or the Indian version of it).

A glimpse of me

I asked her - what is your favorite color?
Oh, I like all colors, she said.

This was not going to be easy.  In any case, it had to be done. I will be delivering this quilt to my sister this weekend and her husband (Erica's brother) will deliver it to Erica when he visits her in December.  Hope she likes it.

For Erica

Linking with Red Letter Quilts for the October Finish, and all other favorite linky parties.

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Being sick may limit the sewing, but stash acquisition continued.  I won a giveaway at Scraptastic Tuesday and got this bundle of nine fat quarters from Mad about Patchwork.

Not sure what I will do with them.

However these 6" strips from Tonga Treats are already spoken for  - a queen rise quilt sometime soon.  Will keep you posted.

Please stay well, get your flu shot and vote (if you are a citizen). How did October treat YOU? I'd love to hear from you.