The Positivity QAL - Finished Flimsy Linky Party

This blogpost is late but I have a very good reason for it...a very cute and furry reason :-)

Louie - our new fur baby

Meet Louie. We brought him home yesterday afternoon.  Louie's rescue dad is moving and could not take him along. We were only too happy to adopt him. The car ride was not fun for him and the thunderstorms did not help. He has been exploring his new environment and is a little skittish. We are getting to know him as he gets to know us. 

Why yes, I live with two handsome males

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Of course, the main purpose of this blogpost is to show off my completed flimsy for the Positivity QAL. Here it is. 

I have come up with a name for the finished quilt, but I will save that for the completed quilt linky party scheduled for August 22, 2021. 

Do make sure you add the link to your blog/Instagram at Bernie's Linky Party. There are several prizes open to all participants in the US and abroad. If you don’t have a blog, please send an email to Bernie, with a picture of your flimsy so it can count as an entry to win!! Linky is open till July 24 and the winners will be picked on July 25, 2021.

Speaking of Positivity, I had made several Plus Blocks to demonstrate how to pick fabrics, the importance of contrast, and the 10-foot rule. I had set these aside for a baby quilt at some later date.

But when Joy mentioned that she was collecting blocks to make a community Positivity flimsy, I quickly mailed them to her. Look what she did with them.

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July is dark blue, said Angela.  Here are my dark blue/navy blocks.  

Monkey Rules

Wild & Festive

Navy Blue Blocks

I later noticed that brown and black blocks belong in July as well.  I picked out the brown and black fabrics but the blocks are not completed at this time.

Lovely Browns

Black is Beautiful

Sharing with Angela's Linky Party. That leaves orange and turquoise. I wonder what color is August?

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A huge THANKS to all of you who visited my Etsy shop, liked it and favorited it. I am very happy with the response to the Novella Wall Hanging/Table Runner pattern. I am working on a couple of new patterns and will be adding them in the next few months.

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Connecting Threads has been having a sale and I bought some wide backings.  

Wide Backings from Connecting Threads

I love love love this wide backing fabric from Connecting Threads. It is charcoal gray (on the right side) but if I so choose I can use the wrong side for a subtle light gray. That is terrific.  

I love this fabric!!!

Everything is 25% off but the Cyber Sale ends today. 

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In other news, we have received the second set of boxes from Island Batik and other industry partners. I will be sharing the Unboxing Video on July 22, 2021.

At this time, I am furiously working on the Island Batik August Challenge (Try a Tool). The Blog Hop begins on August 10 and my post is scheduled for August 11, 2021. 

Sneak Peek of the Island Batik August Challenge

Lots to do and finish.  I'd love to know what is keeping you busy. I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

It is hot and humid and horrible. Please stay cool (unless you live in Australia or New Zealand) and hydrate.

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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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Kinda Brave

What is an appropriate gift for a young woman who is celebrating her high school graduation, her 18th birthday and is on her way to a prestigious college?

Kinda Brave

A quilt, of course.

Pieced Backing

Did I mention that she did all this while she was fighting a debilitating disease with multiple doctor visits and hospital stays? And she also wrote a book about her experiences and published it too.

Kinda Chronic by Ashni Sethi

Meet Ashni. Better still read about her book here.

Ashni's Mom is my friend, Manveen.
I conspired with Ashni's parents in making this quilt.
Ashni likes dogs and loves the ocean. Her favorite colors are blue, gold and red.

Pattern Sketch

This was helpful, sure. But Ashni's quilt needed to be more, much more than just a compilation of her favorite things. She needs to covered with love, support, good wishes and blessings from her friends and family as she celebrated her book, and embarked on her journey to college - a whole new chapter in her already challenging life.

Blues

The pattern was easy. I chose Scrap Happy by Amanda Jean Nyberg.
Of course I had all the fabrics.

Backing Fabrics

I had all the ingredients for the body of the quilt.
I just needed to infuse it with soul.

The opportunity came at Ashni's birthday party.  I arrived at the party armed with freezer paper rectangles, a traveling iron, felt blanket, archival pens, and background fabric rectangles. I bullied (urged, cajoled and encouraged) the attendees to write messages of love, encouragement, support and best wishes for Ashni.

From Grandma

I roped in two guests to help with peeling and re-attaching the freezer paper to the background fabrics. The pens were a bit tricky for non-quilting folk and not everyone stayed in the center of the rectangles.

From Auntie

I was conspicuous as I flitted from one guest to another, asking them to retrace their letters so that the ink was dark enough, leave room for seam allowances, and are you done with the pen?
But there was no way Ashni could have known the full extent of the conspiracy.

From a friend

Some messages were simple birthday wishes, others celebrated Ashni's accomplishments, and others promised her love and support. Some were simple, others were funny and some were deeply touching. I am glad to have been part of the journey.

Quilting in process

Ready to Bind

Zebra binding

Almost done

Here are some pictures showing the completed quilt.

Light & Shade - A metaphor for life?

So cool!!!

Twisted

Fabric Rose?

Folded

Puppies YAY!!!

The messages are not visible at first glance, just like the adorable puppies are rather subtle.
But come closer and the warmth of the messages and the cuteness of the puppies will engulf you.

Love the red fabric

I had just enough red fabric left over from Enchanted Lake to border the puppy fabric to make this pieced backing.

Labelled

Showing off the Label

Of course, I am showing off.  Just in case any of Ashni's friends from college want a personalized quilt, I want to make sure that they have no trouble finding me :-)  Just search for "Sew Preeti Quilts" and send me a message.

Rolled up

Sunshine and Puppies = Perfection

So many Good Wishes in a Bundle of Comfort

I gave the completed quilt to Manveen last month. She happily posed for some pictures.

You are hiding behind it.

Much better

Together!!!

I am told that Ashni LOVED her quilt. And here she is confirming it with a gentle smile.

Ashni with her quilt

As usual, I'd love to hear from you. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.