Island Batik Triangle Tricks Challenge

I am not sure how/why the name came to me.  I guess it takes three to make a band (two is just a pair/duo), just like you need three sides to make a triangle. The colors are definitely boyish. It fits and so it sticks.  

Meet Boy Band.

Boy Band

The Island Batik challenge for May is simple - get out of your comfort zone (working with squares and rectangles) and work with triangles.

I could have used HSTs or even HRTs because there is no dearth of ideas. But staying true to the challenge, I pieced triangles. 

Design wall is a must

Piecing rows

I used blue, green, aqua and purple fabrics from stash builders.  I used Aurifil thread for piecing (50 wt) and quilting (40 wt). Schmetz Needles are my favorite - always. I used Microtex 80/12 for piecing and 90/14 for quilting.

Basted

40 wt Aurifil Thread for Quilting

Boy Band finished at 37" by 46", perfect for a baby boy.  I used Hobbs 80/20 Cotton-Polyester bleached batting. Walking Foot quilting and scrappy pieced binding. 

Thank you, Paul!

Blue & Greens

Hello handsome!

Yummy Fabrics

This completes the May challenge :-)

I can close this door and move on to the next.

But I cannot shut the door on those who are facing new challenges and fighting old battles anew.

Framed Triangles

Last year, a record 26 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were enacted into law across ten states. In 2022, at least 320 anti-LGBTQ+ bills are already pending in state legislatures. Lawmakers in statehouses nationwide are seeking to ban transgender youth from participating in sports; criminalize medically necessary, life-saving healthcare for transgender youth; and ban discussion of LGBTQ+ youth and families in classrooms. 

Laws that would affect access to medical care for transgender people, parental rights, social and family services, student sports, or access to public facilities such as restrooms, unnecessarily and uncharitably single out already marginalized groups for additional disadvantage. They seek to put the authority of state government behind discrimination and promote mistreatment of a targeted LBGTQ population.

Adding background

These laws may have no direct impacts on you and me. But they do affect our communities, our workplaces and our country. That is exactly why more than 200 major companies have joined together to sign on to the Human Rights Campaign and Freedom for All Americans Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation. Together, these companies are united in opposing the wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, much of which specifically harms transgender youth, in states across the country. 

With Harmony (Triangles on Parade), I am adding my voice to the fight that continues.  

Using Island Batik solid white, I cut random triangles, framing them in rainbow colors (Island Batik Solids - Amethyst, Cobalt Blue, Turquoise, Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, Pink and Fuchsia). 

Harmony - Triangles on Parade

I used the Island Batik light gray solid as a background. Each triangle is different and yet they are in complete harmony with each other. Only if we humans could do the same.

It was a challenge to make the irregular shapes fit but so worth the effort. I have named them Harmony. Harmony  finished at 12" by 34" and I am very happy with the result.

Me: See my triangles on parade.

Paul: Are they proud?

Me: They ARE all colors, so I'd say yes!

I used Aurifil thread for piecing (50 wt) and quilting (40 wt) and Schmetz Needles - Microtex 80/12 for piecing and 90/14 for quilting.  I used Hobbs 80/20 Cotton-Polyester bleached batting. Walking Foot quilting and solid light gray binding. 

A few more pictures.

Cool ones

Walking Foot Quilting

Warm Ones

Pop of Colors!

And one last look.

Small Quilt - Mighty Message!

Harmony is rainbow-colored and Harmony is made from scraps. Not strictly a Rainbow Scrap challenge quilt, I will be sharing Harmony with Angela's RSC Linky. I hope Harmony will be allowed to the party.

I will be with mom in India, from May 2 - May 14, as she undergoes surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. 

The tutorial for Hands to Help will be published on May 8, 2022.  Mari has kindly agreed to share that post with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.  

Love & Hugs to you.

Sisterhood

I used the International Sister Quilt Block to make the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks in 2019.

Ladies in Red

It was a year of ups and downs.

Feeling (Dark) Blue

You sent me hugs when I was feeling blue. 

Light Blue

Women of Color

You celebrated with Women of Color. 

It is Easy being Green

And you were with me when the sisters went to the dark side.

To the Dark Side

I shared new blocks month after month.

Shining Sisters

The Sisters were received with so much joy, it warmed my heart.

Passionately Purple

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge of 2019 resulted in enough blocks to make two quilts.
The first I made for Eva.

32 Sister for Eva

The second one was made for the Quilt Show.  All quilts bound for the show must be labelled, with a prescribed sleeve including the name, address, phone number and guild chapter name. After an online registration process, each quilt (accompanied with the print-out of the registration form) must be brought to the photo session for a professional photoshoot before they make it to the show.  Yes it is big to-do and I did all that.

Piecing in Progress

Piecing Diagonal Rows

Enjoying the Process

The corner blocks

In my mind, I had pictured myself at the quilt show, standing next to my quilt, with 50 gorgeous sisters. I would use that picture in the blogpost that I would write about the quilt - Sisterhood.

Finished Flimsy

Of course the quilt show was cancelled. The picture did not happen and the blogpost seemed too tedious to write.


On Monday I received an email from EJI. It was the receipt for the donation.

A few distracted clicks later I was reading about Julia Tutwiler Women's Prison in Alabama.  EJI investigated and exposed the widespread sexual abuse of women in this prison leading to a federal investigation. Although the Department of Justice found evidence of abuse there has been no meaningful reform.

Pieced Backing

On February 2, 2016, Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley announced in his State of the State speech that Tutwiler prison would be closed as a part of a "complete transformation of the prison system," which would include the construction of new facilities. "The process" was due to start within the 2016 calendar year but, as of 2020, the prison remains open.

Sisterhood

Finished at 71" by 85"

Sexual abuse is disgusting and dehumanizing. It is particularly heinous when it is perpetrated by those who are meant to protect. Discussing sexual abuse is uncomfortable and unpleasant. I have struggled to write this post. Some of you may say "just stick to quilting"

Celebrating Sisterhood

I wish I could. I cannot unread. I cannot unsee.  Our ignorance bolsters the perpetrators and our silence further hurts the victims.

You are beautiful

Even if I could keep quiet, these fifty sisters will not be silenced.  How can I celebrate these gorgeous sisters while ignoring those who languish in prison - abused and unheard.
It was time to write this blogpost.

Walking Foot Quilting

Bright

Orange Binding

To those who want me to stick to "just quilting" I say - just look at the quilt pictures.
To those who ask - how can I help/what can I do, I say - check this link.

Sisters Forever

Six sisters remain with me. Please let me know if you want them to come to your home/studio.
I will pick a winner on August 29, 2020.

Ready to Travel

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties (see full list on the sidebar) and with Angela's So Scrappy Linky Party.

Sacred and Abhorrent

Last month I volunteered at the Sacred Threads Quilt Show.
There were two separate exhibits.  The first smaller exhibit was titled - OURstory Quilts - Human Rights Stories in Fabric.

I am sharing a small sample of the quilts from each. The picture of the quilt is followed by the maker's description.

Anne Smyers is in my quilt guild.  I remember when she was working on this quilt and mentioned that the base fabric was just two colors.  That is such an inaccurate representation of us because we are not just black and white. So she dyed the individual faces to create all the complexions. It is like the International Sisters are dancing in the Garden of Humanity.

I do still believe that most people are good at heart.  Only if we listened to our hearts...and not the hate.

If we know now that 1957 was a huge mistake then how can we sit quietly as the current prejudices are perpetrated?


Forgive the poor quality of the pictures. It is difficult to see properly through tears or hold the camera steady while sobbing.

The main exhibit had 240 quilts is six categories - Joy, Grief, Inspiration, Healing, Spirituality, and Peace & Brotherhood.  In addition there was the Eye Contact exhibit. I took several pictures but the link shows a video of the exhibit.

Here is a small sample of quilts from the main exhibit.

Just like Ann Bertorelli, I am horrified by those who perpetrate such torture on innocent children. How is this not a human rights violation? 

This quilter was also inspired by the movie Coco.  Such a fun quilt and so very different from my simple interpretation in Poco Loco.

This must have been such a difficult quilt to make. One does not just remember the abuse one relives it. I find it remarkable also because Arlene Wagner chose to display it not under GRIEF but under HEALING.

Of all the quilts I saw that day this one haunts me the most.

Between the time I saw this quilt and the time I could share these pictures with you, there were mass shootings in El Paso, in Gilroy and in Dayton and we need to make more hearts.

How can we make hearts when our hearts are breaking?

I know how I feel. I feel extremely saddened. I feel angry and I feel violated.
I don't know how to process it all. I don't know how to put it to use.

Paul: You can donate to the cause
Me: Already done
Paul: You can make a quilt
Me: I am thinking about it
Paul: Don't you have to sketch it?
Me: Yes, I will
Paul: You can send it to Sacred Threads next year
Me: I looked up. I stared at Paul.

Yes. Yes, I will.  I need to make a quilt to honor the victims and make sure they are not forgotten.
I will send it to Sacred Threads exhibit.


Quilts have to be made and delivered and there are works in progress.

work in progress

And I will get back to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks.

Blues for RSC 2019 - August

For now, I am tidying up my fabric room. I hope that as I sort fabric and arrange them by color, I'd be able to sort my thoughts too.
I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.
I'd feel so strengthened to hear from you.