Happy Thanksgiving - Much To Do!

Above average temperatures for several weeks and then suddenly it was cold and windy. I guess it is an indication to stay indoors and sew :-D

Should you need a new pattern, Fireworks is now available in my Etsy Shop as a standalone pattern. You can get it at a discount of 25% for one week.

Fireworks

Fireworks is a simple pattern that requires no special rulers/templates and is NOT paper-pieced, making it suitable for all skill levels. 

Brightness

Walking Foot Quilting

Fireworks was first published in Make Modern's Issue 59.

Thank you, Paul

I used Island Batik's Fire and Ice Collection, but you could make it in any colors of your choice. Picture it as a Quilt of Valor. At 60" by 79", it certainly meets the size requirements for QOV.

In Peppermint Sprinkles

In Breezy, Black Background

But there is more. Two lucky readers can win a copy of the Fireworks PDF pattern. Leave me a comment on this blogpost, mentioning your favorite Thanksgiving Dessert. I will pick the winners next week. Please make sure that I have a way of reaching you.

Update - The two winners are Sara (#2) and Susie (#11). Emails have been sent.

But wait there is even more. 

On account of Thanksgiving, I am offering a 25% off sale on ALL patterns till Sunday, 12/1/2024.

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Earlier this month, I taught a Workshop on Improvisational Piecing.  It included modules on Color Theory, Improv Exercises and Layout & Composition.  The 5-hour workshop went by so quickly.

Using two fabric bundles (Island Batik Collections), the attendees made fabric pairs such that there was enough contrast between each pair.

Wild Blooms Collection

Morris Mist Collection

The workshop included five exercises, but the time limitation only allowed for four. Here are some of the attendees with their work.

Loving it

Your smile says it all

Inspired!

Happiness

I received excellent feedback. The attendees left inspired and energized. Since this was my first time teaching this class, I really appreciate these notes from Brenda and Robyn.

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Every year we travel to see Paul's parents (mom and stepdad) for Thanksgiving. Since Paul's mom passed away earlier this year, some people asked me - "Are you still going to Georgia for Thanksgiving?"

Yes, we are.  In times of turmoil, it is even more important to maintain our rituals and routine. 

Starter Syrup and Candied Fruit

I am baking my 30-day Friendship Fruit Cake plus two kinds of cookies - Chocolate Drops and Cranberry Shortbread. The cookies can change but the Fruit Cake is a holiday tradition and is more than expected at Thanksgiving :-)

Watch this clip from a favorite movie of mine, emphasizing our need to find a semblance of perfection in our random world. 

Life is random. In the middle of that randomness, carve some time to play with fabric, meditate with music and be good to yourself. A semblance of normalcy may go a long way to battle the absurd.

I wish that your Thanksgiving Holiday brings you just what you need. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Lots of Love and Squishy Hugs!

Summer Vibes

Paul: Let's go get ice cream.
Me: Sugar is not my friend.
Paul: Of course not. It is your side piece.
Me: Side piece?
Paul: The guy who texts "you up?"
Me: Like booty call?
Paul: Yes, booty call.
Me: It does go to my booty. 
Paul: So you are coming?
Me: I won't say no to a booty call.

Ice cream with Paul - Sweet!

Summer time equates with vacation time for many of us.  Although I cannot take a vacation at this time, I can squeeze in small getaways and get-together with friends.  last week, I got together with Bonnie.

Had we coordinated better, I would have worn Barbie colors too :-D

We ate Mexican food and chatted about thread, quilting patterns and English vocabulary, since Bonnie is a retired teacher and I am fascinated with the English language. 

When I think of summer, I think yellow and orange - the colors of sherbet, lemonade and popsicles. 

But in America, it is certainly the combination of red, white and blue that is quintessentially summer. 

So here is a very summery finish - Captain Hotpants.  The quilt has a rather long and winding story. 

Picnic Quilt?

I have a dear friend, Joyce. She is a mentor, a mother figure, and a confidante.

I met her in 2007, and we became fast friends shortly thereafter. I made her this quilt, which is proudly displayed in her guest bedroom. In 2016, I messed up, and we had a falling out. 

I apologized, Joyce forgave me, and we renewed our friendship in 2022. 

But in the six years that we were apart, many things happened. Nathan, Ryan and Andy (Joyce's nephews) got married. Between the three of them, they added five babies (four boys and one girl) to the family.

So when Joyce visited me last month (after 6+ years), I sent her home with five quilts, one each for the five kids.

Men in Black

One with Everything

Nihal

Cinderella (for the girl)

Jade (for Eli)

 

Two days later, I got a message from Joyce, saying she loves Jade and would want to keep it for herself, offering to pay for it.  

Her exact words are "The more I look at it, the greedier I become and don't want to part with it."

It warmed the cockles of my heart. I suggested that she keep it as an early birthday present from me.

But I also chided her (laughingly) for stealing Eli's quilt.

Eli needed a quilt. It would be extremely unfair if he was the only cousin without a quilt.

Although I do have "quilts on tap" (according to Paul), I was ready to make one.  I was sitting on a pile of improv blocks made for last year's Rainbow Scrap challenge and this was a perfect opportunity to play with some of those improv pieced blocks. 

Turquoise Blocks

Red Blocks

Blue Blocks

I gathered some of the red, blue and turquoise blocks and started playing.

Thank goodness for the Design Wall

Some additions, subtractions and adjustments later, we had a flimsy!!!

Flimsy!!!

And that is how we got Captain Hotpants. Here are some finished pictures.

Finished!!!

Captain Hotpants finished at about 43" by 45". The backing is cute dinosaurs and the binding is red/white check. 

Red and White Binding :-)

Named after the astronaut!

Here are a few close-ups

Scrappy

I love improv!

Yummy

Labelled

I delivered the quilt to Joyce last week and she will deliver it to Eli later this month.

Happy Joyce

Joyce, the model

The colors of summer!

And here is Eli with his quilt. I am told that he and Captain Hotpants have become good friends!

Happy Recipient :-)

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's. See full list on the side bar.

Oh, there is one more thing. While I was face-timing with Connie, a fellow IB ambassador, she expressed pleasant surprise at the blooming crape myrtle trees here in Northern Virginia. So I took some more pictures for her. But in doing so I discovered some interesting things myself!

Such intense color!!!

Red color blooms in a white tree

Three shades of pink in a single tree!!!

Such a gorgeous pink!

Love Lavender 

I counted five different colors in one yard

August is Island Batik Ambassador's Choice month. So we get to make whatever we want. 

I may have made a quilt or two, with a new pattern release! That blogpost is next.  

As always I am eager to hear from you. Your comments add color to all my seasons :-)

May and June

May's car is parked in June's driveway.

It is May's mess that has led to June's stress. I am not thrilled about it but the sad truth is this - unless we move May's car out of June's driveway, June cannot go anywhere or do anything. 

Angela said that May RSC colors were Sage and Forest Green. With all that was happening in May (international travel, recovering from international travel, catching up with work due to travel, Covid, recovering from Covid, nursing Paul as he recovered from Covid, the Positivity QAL set up and launch, not to mention the devastating news), there was absolutely NO way May could look at Forest Green. 

You know how she feels about Forest Green. 

But we must. Choosing to add light/bright (happy) greens to sage/forest (bitter) greens was the only way to move ahead. 

All the greens - springy and stinky

And here we are. Nine Improv blocks completed!

May's RSC blocks completed!

All the greens are done. May's car is out of June's driveway. Logjam cleared. 

Phew!!! Done

May is taking a rest and June is heaving a sigh of relief. Although June's work list is very long, we can at least begin now.

Paul: So what is happening in June?
Me: I am so glad you asked.

The Island Batik Challenge and Blog Hop featuring the New York Beauty begins June 6.  Check the link for a gorgeous giveaway.

I will be sharing my completed quilt on June 21, 2022. I got the collection Winter Sky, designed by Kathy Engle, coming soon to a store near you.

I must make some progress on my Positivity 2022 Quilt. So far I have picked out the fabrics. Not started cutting yet. 

Whimsical Wings - an older collection from Island Batik

Green and Purple

I will be using a white background. 

Angela has announced that June is dark blue for RSC. I have picked out my fabrics. Hope we can prevent another spillover.

Dark Blue Scraps for June RSC

I have completed a quilt. That post is next.

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties, including Angela's. See full list on the sidebar. 

Did May misbehave with you too? Do tell. If not, what do you expect from June? She will be hot (unless you live in Australia, where she is supercool), but no seriously, what does your June look like?