Island Batik Marvelous Mini Challenge

Island Batik's August Challenge is Marvelous Minis.

The guidelines are simple. 

Any technique, any pattern and size between 12" square and 24" square.

With such broad and open ended requirements, my mind went in many different directions... 

Improv Piecing because that is my favorite technique

Playing with Scraps

Rainbow theme because I could not pick just one color

Island Batik Rainbow

A Landscape Mini using gradations because they are just so beautiful

Gradations

International Sisters because it made me slightly famous(scroll down)

But I kept coming back to the recent Supreme Court decision leaving us 

with fewer freedoms now than 49 years ago. 

That while the world moves ahead, America slips into the middle ages, 

is indeed a marvel.

What color am I?

Petite Sisters

What can we do? 

We fight for our rights, just like before, just like similar fights in other parts of the world. 

We persist. We persevere. We shall prevail.

Staying under 24"

"Nevertheless she persisted" is the slogan of choice, for obvious reasons. 

But I wanted to make sure it was more inclusive than just women. 

To include the queer community, I chose "Nevertheless, we persist".

I firmly believe that we are together in this fight for bodily autonomy.

Persist, we must

Coming together

Here is the finish!!!

The mini quilt with three sisters, all wearing green.

Finished 21" by 19"

Applique Letter Detail

For the slogan, I used Arial Bold Font in 225 point size. 

Yellow letters seemed to pale on a white background. 

So I used a permanent fabric ink marker to outline the yellow letters. It helps.

What do you think?

I used Island Batik White Solid for background and binding.

Aurifil Thread 50wt was used for piecing and 40 wt for quilting.

Quilting Thread

The batting is Hobbs Cotton.

I used Schmetz Needle 70/12 for piecing and 80/12 for quilting, using a walking foot.

Quilting Detail

These three sisters are a reminder that our battles for bodily autonomy unite us 

even if we have different complexions or come from different backgrounds.  

Together we will persist.

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

Beauty and the Beast - Vitrine

Once upon a time before the great pandemic, I was at a fancy store admiring beautiful jewelry.  I have plenty of jewelry including some exquisite pieces from India. But the glittering stones beckoned to me.

Jewelry from India - Necklace, Earrings and Bangles

Only if I had all MY jewelry in a catalogue/showcase that I could admire every time temptation struck. 

This is how this quilt feels - my pretty and adorable fabrics, including low volume beauties in a transparent display case. Hence I have named it Vitrine, a fancy word for a glass display case :-)

New Finish!!!

I had made these blocks starting here, whined about hunter green here, shared my positivity in pinks here, talked about pain via purples here, celebrated with reds here, and ended with yellows here.

Green Jewel Blocks

Teal and Aqua

Cuteness in Orange

Got the Blues

Hunting for the Hunter (Green)

Pretty in Pink

Going to the Dark (Blue) side

Eggplant, Mauve, Lavender, Geranium etc.

Ravishing Reds

Wine and Cherries :-)

You light up my life

I tried taking  stock of all blocks here but I was distracted by a squirrel. Eventually I did count them all, made a few more and came up with a plan to finish it.  It was too large and had to be pieced in quadrants.

Piecing Plan

Border Layout

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

Top Right

And when the four quadrants were put together, the seams were a bit off. YIKES!!! 

But then so is life - beautiful but not perfect.

Finished Flimsy

Pieced in Winter, Quilted in Spring and Photographed in Summer.  

And here we are!!! Finally!!! PHEW!!! With 180 blocks, arranged 12 by 15, this quilt ended at 84" by 105". And that is HUGE!!! The Beauty is also the Beast.

Finished at 84" by 105"

A dark (black and gray) border to frame the low volume blocks and a red plaid binding completed the picture.

Lots to see

Find the robots?

A Monkey and a Llama walk into a quilt...

Hello Charlie Brown!

Lots of Color

Dark Border, Red Binding

My elephant is turquoise!!!

Of course I got sewing supplies

Celebrating low-volume loveliness

This quilt is not just a showcase of fabric it is also a documentation of the year 2020 and the rollercoaster of experiences that it was. Just as capturing the year 2020 in words or pictures is a challenge so also photographing this beast of a beauty was an ordeal. I could not do it alone.  In fact, I had two handsome men help me :-)

Bob is always happy to model

Bright colors and Beaming Bob

Handsome Model, Happy Me :-)

Thanks to Bob, Paul got some respite

Paul was there to hold me and comfort me during the year and he was a perfect model to hold the quilt for the photoshoot.

Found this little gem of a garden with a fountain. I will be coming here for future photoshoots.

Serendipitous Find

I screamed "lower, lower, lower" from across the little lake till the quilt was inches away from the water surface. I was nervous but Paul held tight. 

Thank you Paul!!!

Notice the water zebras?

Ooh the reflection!!!

And here is Paul - holding the beauty while the beast was conquered.

Oh Baby!!!

This my 21st finish (including the Novella Wall Hanging) of the year and I am very happy with my Showcase Quilt - Vitrine. Four new finishes coming soon, but that is for the next blogpost.

Speaking of items I want to showcase (or shamelessly show off) here are two quilt magazines, both featuring the International Sister Quilt Block. 

Rikstacket from Sweden

Swedish Quilt Magazine

Gail's Abigail Angel and me

Quilteblad from Norway

Norwegian Quilt Magazine

Featuring International Sister Quilt Block

And Gail too with her Abigail Angel

The International Sister Quilt Block was earlier featured in the Canadian Quilter in Fall 2020 issue. 

Here they are - all three magazines  :-)

Yes, I am showing off :-)

Sisters without Borders

Paul: You are popular in cold climates.  

Me: It is the International Sister Quilt Block that is popular. 

Paul: So you take no responsibility?

Me: I am happy to bask in the popularity of the quilt block.

Paul: But why only cold countries?

Me: Guess they make a lot of quilts to stay warm.

Paul: So what country comes next?

Me: Dunno. But if the International Sister Quilt Block goes to Finland or Denmark, I won't be surprised.

Paul: Conquering Scandinavia, I suppose

Me: The Sisters are very adaptable and if they have reached Sweden, Finland is only next door.

I do not know Swedish or Norwegian but that has not stopped me from gleaming. 

Glossy Magazine

Glowing me :-)

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's Linky Party. See full list on the sidebar. But my party is incomplete without your comments. So do let me know what is making you glow today.