New York Beauty Challenge - Syzygy

The Island Batik challenge (and blog hop) for June 2022 is New York Beauty.

I received the collection Winter Sky. Designed by Kathy Engle, it should be available in stores now. 

I turned to EQ8 and started designing playing.  I started with a basic/traditional layout.

Traditional New York Beauty?

It looks like something I have seen before. Although it was pretty, it could use a little more imagination. Back to EQ8. After several iterations, here is the final design.

Modern Interpretation of NYB

Done playing, it was time to get serious. Schmetz Microtex Needles 70/10 and Aurifil 40wt Thread were used for piecing.  I also used Island Batik Solids  - White, Black, Amethyst, Cobalt and Turquoise.

It took a whole day just to get ready to sew. Printing and cutting all the templates, followed by cutting fabrics - straight sections and then the curved pieces. Yikes!!! Not a fast quilt and not for the faint of heart.

Paper Pieced Sections

The spikes were easy, thanks to foundation paper piecing. But the curves were another story.  

Begin with one pin

Pinfully Yours :-)

The first block

And then there were two

One by one, slowly and painfully meticulously all 16 blocks were completed.  By the time I completed the flimsy, it was close to my trip to India and there were a hundred things to complete. 

Flimsy modeled by Paul

For my sanity and in the interest of time, I decided to send the flimsy to Rebecca for quilting. I completely trust Rebecca and I could then focus on completing work related tasks before my trip. Once I returned, I received the quilted sandwich back. I trimmed and bound using the Island Batik solid light grey.

Here are the pictures from the photoshoot.

Modeled by me, Photograph by Mari

Paul insisted on the name - Syzygy, meaning a straight-line configuration of three or more celestial bodies. Since I could not come up with a better name, Syzygy it is.  Syzygy finished at about 48" square.

Suns in dappled sunlight

Water & Breeze

It is fun to pose near a water fountain, particularly when there is a strong breeze :-)

But it was totally worth it to catch the droplets in motion as they echo the circles in the quilt. 

Here are a few more closeups so that you can see Rebecca's fabulous quilting.

Gorgeous Fabrics

Beautifully Quilted

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

What is a bloghop without a giveaway? There are two prizes - four half yards (not fat quarters) each of Island Batik fabrics from the Winter Sky collection.

Two Prizes - Four Half-Yards each

To be entered into the drawing, please leave me a comment on this blogpost. If you follow me on Instagram, you get a second entry; leave me a second comment including your IG handle saying something like "CrazyforFabric follows you on Instagram". 

The giveaway is now closed.

I will announce the winners next week. See the bottom of this post for the winners announcement.

Make sure to check the Island Batik drawing this week for their bundles of beautiful fabrics.

 

Please visit other Island Batik ambassadors blogs. See full schedule below. Not only they have gorgeous New York Beauty quilts to show off, they may also have giveaways of their own ;-)

You don't want to miss it!

June 6:

Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail
Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio

June 7:

Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts
Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

June 8:

Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels

June 9:

Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter
Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts

June 10:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

June 13:

Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations
Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine

June 14:

Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts
Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum

June 15:

Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde Gifts
Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion

June 16:

Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese
Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs

June 17:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

June 20:

Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia
Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky

June 21:

Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads
Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts (you are here)

June 22:

Megan Best, Bestquilter
Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

June 23:

Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood

June 24:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway

June 27:

Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting
Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs

Giveaway Update, July 1, 2022

The randomly generated numbers are 45 and 69. Winners are Cathy and Char.  Emails have been sent. Thank you!

I like my curves...

Meet Kennedy. She is my second finish of 2016 and it is one WIP less.

Kennedy

Kennedy has been a long time in the making. Let's start from the beginning. Shall we?

I like my Curves. I really do. If I didn't, I would be pretty depressed because I have so many curves. In fact, I am composed entirely of curves - some small curves and some not so small curves!!!
And therefore it was only a matter of time before I embraced (or succumbed to) the magic of curves in quilting.

One day, sometime in 2014, someone at the M* quilting forum asked a question about a pattern involving curves. I answered, based on not my knowledge (I had never made a quilt with curves) but my (inadequate) visualization of the problem. An experienced quilter pointed out the error in my visualization. Darn right, I had no practical idea!!!

Time to set the record straight. How hard can this be? It is not rocket science. What is the worse that I can happen? I might ruin some fabric. I can deal with that :-)

Two fabric squares - about 8" each

Placed one on top of another

Traced Curve

I started with two squares of scrap fabric about 8 inches and started playing. I also used a large mixing bowl.  I placed the inverted mixing bowl on the two squares to draw a large arc.

Cut both along the arc

And I cut along that arc. So far - going according to plan!

Then, I switched the two pieces - the convex (fat) red with the concave (skinny) green and the fat green with the skinny red. Doing well so far!

Going in opposite directions. AARGH!!!

What? How am I suppose to sew these two pieces together if one wants to be in Seattle and the other lives in Miami?

But they do have a common meeting point, in the center of the arc. Aha, that is where I start.
Starting from the middle, I pinned the two together.

Pinned

Very gently and carefully I stitched them together.  The seamy have been a generous 1/4".

Slow Stitching

It is slow but not difficult at all.

Yay, done!!!

Yes, it will need major trimming and squaring.

The experiment was complete!!!

I like these curves. Scratch that - I fell in love with these curves. Time to make few more.  I chose pinks/purples, floral and dots - yes it is girly :-)

Fabric Audition

The blocks came together slowly but surely. It was the piecing of the top that took the longest time.  I could not decide on the layout. When I first started laying out the blocks on my design wall, I had two guiding principles
1. Do not form a complete circle.
2. Match the solids with the prints.

Layout 1

I showed it to Paul and he said  - "Your curves are all over the place. It makes my head hurt."
I replied, yes, it creates more interest this way and then I shooed him away from my design wall. What do you think? Does your head hurt too?

Then I tried another layout.

Layout 2

Although this was interesting, it somehow looked like a very hungry mushroom trying to eat a stand-up mixer.  Once again, I put away the blocks.

Come 2016, I decided that Finished is better than Perfect. Just do it, Preeti. I went with the simplest layout. Circles!!!  I figured the fabric will create the interest and the pattern can be simple. What do you think?

Pieced

Here is the best part of the story. As soon as I started quilting, I also started thinking - What shall I name this one?

Finished

That is when Joyce saw it.

Joyce: Ooh can I have that one?
Me: Sure, you can have anything. But you already have a quilt.
Joyce: Not for me, silly. I have the best quilt in the whole world.
Me: (Blush)
Joyce: It is for Caroline's new baby. She is due soon.
Me: What is the baby's name?
Joyce: Kennedy.

Full Circles

At an angle

Kennedy is Keeley's younger sister. Remember Keeley?
Since the quilt is for Kennedy, may be I should just call it Kennedy. They both took a long time to come together.

Chocolate & Strawberry Dots

Focusing on quilting with curves, I may have neglected my fitness routine. I am going to get a phone call from my Curves (the 30-minute fitness place for women) instructor - Molly. "Preeti, we have missed you. We look forward to seeing you tonight."

Pink Polka Dot Binding

Labelled!

Molly is a sweetheart. I should haul my curves to Curves lest they turn into bulges!!!
Are curves a challenge for you too?  I look forward to your thoughts - both naughty and nice :-)

And I will be linking with my favorite linky parties.  See you in the blogland :-)
Just linked up with Cooking Up Quilts' Main Crush Monday.