2022 In Review

As I sat writing about the year 2022, I wondered - what did I say about 2020? Unexpected. 

What did I say about 2021? It was a year marked by assault on democracy, our voting rights and our bodies. 

What can I say about 2022? The most significant world event has to be the unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

The most significant events in the US would include anti-LGBTQ policies and violence, continuing gun violence, and the monumental decision to overturn the landmark ruling Roe v. Wade.

Sadly (or appropriately) I made a quilt inspired (or disgusted) by each of those events.

1. Quilt for Ukraine - In March, I made this quilt to memorialize Zelenkyy's famous words - "I need ammunition, not a ride." It was my attempt to salute the courage of a nation and her leader in the face of most adverse circumstances.

Improv base of yellow

On October 16, I participated in a small local craft fair. I had set up the displays showing off cute zippered pouches, a table runner and some quilted placements. The Ukraine quilt was also displayed - because it just made the perfect focal point. I did not expect to sell it because it is something so specific that unless you are personally aligned with the cause, it is not for you.

Vale Club Craft Fair

That is when I met Luda. Acting the smiling/engaging salesperson, I said Good Morning. Luda mentioned the deep meaning of the words on the Ukraine quilt. Realization dawned on me as I noticed her blue/yellow t-shirt, blue/yellow earrings and a blue/yellow plume in her hair - Luda is UKRAINIAN!!! She, along with others, was representing US Ukrainian Activists, selling post cards, tree ornaments and jewelry to raise money to support Ukraine. I unpinned the Ukraine quilt, handed it to her and said, "this belongs with you." 

US Ukrainian Activists

When Luda asked me to pose at her booth with other activists, I agreed. I hugged each one of them. If I had tears in my eyes during the shot, so be it.

2. Harmony (supporting LGBTQ folks) - In 2022, at least 320 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were pushed through state legislatures. Lawmakers in statehouses nationwide sought 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.  I channeled my disgust into a rainbow colored runner.

Harmony

Continuing my support of LGBTQ youth, I donated Synergy Quilt to GSAFE (for a Silent Auction). Thanks to Lisa who pointed me to GSAFE. 

Synergy

3. Father's Day (processing grief) - The shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas was gut wrenching. As details emerged, it only got worse and worse.  How the law enforcement failed the community, how the politicians continued to offer empty platitudes, while making sure their interests are protected and pockets well-lined. The world condemned the shooting, the nation grieved, and most of us moved on. I made a quilt. 

Father's Day

4. We Persist (continuing the fight) - The monumental decision to overturn the landmark ruling Roe v. Wade is the most controversial in American history. 

The partisan nature of the decision is particularly distressing. There is no concern for women's health or popular opinion, or any acknowledgement of changing times. When Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973 it was a 7-2 decision, with several Conservative judges siding with the majority opinion. Not today. The decision was split along party lines. 

According to the dissenting justices "young women today will come of age with fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers." Indeed, they said the court's opinion means that "from the very moment of fertilization, a woman has no rights to speak of. A state can force her to bring a pregnancy to term even at the steepest personal and familial costs." "With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they wrote.

The following image (from the New Yorker magazine) showing the burden of an unwanted pregnancy that many will be forced to carry in a post-Roe America aptly captures what is difficult to put into words.

From the New Yorker Magazine

 

"Nevertheless she persisted" was the slogan of choice. I chose to make it more inclusive in this mini quit where all women wear green, the color symbolic of abortion rights.

We Persist

While there is so much upheaval in the world, in our country, and in our lives, we continued to live and love and hope for a better tomorrow. Here are my favorite quilts that convey love and joy.

1. Innamorato (In Love) - Made as a response to the Island Batik and Aurifil challenge, I celebrated my love for Paul in this mini quilt.

Paul and me - In love

2. Pobody's Nerfect - A row by row quilt made for the Island Batik challenge and blog hop. This quilt just makes me so happy. Every row has a mistake - on purpose!!! It does not have to be perfect to be joyful.

Pobody's Nerfect

3. Bollywood Beats - Made in response to the Island Batik & Studio 180 Design Tool challenge and Blog Hop, I am thrilled with this quilt. 

Thank you Paul - the best model ever!

Bernie supported me in the second Positivity QAL. I was disappointed because the responses did not meet my expectations, initially. Then there was more. I was thrilled and humbled.  

Naman for Mercyful Quilts

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2022 was also the year I got published! Here is a list of the quilts/projects that were published in three different publications - Quiltmaker (Golden Peak Media), Quilters World (Annie's Publishing) and Make Modern.

1. Make Modern #44 - Synergy

Fall Foliage, Rainbow Colors

2. Make Modern #47 - Topsy Turvy.  Also featured as "Meet the Maker"

Topsy Turvy

3. Make Modern #48 - Frolicking Fish (scroll down)

Frolicking Fish. Location Courtesy - Raj & Manveen

4. Annie's Publishing - Stars & Swirls

Stars & Swirls

5. Quiltmaker Nov/Dec 2022 - Diwali Lights. Also featured in "Designer Spotlight"

Diwali Lights. Picture by Quiltmaker Magazine

Designer Spotlight in Quiltmaker Magazine

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And one last thing.

I work as a transportation planner in the DC Metro region. For the last 7+ years I have been working on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, connecting downtown DC to the Dulles Airport through Metrorail. This project has been in the making for 60 years, when the right of way (in the median of the toll road 267) was dedicated to a future transit line. The project was so large and so ambitious that it was split into two Phases. Phase 1 consisted of five new stations and was opened to the public in 2014. Phase 2 (six new stations and a maintenance yard for the trains) connects the end of Phase 1 to the Dulles Airport was opened for revenue service on November 15, 2022. 

I was there to witness the ribbon cutting and take the inaugural ride. It was a momentous occasion and I was thrilled. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was the guest of honor.  

Here is the NBC news clip. I am in it at 1:34, wearing a hat. Yes, it was freezing. Don't blink, or you'll miss it.

From my seat, I walked up towards the stage, as far as I could, without getting into a scuffle with security.  Handed my phone to a random stranger and shamelessly asked them to take a picture making sure that "Pete and I are in the same frame".  I took off my hat, ran quick fingers through my hair, and beamed 1000 watts into the camera.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Beaming me!!!

In retrospect, 2022 has been a rollercoaster year with a complete spectrum of emotions - love, loss, grief, anger, disgust, joy, hope and more. But if I have to choose just one theme to end this blogpost, it will be gratitude. 

Thanks to friends (Manveen, Mell, Connie, Bernie and Mari) who kept me sane. Thanks to Island Batik for the opportunities to play with fabric, to push me beyond my comfort zone, and for their support in my publication projects.  Most importantly, thanks to Paul! You love me when I am unlovable.

Wishing you joy, peace and creativity in the new year!

Linking with End of Year Linky Party at Meadow Mist Designs.

Prizes, Prizes, Prizes!!!

Today, the Positivity QAL comes to an end with the announcement of the winners. 

Thanks to the unexpected generosity  of our sponsors - Art Gallery Fabrics, Benartex and Island Batik, we had enough prizes for everyone who completed a Positivity Quilt.

Here are the winners:

Mari, Lisa T, Katie May, Roseanne, Sue Hoover, Danielle, Cynthia, Sylvia, and Wendy F.

Emails have been sent to all winners. While I wait for your addresses, I am stuffing goodies in padded envelopes. So excited!!!

Sunday Update - Prizes have been sent to Katie May, Roseanne, Sylvia and Sue. Mari and Lisa have received their prizes. I drove north to meet with Mari and Lisa. Totally worth it!!!

Congratulations to all of you and thank you so much for making this QAL a success.

Thank you, Bernie. You are my partner in crime.

Thank you Mari. You keep me sane.

Ladies that Lunch - Lisa (hand only) and Mari

Hello Lisa. You are my new quilty friend. What else do I call you if you begin with cute fabrics and end with peach tart?  

From Lisa, for me!!!

Peach Tart +Vanilla Ice cream = Taste of Summer

We happily ate with vanilla ice-cream :-) A perfect way to celebrate summer and the end of a successful QAL.

In other news, Angela has announced the color for September and I just might complete my blocks before the end of the month. Here are my fabrics - at least a start.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - September is Bright Blue

Island Batik has announced the Tool Talk Challenge and Blog Hop. Check the IB blog for the complete schedule and fabulous giveaways.  

I have completed the flimsy and will begin quilting soon. I am working with Honeycomb collection, an absolutely yummy collection designed by Kathy Engle for Jackie Kunkel of Canton Village Quiltworks, coming to a fabric store near you in September.

Gorgeous Fabrics!!!

Work in Progress

I will post on September 14. Will there be a giveaway of my own? Hmmm... only one way to find out :-)

Sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. 

Hope your long weekend is just as peachy and sweet.  

Catching up

It has been a very busy year for me. According to Paul, all the busy-ness is self-created and self-inflicted. He is mostly correct and even if he was not, I am not going to argue with him. He is the only quilt model I have in these pandemic times.  Cannot afford to irritate him. 

Paul: Really, how busy have you been?
Me: So busy that I have not made a single zippered bag this year.
Paul(in mock horror): NO. 
Me: Even before I finish this thing, I have the next one ready to go, with no time to play in between. 

Therefore the RSC blocks had fallen behind. But I am caught up now. 

Meet my June RSC blocks. 

Dark Blue for June

             

Paul: Neat!
Me: Thanks
Paul: How will you put these together?
Me: If I knew that, it wouldn't be called Improv Piecing. Would it?
Paul: So you don't know?
Me: Totally clueless. Pizza tonight?
Paul: Sure!!!

I really don't wish to dwell upon June. Cause you know that is old news (especially since Angela has already announced the color for August). 

So let me show the purple fabrics and blocks for July.

Starting Point

Chain Piecing

Strip Sets

Finally Blocks!!!

PHEW!!! I am caught up, finally. Sharing with Angela's Linky Party. Surprisingly, Angela too is "Catching up".  Wild coincidence!!!

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My pattern Topsy Turvy was published in the Make Modern magazine, Issue 47.

Published

And get the subscription. It is totally worth it.

It started here - just playing with scraps till something emerged.  The overwhelming response I received from you prompted me to formalize it into a pattern.  Here are a few more pictures. 

Floating!!!

Labelled

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There are a few other projects that I cannot show at this time.  Here is a glimpse of the backings, as they were stuffed into a bag to be mailed. 

Island Batik - Sunset, Bumblebee and Lemongrass

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Positivity 2022 Update

When Bernie and I decided to set up the Positivity QAL last year, we did not know what to expect. I had thought that if we got ten quilts that would be respectable. But we received more than 20. We were giddy with happiness.  Naturally, we decided to do it again this year. We even got more sponsors and more prizes. Similar to 2021, I set up a lazy schedule from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 

We had the Finished Flimsy Linky Party last Sunday and there were less than 10 link-ups in total. Thank you so much to all of you who are participating in the QAL. Honestly, I was expecting more and I am a bit saddened by the lack of response. On the upside, almost everyone who linked up with a completed flimsy will be getting a prize!!! Check out Bernie's blog on 7/24/22 for the prize announcement.

So if you have not yet participated but would like to win one of these awesome prizes (for the completed quilt reaching Mercyful Quilts), you can still join in. Although a free pattern/instructions have been provided, you can use any pattern of your choice. You still have four weeks to complete the quilt. See the detailed schedule.

I will baste my flimsy this weekend. Quilting next week.

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Of course there are other projects in the works. Here is what I can show you.

I will be using all colors of the rainbow to make the August project for Island Batik.  It is a mini quilt!

Fabrics for Island Batik's August Project

In September, we have the Island Batik challenge and bloghop, featuring the Spring 2021 collections and Tools provided by Studio 180 Designs. 

Ready to sew HSTs

Using Tucker Trimmer to square HSTs

If your summer is lazy and relaxed with lots of ice cream, I am happy for you.  If your summer is a rollercoaster of one thing after another, hold my hand tight. I am right there with you :-)

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

Think Pink

Angela announced that April is Pink.  And nature got the memo :-)

Delicate Pink

Hot Pink

Reddish Pink

Pretty Blooms

It is like the sun and breeze shared a naughty joke and all flora blushed. 

Looks like my fabrics are blushing too. I will be sharing with Angela's linky party.

Starting Point

Plus Background Strips

Cut and Sew

Easter Bunny?

When a pink Easter bunny hopped on to my work, I ate him up :-D 

Voila!!!

I have about a dozen pink blocks. All different sizes. How will I put them together? 

With a lot of mixing and matching, cutting and sewing, adding and subtracting. But I am not going to dwell upon that for now. 

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Because, NOW I am getting ready to publish the Synergy pattern in my Etsy store :-) 

My dear friends, Mari, Bonnie, Wendy, Alycia and Roseanne happily agreed to test drive the revised instructions.  They will be sharing their versions of Synergy next week.

1. Mari of Academic Quilter - Thursday, April 21, 2022

2. Alycia of Alycia Quilts - Friday, April 22, 2022

3. Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts - Saturday, April 23, 2022

4. Bonnie of Institches with Bonnie - Sunday, April 24, 2022

5. Roseanne of Home Sewn By Us - Monday, April 25, 2022

Make sure to visit their blogs to see their versions and leave a comment to participate in the giveaway. 

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In other news, Positivity QAL is coming to 2022.  May 29 - September 4, 2022. 

I will share a free tutorial. No registration is required.  To be eligible for prizes, we need to see your completed flimsy (Level 1 Prizes) on your blog or Instagram. Similarly we need to see your completed quilt before you are entered into a drawing for a Level 2 Prize.  

The Beginning of Mercyful Quilts Initiative

Thank you from Mercy Hospital

Mercyful Quilts Update

Wrapped with Kindness (may need tissues)

A Note from Mercy Hospital

I hope that you will sew and quilt along, and send the completed quilt to Mercyful Quilts.  If you are not in the US, and wish to participate, you are very welcome. You may donate the quilt to a local charity or to a cause close to your heart.  In the next couple of weeks, I will be working on the block instructions and other logistics for the QAL. Bernie and I are also organizing prizes for the QAL.    

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I had been eagerly waiting for the Kwanza Cherry trees to bloom. Two weeks ago the buds were tight and on their marks.

On your marks

Get set and Bloom

I love to walk here

Majestic

I love spring :-)

I  brought some home

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

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For the next Island Batik challenge (May 2022) and another new quilt, to be published in July 2022,  I needed pictures.

Setting up a Quilty Photoshoot is a small production.  Of course, I try to turn it into a date. I make an appointment with my quilt model including plans for inclement weather.  Some breeze is fine, snow is welcome but rain is an absolute spoiler.

On location

Choosing location is always a challenge. So I pick two or three.  To bribe  compensate my quilt model for his time and effort, I pick a restaurant of his choice.  

Just the back for now

Me: Would you like to eat first?
Paul (groggy): Nah, photos first.

Me: I don't want you to be hungry or grumpy.

Paul (grumpy): I am fine. 

Me: You sure? I don't want you to faint and drop the quilt in the water.

Paul (mildly exasperated): I won't. Do you want leftovers sitting in the car while we take pictures?

Me: Excellent point. Silver Diner ok?

Paul: Yeah.

Me: Shall I drive?

Paul: I can drive.

Thank you Paul!

Is this a better backdrop?

I love this location. The tall/blah buildings serve as the perfect backdrop for bright quilts. On the right, you can see the bridge over the small pond, perfect for quilty reflection pictures. 

After the photoshoot and the meal (pancakes and sausage), Paul was more Ted Lasso than Roy Kent.

Paul: What do you think of the new Bridgerton season?
Me: It got more Indian.
Paul: The cast, you mean? 
Me: Brighter fabrics, better jewelry, not enough steaminess.

Paul: The first season was steamier.

Me: Oh yes. I'll just have to rewatch it.

Paul responded with smiles and eye roll, as expected.  Surprisingly, the first season of Bridgerton also coincided with the pink month of RSC2021. 

Wish you a Happy Easter. Hope your weekend is the right mix of brightness and steam :-)