Island Batik Create for a Cause BlogHop + Giveaway

Welcome to Day One of the Island Batiks February 2021 Blog Hop - Create for a Cause. 

I used the Autumn Sunset half yard bundle designed by Kathy Engle and it is shipping to stores in February 2021.

Autumn Sunset includes 20 fabrics from the lightest beige, to lemon yellow, through orange, to dark brown.

As soon as I opened the fabric bundle I decided I would recreate Paulitiks in fall colors (with one whimsical design twist) and send it to Bernie for Mercyful Quilts. It was so simple :-) 

This was going to be so easy.  I felt confident.  I went to bed with a smile. 

I was mistaken.

At about 2:45AM I got up with a start. I knew my idea was all wrong. And although I was in the middle of making the placemats for January challenge, it was the February challenge that was consuming me.

What my waking brain did not see but my subconscious self knew all along was this - Paulitiks was not the best design to showcase Autumn Sunset. 

So back to the drawing board...

Beginning

A couple hours later I had the new design ready. The design was simple but the fabric placement would be the key. Working with limited fabrics can be both a boon and a challenge. 

Will this work?

I took many many pictures and converted each to grayscale to determine value gradation. Changes were made and often. In the end, I was happy with some choices and I settled with others. Going from concept/design to flimsy was a gut-wrenching journey. What if this does not turn out according to my vision?  What if something just stands out too much or something just fades into nothingness?

Design Wall

Light Years away...

The first three rows met my expectation but it was too soon to tell.  Once I completed the flimsy, I stuck it on the design wall and walked away about 12 feet. I turned around to look at the completed top.

I gasped. It had worked!!!
But the exact moment I realized that I had succeeded was also the moment I knew I had failed.
I could not part with it.

Me: How do I "Create for a Cause" and then abandon my cause? 
Paul: Did you say something?

Me: I am supposed to donate this quilt.

Paul: So?

Me: I cannot.

Paul: Cause you like it so much?

Me: YES. And I feel terrible.

Paul: Make another.

Me: I have used up a lot of the fabric and there is hardly any time either.

Paul: Can you make something smaller?

Me: Mercyful Quilts have to be around 60" by 80"

Paul: And there is no other cause?

Me (realization dawning): Yes. Yes, there is. Thank you. I love you.

Paul: Um Hm. You are welcome.

At this point, one week from the deadline, I abandoned the flimsy and proceeded in a different direction. The next few days whizzed past in a blur. My singular aim - highlight the fabrics!!! 

This is the making of Noorie (meaning light).

Pattern

I had been playing with this pattern in an Excel Spreadsheet for a while.  Will this pattern highlight the beauty of Autumn Sunset fabrics?  Let's try.

Beginning

The Grid

Basting the Flimsy

Quilting

Noorie - Finished at 34" square

And this is Dawn in the making...

Starting with Diamonds

Filling in

Piecing Rows

Basting the Flimsy

Dawn - 28" by 34"

Quilting Detail

Snowy Backdrop - Fiery Colors

Dark Brown Binding

Don't you just love these colors?

Dawn warms my heart

Lovely Dawn

I will send Noorie and Dawn to Sue who works in Orange County Hospital in New York and coordinates the Stillborn Bereavement Group dedicated to providing bereavement quilts as a lasting and tangible memory of a lost pregnancy.

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.  Make sure to visit all the Island Batiks Ambassadors and their respective dates/stops on the Blog Hop.

The full list of Ambassadors’ names, collections they will be using in their projects, and their post dates are as follows:

February 1:

• Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts
• Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts

February 2:

• Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting
• Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads

February 3:

• Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations
• Pamela Boatright, PamelaQuilts

February 4:

• Janet Yamamoto, Whispers of Yore
• Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese

February 5:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway

February 8:

• Megan Best, Bestquilter
• Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio

February 9:

• Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter
• Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood

February 10:

• Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine
• Jennifer Eubank, Archipelago Quilting

February 11:

• Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde
• Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail

February 12:

Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway

February 15:

• Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs
• Joanne Hart, Unicornharts

February 16:

• Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia
• Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts

February 17:

• Sally Manke, Sally Manke Fiber Artist
• Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights

February 18:

• Suzy Webster, Websterquilt
• Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky

February 19:

End of Blog Hop and Round-Up

To celebrate the start of Create for a Cause Blog Hop, we are giving away two fabulous Fat Quarter bundles of the complete Island Batik Citrus Sun collection by Kathy Engle!  Visit the Island Batik Blog to enter.

This giveaway ends February, 5 at 11:59 pm PST. Two random winners will be notified by email on February, 6 and announced on February, 9. If the winners do not respond within the first two days after being notified, two new random winners will be chosen and notified.

Paul (pointing to the discarded flimsy): What happens to this? Will it become a flying saucer?

Me: A UFO, you mean? An unfinished object.

Paul: Yes, that.

Me: No. A UFO is anathema to a quilter's soul.

Paul: So you will finish it?

Me: Yes. This will become my April project when I can do whatever I want.

Paul: Don't you always?

Me: Only because you let me, My Lord.

Paul: Whatever you say, My Lady.

The Harris household is in the grip of Bridgerton fever, at least my half is :-)  

I also have a small giveaway. Two prizes.

1. A pack of 5" squares (20) from the "Blinded by Science" collection

2. Four strips (orange/beige/brown) 5" by WOF to coordinate with the Autumn Sunset Collection.

5" squares - Blinded by Science by Island Batik

5" by WOF Strips - Island Batik Stash Builder

For a chance to win one of the two prizes, please leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear your thoughts be they somber such as your favorite cause or light-hearted like your favorite TV show.  

I will pick the two winners on February 10, 2021.

Disclosure: The fabrics and needles were generously supplied by the following companies:

_______________________________________________________________________________

Angela has announced that the RSC color for February is yellow!!! Oh my goodness, yes. 

YELLOW. YELL-O-WOW!!!

Yellow is the color of new dawn and yellow is the color of Amanda Gorman's coat.  Her poem "The Hill We Climb" is so beautiful...it gives me goosebumps every time listen to it. I will be thinking of her as I make the Sister's Choice Quilt Blocks.  Here are my bright and whimsical squares. 

Smiling Sunflower :-)

Panda Focus

I will be sharing with Angela's RSC Linky Party on Saturday. 

Best of 2019

It is January 1, 2020.  As I look back on 2019, I notice that there was a lot of pain and grief as reflected in the quilts from the Sacred Threads Exhibition.

For the Stillborn Bereavement Group

I made quilts for those who did not make it (Stillborn Bereavement Group) and for those who are trying their very best to survive (Soccoro Foundation Quilts) in hopes for a better life.

Soccoro Foundation Quilts

But in so many ways 2019 was a year of Badass Women. Whether it was the legendary spacewalk by the duo of Christina Koch and Jessica Meir or the more down to earth women like Fiona Hill and Marie Yovanovitch who spoke truth to power. And if Greta Thunberg and Emma Gonzales are a glimpse of women to come, I am very hopeful of our future!!!


Therefore if I had to pick one, just one quilt to signify 2019, it would be Celebrating Women.

Inspiration

Celebrating Women

When I made that quilt, little did I know that I would be celebrating (and making quilts for) four other women - all in 2019. Like the universe was giving me a road map for the year to come.

Enchanted Lake

Smiles Delivered

I made Enchanted Lake for Olive in UK whom I have yet to meet and A Quilt for Eva whom I have met only a handful of times.

A Quilt for Eva

I made Kinda Brave for Ashni who started college this year and Rainy Day for Kay who wants to get better to see her sons go to college.

Kinda Brave

Messages and Love Notes

Rainy Day for Kay

Scrappy Pouch for me

And yet my fondest memories of 2019 are of two other women that did not involve any quilts.

Clockwise from top left - Tired in Cologne, Happy in Hamburg, Windy in Vienna's Schoenbrunn Palace and Radiant on the banks of Danube

My Europe trip with Nina and the time we spent with Melanie in Hamburg was definitely the highlight of my year.

with Mell in Hamburg

I learned to make a Dresden Quilt resulting in Raspberry Swirl.

Raspberry Swirl

My greatest achievement was tackling tiny paper-piecing with Alison Glass' Trinkets QAL resulting in Comeuppance.

Comeuppance

But this blogpost about Perfection (or the lack thereof) is my favorite blogpost of 2019.

I am overcome with gratitude for all my sisters (quilty or not) who encouraged me, supported me, guided me and loved me unconditionally.

Paul: Unconditional Love?
Me: Ummm Hmmm
Paul: On the internet?
Me: Yes
Paul: A heart emoji is not unconditional love.
Me: Neither is kissy lips but you send that to me everyday.
Paul: But that is from me. You are talking about random people.
Me: First, they are not random people. They are my readers and followers. Second, they have visited a single blogpost over 7000 times and written over 60 comments.
Paul (genuinely surprised): That is phenomenal, babe!
Me: Told ya. Love!!!

A big shout-out to all of you who made the International Sister Quilt Block and blocks, wall-hangings, runners and quilts. Thank you to Debbie, Mien, Judith, and Juanita for sending pictures of your projects with the International Sister Quilt Block.

From Juanita

from Judith

These are the links to the quilter/bloggers who have completed quilts based on the block.

Sue of KiwiKid
Karen of KaHolly
Diann of Little Penguin Quilts
Raewyn of Stitching Farm Girl
Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts
Cathy of Crazy By Design

Did I miss anyone? Please let me know.

Paul: Don't you have any goals for 2020?
Me: They are secret.
Paul: Secret? Why?
Me: Because when I share them they are likely to get sabotaged?
Paul (incredulous): Who would do that?
Me: Dunno. Life. Chores.
Paul: Do you have anything planned for 2020?
Me: Yes, I have already selected fabric for the quilt I am making for Chad's girls.
Paul: Oh yes, I see that.

Fabric pull for Chad's Girls' Quilt

Me: Now if you expect me to clean bathrooms or go grocery shopping, it will get delayed.
Paul (eyes rolling): So you want me to go grocery shopping?
Me: Unless you want to clean bathrooms.
Paul: Do we have to clean bathrooms?
Me: Only once a month, before our guests arrive.
Paul (incredulous again): And we are having guests every month?
Me: Yes, that is my new year resolution - once a month we have people over...
Paul (agitated): Why? 
Me (very calm): Because that way the bathrooms will get cleaned.
Paul: So when do our first guests arrive?
Me: On the 19th.
Paul: So we have time.
Me: Yes. Now only if you will give me the time to complete this blogpost...
Paul: BRAT

I deserved that.

I have a day job as a planner (that is my job title). That is exactly why I'd like to keep my quilty pursuits unplanned and spontaneous which allows me to chase squirrels and make whatever I want, whenever I feel like it.

Work in Progress

If I do not have a list of goals, there is no pressure of completing them and no guilt when I don't.
How is that for a 2020 goal - No pressure, no guilt!!!

Marked for Quilting

Trust me there is plenty going on in the studio.  Several (OK, two) finishes are coming up in January itself.

Star or Snowflake?

Angela just announced the RSC 2020 color for January. It is green!!! And here is my audition block.

Audition Block for RSC 2020

I made it BEFORE she announced it. Happy Dance follows. If this is any indication, I believe that 2020 will treat me just fine.

I want to end this blogpost with hope and healing.
I know that 2019 was marked with hate, anger and discord and therefore many of us are skeptical about hope and healing. Here is a story of sisterhood from NPR - a story of love and empathy from the most unexpected quarters.

StoryCorps: A Hateful Attack Led To A Forever Friendship 

https://www.npr.org/2019/12/27/789923839/a-hateful-attack-led-to-an-unexpected-forever-friendship

Some happy moments from 2019

Wishing you a Happy New Year 2020!!!  I will be linking with MeadowMist Designs Best of 2019 and all my other favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

If you have any thoughts about cleaning bathrooms or inspirational women, please do share!!!