Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Mermaids on Wings

It started with this fabric - cute and sweet. It is a complete escape from reality. Just perfect.

Cuteness

The concept was to frame the cute fabric and then alternate the resulting block with four-patch blocks. The four patch blocks were made from Lily and Loom charm squares.


Depressed :-(

I loved the mermaids and I loved the deep/rich 4-patch blocks but together they did not seem to work. It seemed dull and sad.

Something had to change.
I chose the colors from the mermaid fabric, cut up some 5" squares and put them up on the design wall.

Mock-up

Much better.  Completed 4-patch blocks were alternated with the framed mermaids and the flimsy came together quickly.

Finished Flimsy

Each block finished at 9". A layout of 5 by 5 resulted in a flimsy of about 45" square.  The possibility of a quick quilt is exciting, I thought.


Backing Fabric

But the backing at about 42" needed a little help. A dark blue border worked.


45" square

This backing fabric came from Sonja. On first glance the backing was fuchsia and turquoise. Once the blue borders were added, the little blue flowers popped up magically.

Hello Mermaid!!!

A yellow binding brightened the somber gray.  Here are a few more pictures - so that you can see the mermaids up close.

Flaming Orange & Pink Hair

Bright and Happy


2 Drink Umbrellas = Mermaid Bodice


Of course the Octopus is my friend


Simple Quilting

Labelled


Finished!!!

Ready to Snuggle

One last shot


Of course, the discarded 4-patch blocks needled me.  But I needed a break so I went out for a walk.

After a walk...

And I received a cute surprise :-)

Good Morning Bunny

Back to the task at hand - the discarded 4-patch blocks. How could I best showcase them?

I had bought a panel (Winged by Kim Shaefer) a few years ago and these birds and bugs was just the perfect solution.

Design Wall

Backing Fabric - Thank you Julie

This backing fabric came from Julie.  Once again the backing needed a little help and once again I used the dark blue fabric to frame the backing.


45" square


Multicolored Striped Binding

I love these birds and bugs :-)

Winged Delight

And here are a few more pictures because these little critters are adorable.


Yellow Bird

Pink Bird

Dancing Together

Bright and Joyful

Butterflies too!!!

Little Bird with Big Attitude


Labelled

And one last look...
Lovely!!!


What started as one simple idea resulted in two quilts. I will take that :-)


If you wish to use this idea here is a short recipe.

 Block A - Use a 5.5" square of focus fabric, framed with 2.5" wide strips. Square to 9.5"
Block B - Use four 5" squares to make a 4-patch block. Square to 9.5"

25 blocks (5 by 5 layout) will make a baby quilt measuring about 45" by 45".
For a Mercyful quilt, you will need 63 blocks (7 by 9 layout), measuring about 63" by 81".

The quilt with orange stars (you saw a sneak peek last time) is all done and ready for a photshoot.
I promise to share soon.

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

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Hope you are staying safe.

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Thursday, June 11, 2020

Colors of Change


Ever since Angela announced the RSC color for June, I started noticing pink everywhere.


Hot Pink Blooms

Kid Bike on a front yard

Even the Garbage was Pink

A lone blossom

It was as if these blooms and bicycle were not there before. They were gentle reminders to me - work on your RSC blocks, Preeti.  But it was difficult to look at fabric with swollen and teary eyes.


Me: I cannot stop thinking about those 9 minutes.
Paul: Babe!!!
Me: It wasn't just an impulsive decision. It wasn't the pulling of a trigger that happens in a fraction of a second. It wasn't the misstep of the moment. It was nine minutes of constant, deliberate pressure. What was he thinking in the third minute, fifth minute???
Paul: Will you please consider taking a break from the news?
Me: I don't want to forget it. I want to focus on it.
Paul: I understand. I am asking you to spend a few minutes with the news switched off and then when you have gathered yourself somewhat, think about what you can do to help the movement.
Me: OK.


Gathering/Auditioning

I gathered my pinks, but continued listening to the news. I heard how the outrage and the protests spread to 700 cities in all 50 states and all over the world.  There were protests in UK, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Canada where thousands condemned racism and carried signs reading "Black Lives Matter". This was new.

Shortlisted
There was something remarkably different about this time. May be it was the brutality of George Floyd's killing that came shortly after Ahmaud Arbery's murder and Breonna Taylor's shooting in her own home, or that the American people were frustrated due to the pandemic and it was time to step out of their comfort zones and do something, or perhaps it was a combination of several causes and George Floyd's brutal death was just the last straw.


For RSC Project #2
I was horrified to see the excessive use of force by the police on peaceful protestors. The current administration reacted and poorly. That reaction was condemned by senior military leaders and former presidents. This condemnation was definitely unprecedented.

Doing the easy part first


There were calls to defund the police. I didn't think that would ever happen. But 9 out of 13 council members in Minneapolis decided that previous attempts at police reforms had failed and that they would not just defund the police department but completely disband it and replace it with something else. This is revolutionary!!!


Love how the contrast brightens everything!!!


I have seen what our combined energies have achieved in ten days. Worldwide protests were followed by several authorities announcing policy changes.  Other police atrocities came under a spotlight leading to dismissals, arrests and charges. Several cities and states are revisiting their policies, banning chokeholds,  requiring other cops to intervene when one is using excessive force, and insisting on accountability. Jurisdictions are pledging to divert funds from policing to education, neighborhoods and healthcare. Confederate statues are coming down. NASCAR prohibits the display of Confederate flags at all racetracks.


Using Paintbrush Studio fabric

A touch of gold


There is much hope and light at this moment.  It has reaffirmed my faith in America. I am aware that this journey towards Equality and Justice has only just begun. We have ways to go and I promise to do my part.

I promise to stay engaged and vote. I have also set up a monthly recurring donation to the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit legal practice set up by Bryan Stevenson in Alabama, dedicated to challenging racial injustice and defending the wrongly condemned.

Fish & Bubbles

Dark and Intense


Bryan Stevenson's book, Just Mercy was made into a motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Just Mercy is streaming for free (YouTube, Google Play and Amazon) in June 2020, so that we can learn about systemic racism.
Here are some other ways to learn about Bryan Stevenson and his extraordinary work.
Preet Bharara's podcast with Bryan Stevenson
Bryan Stevenson TED talk

Soothing Pinks

Floral Pinks


We all have work to do. If you feel uncomfortable about race and racism, it is time to self-examine.
I recommend the book "White Fragility -  Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism" by Dr. Robin DiAngelo. This book has been so popular that it is currently out of stock on Amazon. Fortunately, you don't have to read the book - she has several lectures and presentations available on youtube. Start with this video, just under 4 minutes. My favorite is this one -  What it means to be white in a society that proclaims race is meaningless.


Picket Star Quilt - June Blocks


And finally, I encourage you to read this article about how protests in America sparked policy change in New Zealand!!!  Yes we can and yes we did :-)

Baby Quilt - Almost Done

A new quilt - coming soon


If you came just for the pictures and skimmed over the text, I thank you.
If you read every word, I love you and I am thrilled that you are with me in this journey.


And so on...


I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties including Angela's So Scrappy, see full list on the sidebar.
As always I welcome your comments - be they about my pink blocks or my thoughts on matters black and white.

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Friday, May 29, 2020

I can't breathe...

The pandemic made Maya lose her mojo for sewing, she said.
Mari wrote that she was in deep despair.
I understood but did not share their despondency.
So we have to isolate. That is all. We quilters are good with that. Work and Play continued.
Paul supplied all the hugs and my life went on largely unaffected.

Infections soared and death toll hit an ominous milestone while lies and misinformation flowed fast and free. There was no news that was not directly or indirectly related to the pandemic - what led to it, who is responsible for it, how do we see our way out of it...and so on.

On Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, one of the participants joked - I'd love a "toddler fell down a well" story right about now.  Paul and I laughed.

And then there were stories. Yes, non-pandemic stories. And I could not wish them away.
And now I am in deep despair. I have no mojo. And I am a mess as I type this. But I must.

I know I will get it together, dry my tears and wipe my snot on the sleeve of the t-shirt and begin sewing again. But not now. Not this minute.

Right now I am going to cry and scream. I am going to mourn the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and I am going to grieve over the cruel murder of George Floyd.

I am saddened and I am angry and I am frustrated. Mostly I am disgusted.

What is the color of sorrow?  Anger may be red but what is the color of disgust?
Why is hatred so white and why is hopelessness so black?

I am in this deep pit of sorrow and despair.

Is there any hope? Yes.
I listened to Jacob Frey, the Mayor of Minneapolis, and I saw hope, in spite of his brutal honesty.

Is there anything I can do? Yes.
Here is a list of things that I can do.

If you know of any quilters honoring these black men and their memories, please let me know.

Although the vaccine for Covid-19 is in the works and will become available within a year, I don't know if America will ever have a vaccine to prevent racism.

Here is a community poem shared on NPR - echoing some of my thoughts but with greater eloquence.

https://www.npr.org/2020/05/27/862339935/running-for-your-life-a-community-poem-for-ahmaud-arbery

I wish it was just the pandemic...
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Friday, May 22, 2020

Hunting for the Hunter (Green)

Here is a picture of my stash yardage - most of it at least.
Can you find Hunter Green?

My Stash


No. Cause we don't get along.

I love the grassy greens of the fresh cut grass.
I love the fluorescent greens that sparkle.
I even love the jewel tones of the emerald green.
Bring me your Jade, Pea-Soup, Parrot, Peridot, Avocado, Lime and Apple greens.

May Blocks - Project#2 for RSC 2020

But I draw the line at Hunter Green and Forest Green.  They are dark and depressing.
They are the colors of dangerous shadows lurking along the wooded path.
They are the colors of rotten spinach, sticky and stinky.

Paul: Hey you cannot just get rid of a color.
Me: No, I cannot. Clearly.
Paul: I am sure some people love dark green.
Me: I do too - in very small quantities.
Paul: Like how?
Me: Like this picture - just a wee bit in between the bright blooms.


The right amount of Hunter/Forest Green


Paul: So what are you complaining about?
Me: I am complaining about a whole month dedicated to Yucky/Mucky Green.
Paul: Looks like you completed the assignment.
Me: Of course, I did. I cannot whine about something I did not do.

At this point, Paul rolled his eyes very loudly and walked away.





When I was working on Mixed Feelings, I needed these greens - Hunter, Forest, and Pine.
Mari sent me a bulging envelope of dark green scraps so that I could complete the project.  I acquired a few darker greens when I was making the Bush Fire Blocks, to ensure the trees had the entire spectrum of values.




Thanks to Mari's scraps, leftovers from Bush Fire Blocks, freebies from the Guild Potluck Event (that may never happen again), and some fabrics that were part of FQ bundles, I had enough to address this month's RSC challenge.




And yet, I could not bring myself to look at these dark and depressing fabrics. So I resorted to the Oreo Cookie.  Oreo Cookie Approach to unpleasant issues, that is.  When you dislike something, sandwich it between two pleasant things.





To lessen the burden of dark greens, I played with my joyful (happy and bright) scrap vortex blocks before and after, like leaders and enders.  That pig is so cute.

Scrap Vortex Blocks :-)

And here are my completed blocks for May - RSC 2020.  Sharing with Angela's Linky Party.

Found the Hunter

Swirling UFOs

A little Sparkle to brighten the Dark Green

Palms and Wood Grains


In these dark times, do find something that brings you calm and joy - be it your favorite podcast, a few minutes of meditation, or a nature-walk.  Spring is in full-bloom and it is such a salve on frayed nerves. Just like I saw this month's RSC assignment through, we will get past these trying times.


While I was thinking about Mari, she was thinking about me.  This arrived in the mail last night.
My very large cup of scraps runneth over :-)

Thank you Mari :-)


I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. As usual, your comments are a salve to my hurting-for-a-hug-physically-isolated soul.

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Friday, May 8, 2020

A Warm Tribute

The Quilted Legacy Blog Hop is an effort to honor the legacy of Paula Budinger, who passed away earlier this year.  Paula blogged at http://paulabquilts.blogspot.com and later at https://paulabquilts.com. Many of us knew her through her blog and quilts. Paula loved colorful, scrappy quilts, and made kid quilts for Project Linus. Paula also studied quilt history, learned dating old quilts, and collected antique and doll quilts. 

To celebrate Paula's life and her love of quilting, some quilter-bloggers decided on a blog hop where each one of us shares a quilt we make for a charity or a cause close to our hearts. The quilts we share are as varied as each one of us. Hope you will take a few minutes to learn about Paula and visit other blogs to see the quilts made in her honor.
Paula Budinger

No blog hop can be complete without a giveaway. So let me get those rules out of the way.
Every comment (on any blogpost in the blog hop) is an entry to win one of the great prizes!  Yes, you can comment on multiple blogs. Janice will aggregate the comments and select the winners with a random number generator. The giveaway ends on May 15, 2020.


Here are the prizes: 




And this the quilt I made.

The Finish

The story follows:

The year was 2005. I was working in Fort Lauderdale as a junior planner, where Steve was a Senior Surveyor. We connected over our love of Indian food.  One day, I brought to work home-made green shrimp curry and uncooked rice. About 11:00 AM, I switched on the rice cooker. I still remember that lunch :-) Steve enjoyed the meal and I was happy to share it with him.

When the company lost the contract, I was let go.  In a few weeks I found another job but I had to move from Florida to Maryland.  When Steve found out, he came to my apartment with 20 packing boxes. Just like that. I did not ask. I wasn't even sure if I needed them, but he knew better.

I used them all.  More than once in my life, I have received exactly what I needed when I needed it.
The universe knows it all.

The concept

On the day I had to fly from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore, Steve offered to drive me to the airport. I was carrying three large suitcases, while the rest of my stuff was on a truck headed north. When we arrived at the airport, Steve helped me with the luggage.  And then as I fumbled with my shoulder bag to check my ticket/boarding pass, an airport worker/porter materialized.


Fabrics 

 I have a feeling Steve motioned to him. What happened next happened so quickly that I am still unsure of it. Steve tipped the guy a $20 bill (I think), which he pocketed, nodded to Steve and effortlessly moved my heavy suitcases to a cart.  I looked aghast at Steve and then at the porter and at Steve again. Steve smiled, wished me a safe trip, waved and left.

On the Design Wall

 We did not see each other again but have stayed in touch through Christmas/Holiday cards.
We speak over the phone every couple of years or so.

Steve has a son, Eric, who is about my age. Eric is a fire-fighter, is happily married (to Amy) and rescues and fosters dogs.
81st Block - Puppies
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related anxiety, I felt the need to reach out to Steve.  We chatted for over 35 minutes, talking about work, family and the uncertain times. When Steve mentioned that Eric was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment, I knew I had to make a quilt.

Completed Flimsy

 Twenty strips 6" by WOF in fall colors was the starting point.  Combined with solid jelly roll strips, I would get 80 blocks, 7" by 9" (finished size). I needed 81.  My solution for the 81st block was a puppy fabric - a nod to Eric's love of dogs.


Quilted

I used wool batting, faded chambray wide backing (from Connecting Threads) and orange binding.
Quilted sparingly to maintain softness and loft, using my walking foot.
70" by 90"
Labelled

 I had a few fabric scraps left over. Added a few matching batik fabrics and made two zippered pouches.  One for Steve's wife Jeri and one for Amy.  

Scraps - Repurposed


 The quilt is in the mail and USPS tells me that it will reach its destination today.
I am not going to ask but if Steve sends me pictures, I will update this post.

A Warm Tribute


This quilt was already in the works when Janice was setting up the blog hop.  The timing of the quilt just magically coincided with the blog hop. And here I am - once again - marveling at the miracles of the universe.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Update - May 22, 2020

 The quilt reached its destination and Steve sent me this picture.
Eric's Quilt
A few days later I received two cards - one from Eric and Amy and one from Jeri and Steve.



My heart is warm but my cheeks feel wet. Stay safe my friends.





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