Thursday, February 23, 2017

Caw-mon Ground and Musings

Got up just ahead of the sun this morning despite some odd sleeping patterns yet again (enter menopause fun and games once more--it's bad enough that oddball things plague me during the day, well not plague maybe, but bug from time to time, but now nighttime is messed up too? Like what's with this...) where was I, oh yeah, got up, and felt compelled to do my meditation (wish I did this every morning, as it is truly a magnificent in a profoundly quiet way, to start my day) and after meditating, felt strongly compelled to draw/design.  This happened:
"Caw-mon" Ground for #30quiltdesignschallenge2017
As I said on Instagram, maybe it was my love of the number 3, triangles, pyramids, birds, meditation, sitting cross-legged, a dream last night of a Canada goose in the corner of our yard here in Florida, wow, I could see it, a still sentinel in black, grey and white, the feeling of a benevolent higher power, and of spring in the air, thoughts of heading north, seeing Abigail's rainbow stars, having done and so enjoyed Ruth's Rainbow Rose QAL, playing weekly with rainbow colours, in particular the migrating geese project #2, but I felt/saw so strongly a triangle image and a need to somehow translate this triangle image into a quilt.  After I posted the image to Instagram, I realized the (duh) significance of designing in rainbow colours today, one day after Pink Shirt Day.  Thank you to my sister Linda for reminding me; now that I am out of teaching, some of these significant days we always celebrated. escape me.  It originated in Canada, where a young teen was bullied because he wore a pink shirt to school.  I am so glad that a group of this young gay man's friends not only stood up for him, and against homophobic bullying, but did it LOUD.  And LOOK where a small group's actions can go!  How I wish we could show FREELY show, our tolerance of all peoples, (and all pibbles).
Sitting cross-legged on the floor for a 12-minute meditation.  Bella loves it as much as I do; without fail coming gently onto my lap, kissing my fingertips, which elicits a bit of a scratch of her chin, followed by a gentle pad/knead of my thigh and then a settling, purring contentedly almost the entire time.  Of course, she needs to strike a pose when the bell/gong sounds to end the meditation and I start to move a bit.
Speaking of quilt alongs, I myself have one that is going to start on the Spring Equinox, Monday, March 20, called Free Fall.  It's the wallhanging size of Windfall, and I have lined up some pretty terrific prizes for those who wish to join me and finish their wallhanging.  More details to come, but I am excited!  For now Bella is reposing on the stack of lush fabrics from Paintbrush Studio that I am using.  They are my main sponsor. 😀
There has been a LOT of sewing going on this month, some of which you see here, a total of four, no five projects, some big, some medium, some small, that I can't talk about.  Yet.  Some has involved February's colour, sea green, teal, aqua, aquamarine, known by many names and hues:
Ah aquamarine!  And Kaffe Fassett...
I've committed to another leader/ender project since the migrating geese strip for February is complete, and my Scrap Vortex is uh, in a vortex still...
Aqua corner triangles in...
or purple corner triangles in....
This quilt, "'X' Marks the Block" (I love witty quilt names) was designed by Teresa at Fabric Therapy. I saw it on Pinterest, and tracked it down to the original designer.  Originally I was going to do it totally scrappy, as she does, but after my like/love/hate/dislike/meh feelings on my Scrap Vortex, I realize that I like and need more order with my scrap quilting.  Could I do the opposing corners in one colour family?  I could!

And thus RSC2017 Project #3 is born.  I am leaving a few blocks each month with a blank corner section, ready for the next month's colour strips to be added.  Not sure how this will all play out, but that is the fun and the liberation of working with one's scraps!  Patience, a bit of a 'what if' attitude of experimentation, and beautiful things happen.
Patience, focus, intensity, Naala has it all.  Yet happily all the geckos are still alive and well despite her attempts to catch one!
Much more of those three qualities are apparent in this week's amazing, not taking no for an answer, 150 Canadian Women project.  Pat Sloan interviewed Kat on her podcast on Monday! Here is the link in case you missed it.  Here are this week's blocks:
Oops.  Ha, not really.  Here is the result of some more patience and hard work done by my intrepid MacGyver who has really beautified our house front this year.  One of his Bird of Paradise plants bloomed yesterday! It is unbelievable.  I've seen several over the years of coming to Florida, but to have one right here and gaze at its wondrous intense colours, is so surreal for me.  As is having my very own jasmine plants whose scent floats in in the early mornings.  Okay closer look at those three blocks:
43 - Alexandrine Gibb: an athlete and an advocate for women's sports organizations, helped to establish the Women's Amateur Athletic Federation of Canada; 44 - Marilyn Grace Bell di Lascio: still alive today, she was the first woman to swim the width of Lake Ontario, a distance of 51.5 km/ 32 miles, and the next year she was the youngest person ever to swim The English Channel; 45 - Eliza Maria Jones (née Harvey): "earned international acclaim for her herd of cattle and bestselling butter" now you see why I put the cow 2.5" square in the centre, although her cows were not Holsteins but Jersey. She was nationally known and respected for her cattle and horse-breeding expertise.
I was tickled pink (ha!) when I found that just about 2.5" square in my tiny-scraps basket.  I love that I've randomly thrown in little pnemonic devices like this to help me remember a block's significance. (Remember the checkered fabric for the racer? The deep red/purple for Viola?) Eliza regularly entertained Sir John A. MacDonald at her farm table! He was Canada's first Prime Minister, elected in...? you got it, 1867! 150 years ago this year.

All right off to work.  Yep, on the Free Fall Quilt Along. 

Linking up with
Sew Fresh Quilts
My Quilt Infatuation

Oh! Remember my own linky is this Saturday, for any DrEAMi! projects you may have made during February. If you missed the last one in January, here is the link.  Have you ever been a victim of one of those Drop Everything And Make it 'gotta-make-it-and-right-now' experiences? This is the party for you!

21 comments:

  1. Perfect photo shoot, and you are right up with fussy cutting, or finding that 2.5 square perfect for that block. A wall hanging quilt along, sounds like I might join in, my size, and I love that design so much. March 20th, a good time of the year here, hot summer days have gone, cold days not yet arrived,and by then I might just have caught up with the 150 Canadian Women blocks.

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  2. I love when designs just NEED to be manifested like that. I'll dream of designs often and can't get them out of my mind until I get them on paper. I love this one! Beautiful!

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  3. I really like this design. I hope you actually make it.

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  4. I too hope you make 'Caw-mon'. Gorgeous flowers and the perfect place to photograph your Canadian women blocks.

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  5. Lots of negative area for FMQ if you make that one...caw mon I know you want to, hehe.

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  6. Your flying geese design is great! How weird that you dreamed about a Canadian Goose being in your yard when you have a very beautiful Bird of Paradise instead.

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  7. Such a delightful post to read! You certainly have the gift! Love your new design....yet another gift! I'll be traveling during your quilt along, but maybe I can catch up after the fact. Enjoy your beautiful Florida day! XO

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  8. Love that design! I think it will look amazing in fabric. Would look great in black, gray, and white as well. And it;s almost too bad all the geckoes keep escaping because she is just so *intent* on catching one that you just can't help but cheer for her to succeed!

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  9. Really enjoyed looking at all of your work and the outdoor photo shoots as well. Sometimes those dogs can really be patient waiting for the next move!

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  10. Thank you for the link to X marks the block link. I get a lot of gifted scraps, with some of those center strips already made. Another good idea to get rid of my scraps and make a charity top for guild.

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  11. I think I'd better be careful - your X marks the block might inspire a DrEAMi!

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  12. So much excitement here . The bird of paradise plant is beautiful . Well done husband . Big excitement on your qal and sponsorship ! Well done again . I too get the "weird" dreams , and I'm convinced they are real at first , they seem so real.

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  13. I'm loving you new leader ender scrap blocks! And your Canada 150 blocks are looking great!!

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  14. You have fun "helpers". Have a great weekend.

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  15. I love the "X Marks the Block" block! It looks like an interesting block fro strings - a little different than the usual. I always love your animal photos and stories, Sandra! What individual personalities they have!

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  16. I'm with you about needing some limitations on a scrappy project. To me it adds a challenger to fit the project in those parameters. I think your aqua corners are a good focal point and doing it in rainbows will make it better. The flying geese rainbow design is really out of a dream and will look great with lots of quilting space. Good luck.!

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  17. Congratulations on retirement from teaching! I resigned after 11 years in the USA, but also taught overseas. Love your "X Marks the Block"! Your photographs and writing were enjoyable! Glad I found you on My Quilt Infatuation!

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  18. I love your flying geese design. :) So much fun to see sneak peeks of your other projects.

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  19. Lots of fun and colorful projects going on in your sewing space. Hope you've had more time for stitching this month.

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  20. What a lot you have going on. I love the reason behind this quilt design and I would love to see this quilt come to life!

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  21. You're welcome for the reminder of Pink Shirt Day.

    Oh Bella and Naala <3 <3 <3

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