Tuesday, October 6, 2020

A Second String Tulip Started

It takes courage to live through suffering and it takes honesty to observe it.
~ C. S. Lewis

Quilting


The first set of Electric Socket blocks have been on the design wall long enough. After so many supportive comments, I've come to like the craziness, too, but still wanted to play with tulips. Fortunately there are still more blocks waiting to be sewn. Now I'm basically repeating the previous tulip quilt but with a brighter border. The blocks were arranged to flow from yellow to red to blue to green to orange and back to yellow around the border. The yellows in Electric Socket made that quilt shine so they had to be included in this one. Additionally, repeating the Tulip design should help crystallize all the techniques I learned {hopefully without all the mistakes.}


Because the border contains clear, bright strings, the tulips should, too. Compare them with the black tulips in the first String Tulip quilt. 

Green could have been used for the stems but this black and white seemed more fun and made a more emphatic contrast on the blue striped background. Altogether this is a jauntier look for the same layout. Funny what a difference a few strings make.

Reading

So many books are in my queue these days. I'm coming to realize how my "home reading", i.e., those books I've purchased, gets behind. The library has been notifying me daily of yet another hold that's available. After waiting so many months for access, I'm more aware of the queue of readers still waiting. 

The Smallest Lights in the Universe, a memoir by MIT astrophysicist, Sara Seager, recounts her professional development from a young girl awestruck by the sight of a clear night sky to a MacArthur grant recipient and lead of a NASA research team. Soon after becoming tenured at MIT her husband dies of cancer. The story intertwines the search for extraterrestrial life with the equally important ones of search for a meaningful life and search for connections with other lives. She masterfully links images and scenes from one to the other. 

One of her many skills is the ability to explain her projects clearly to amateurs and non-technical readers. She simplifies without speaking down. She also conveys an amazing awareness of other people, why and how she built a family/community of people vital to her life. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Enjoy the day, Ann

22 comments:

Julierose said...

Another great version of your String tulips--I like the brighter colors...nice work
Hugs, julierose

Barb said...

Just love the string blocks with the tulips - so colorful and fun.
thanks for the book review.

patty a. said...

The first string tulip quilt turned out wonderful so this is the encore! It is going to be a fabulous quilt too! Bravo!

LA Paylor said...

have you been seeing the dynamic view of planets at night?
Your tulip work is dynamic too

Robin said...

You are on a roll! Audrey makes us all want to make tulips. I'll join the parade eventually. I like these tulips without the black. The background fabric you chose for this new one really makes the tulips pop. Nice job!

Mystic Quilter said...

I loved your first Tulip quilt Ann but I do like the brighter effect with this current one. The stripe background square sets off these tulips beautifully! For various reasons I'm behind on post reading and have missed your last one, I'll visit later!

Pamela said...

This quilt is fabulous. I want to try this technique.

Quilting Babcia said...

I just love your tulip variations and really looking forward to making one of these someday.

Janie said...

I think working in series is priceless. 'Practice makes perfect' the saying goes. Perfect is of course opinion, but we learn a whole lot doing something over and over for sure.

Ann said...

Thanks, Julie.

Ann said...

Thanks, Barb. I hope you enjoy the book, too.

Ann said...

Thanks, Patty. I like this one, too, and think they will both make good baby gifts.

Ann said...

We haven't seen the sky in weeks with all the smoke. I'm glad you are able to see it, LeAnna.

Ann said...

Thanks, Robin. Audrey is an inspiration to use all. This is a much sweeter quilt than the other, the colors are clearer. But I still have a special place in my heart for black tulips.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. The clearer colors here are great, too. I like the yellows in the border here and the stripe background has been waiting for a special place. I was glad it found one here.

Ann said...

Thanks, Pamela. I think we need a QAL.

Ann said...

Thanks. We should have a QAL soon.

Ann said...

Isn't that the truth. There is so much to learn reprising central ideas. I am ready to try some other tulips soon.

Nann said...

When I saw the tulip photo I thought, "Oh--a brighter version." I think I prefer this one. Glad you're enjoying Sara Seager's book.

Ann said...

Thanks for recommending her book. Most people like this brighter tulip quilt.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Another gorgeous tulip block with equally pretty surrounding blocks...all to entice us Ann. I would not be able to choose a favourite. I wish I could put together fabrics/colours like you do.

Ann said...

Thanks, Jocelyn. I bet you could pull your fabrics together. These are just leftovers from previous projects.