Serve the people at the bottom. The people at the top don't need your help.
~Yuri Kochiyama
Quilting
I lost my quilting mojo this fall somewhere between family and medical. I've been looking through old sketchbooks, rereading books about quilt blocks without interest. Finally, reviewing old photos struck a spark.
Anna Maria (Horner) Perry designs gorgeous fabrics and had an exhibit at Quilt Festival a few years ago. The quilts highlighted her then new fabric line {remember those coneflower prints?} and several intrigued me. I saw simple blocks, large shapes to utilize large scale prints, and of course, beautiful appliqué.
Many of her patterns are for sale but I chose to start with one that isn't - a mix of courthouse step log cabins, dresden plates, and appliqué. After analyzing it I began simplifying because the idea is to look at my stash in a new way.
Eventually I realized the log cabins are HSTs with a dark and light side arranged into furrows. We all already know that; I just forgot. Ok. I don't need to make lots of logs. Good thing because my strings are depleted after the previous forays. With the blocks on point, there are five "rounds" of color. So I pulled a few sets to see what that might look like.
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| Possible color palettes |
I thought it was time to start pulling more fabric for each section when another epiphany struck. Those furrows are simply rounds for a medallion. I don't need to make log cabins or even HSTs. I can just cut wide strips. A new fabric pull is needed and here it is.
The outer border of fish was a no brainer. That established the center circle print which has exactly the same colors. The light blue and yellow vary the value and print scale but which print for the darkest round?
I chose the one on the right but when it was ready to cut, there was too much brown {that didn't show in this view.} So the print at the top was used instead. And here is a very, very, very simple baby quilt ready to baste. Bright colors for a gloomy week. How good to be back to sewing!
Practially everyone else in North America is suffering under a winter storm. It is expected to arrive here soon and bring a hard freeze. {I know. Nothing like the terrible temperatures elsewhere.} Covering my plants I found monarch caterpillars. Fifteen or twenty on a few remaining milkweed. Neither will survive a freeze. The milkweed only made it because it's been so warm here this fall {and I forgot to cut it back to encourage the monarchs to keep moving.}
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| Monarch caterpillars on milkweed |
DH found a cage online which we set up. It may need more twigs on the bottom.
Now daily cage cleaning adversely impacts sewing time. They are fun to watch and worry about. IF they survive, they'll need nectar just when all my plants will have died.
In the meanwhile, The Texas Butterfly Ranch suggests cucumbers or pumpkin for fifth instar caterpillars. I'll be trying that when the milkweed runs out. And those guys ate most of the milkweed before I brought them inside.
Stay warm and safe.
Enjoy the day,
Ann
