Earth Day!

That is the title of my new Modern Mini for April.

My "vision" was to create a quilt that represented spring crocuses and Daffodils.  I added the rocks because I live with a lot of rocks here in CT.

Here is my approach

Step 1:  dump out all my little scraps.

Step 2:  pick out colors that I like

Step 3 and 4:  Make "blocks" and set them in strip fashion

It is messy, but I really enjoy the whole process.  I'll be adding this to my fall Workshop Offerings.  It is such a great design exercise and I feel Everyone can do it!

A pretty Kaffe fabric for the back.

 Here I am proudly holding it upside down, lol   Which begs the question, is there a right side up?

 The quilting is undulating lines with white Invisafil #100 weight.

Wee!  I have finished the center and the star border of my Medallion Quilt.

I have a goal to finish this for a fall quilt show.

I hope everyone had a nice Easter.   We had a quiet day and enjoyed Easter Pasta.  I was able to get a little centerpiece together.

This year I watched The Ten Commandments.  It had been many years and is such a Classic.  It also offered 3:40 hours of quilting time :)

Gorgeous Sunset - looks like dyed Easter Eggs.

Thank you all so very much for your kind comments on my post about Gwen.  I've been thinking of her everyday and I'm so grateful for all she has left us.
xo

Remembering Gwen Marston

As so many of you are learning in the last day or so, the quilt world has lost an Icon and my personal Hero.

Gwen Joy Marston - passed away Wednesday, April 17th in her beloved Beaver Island home where she lived so fully.

She was warm, generous, funny and genuine.   To know her, was to love her.

She taught us how to honor the quilters that came before us. 

To say that she influenced many quilters in an understatement.  She gently encouraged an entire generation of quilt makers to follow their hearts and make joyful quilts.

 She had  style all her own and she owned it.

I met Gwen in 1995 at my first BIQR Retreat.  She was a tour de force in my quilting journey.  Something I spoke to her about many times.  Something I hope she knows I will forever be grateful for.

We had a lot of laughs and exchanged notes and cards over the years.  Good memories, memories that will have to serve me the rest of my days. 

Photo with Jill and Susan, all having a good laugh on my behalf :)

Luckily we have a legacy of books to help us keep her alive in our lives and work.  I need to complete my Gwen Marston Library.

As I wrote to her son, Matthew today, There is a new breeze through the trees and tonight there will be another star in the sky.

God Bless you Gwen.  You will be missed more than you know by more than you can imagine.
xo

Spring!

It's finally here!

I celebrated by potting one of my favorite spring plants; pansies.

We rarely use our front door, so I position the pots where I can see them from inside the house ;)

 I wish I had my own pussy willow bush but  I was happy my garden center had them for $1. a stem.

I've been busy visiting guilds this spring and here are some houses we build at the Lake and Mountain Guild in SC.

This is a neat art installation I saw at the airport.

and this ceramic collage

I was home only a few days and had the challenge of making a Dominican Cake from my son, Andrew's Birthday.

 The dulce 'de leche came out perfectly......on the second try.

 The Italian Meringue came out perfectly on the first try!

Sadly the cake was both overdone, and underdone.  I find scratch cakes difficult and I blame the failure on my old pans.  It looked pretty though.

I had a Applique Design workshop in Cape May and here are a few photos.

Thank you to Susan and Helen for hosting me in their homes and for all the ladies who came out to see my recent programs.  I love visiting guilds and making new friends.  I'm bad about taking pictures because I'm so busy sharing and visiting.

A welcome sight after a long drive home - the new Tappan Zee Bridge at sunset.

Happy Spring
xo

More from NEQM

Happy Tuesday from South Carolina!  I'm sharing more quilts from my visit to the New England Quilt Museum. 

 This was a very powerful exhibit about Gun Violence.  I DON'T do political issues here, but I am sharing what I felt was a very powerful artistic exhibit.  Here is a link to SAQA

 This quilt spoke to me very personally.   I also love the fan quilting!

I was fascinated by this Hexagon quilt.  So many interesting pattern emerge when you study it. 

Can never get enough nine patch quilts!

This makes me want to sew flying geese blocks!

Thank you to everyone who visited my Mother's Garden quilt in Chicago and sent me photos and messages.   Here are a few.

I'm off to enjoy the green leaves and spring flowers and spend a day with the wonderful ladies of the Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild.

Have a Happy Day
xo