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Sunday, June 26, 2016

FAMILY TIES

This post is about quilting, but it is about a great deal more.  For many years, my hubs has been hoping to connect to his father and, possibly other siblings.  He never met his father and had only one photo of him.
Each time he thought he might have found his dad, he would re-think connecting with him for many reasons.  Among those reasons was his hesitancy to disrupt an established family who might not know that he existed.
A few months ago, through Facebook (don't we love FB?), he found a connection.  He discovered that his father had passed away a couple years prior, but there was a sibling.
After a good deal of communication, he felt like a meeting might be possible.

We took our vacation to Florida and hubs reached out to his sibling and we were able to have a wonderful lunch meeting.  The two of them instantly liked each other and three hours later, we left the restaurant.

Now, about the quilting . . .
Before vacation I was trying to put together a project for an upcoming Workshop I am teaching.  I kept looking for a traditional block that I could "modernize".  I came across a version of Dutchman's Puzzle in 5500 Quilt Block Designs  by Maggie Malone.  This block dates back to 1886 and I had seen it before but it never held my attention long enough to make it.  Somehow, this time I kept coming back to the block in the book.  I kept thinking there was another block for me to use.  But finally ...
I chose this block and cut my fabrics and started construction.

Now, for the interesting part. . .
Hubs discovered that his father was from Indonesia of Dutch heritage.   I had no idea that we would learn this about my hubs'  dad. 
As I was quilting my project, all of a sudden I had an Ah Ha moment.
I experienced a bit of chill bumps as I thought about the fact that I was working on a quilt pattern called "Dutchman's Puzzle" and my hubs just solved his Dutchman's Puzzle by meeting his sibling.

Thank you to my quilting muse for directing me to the "Dutchman's Puzzle Block" for my project.

My Dutchman's Puzzle Quilt is a tribute to Eric Spoelstra and John Spoelstra Suggs and their newly found family ties!!


                                    -sandi


Saturday, June 11, 2016

ABSTRACTION

INSPIRATION
Tannehill Valley, Alabama


Four of us signed up to do a program on Abstraction for our Chattanooga Modern Quilt Guild.

As we looked for inspiration this covered bridge became the picture we chose.  I was fascintated by some of the angular elements of the bridge and built my sketch piece from that.

My favorite part of this Covered Bridge is the support poles on each side of the opening and the "window openings" along the inside walls.

This is the first piece in this Abstraction process.











This was so much fun!!!  Will continue to play with this.


                                 -sandi


Wednesday, June 1, 2016

MORE MAY FINISHES

I have a large stack of quilts and quilt projects to be quilted.  This month is dedicated to getting many of them quilted.  They are all layered on my guest bed.



The first one to be finished is a small (16.5inches) piece that was appliqued using a back basting needleturn technique.  I love hand applique.


Another finish is my Thoroughly Modern Mini Swap quilt.  It is about 16 inches by 24 inches and has already gone to the recipient from the Memphis Modern Quilt Guild.

I worked on some alcohol ink jewelry pieces.  These are so fun and addictive.

It was fun to get some pillowslips made for my guest room that coordinated with my QAYG Quilt.


This month I have worked on several things but have not completed them, or, they are complete and I cannot show them until next month because they are part of a program for Chattanooga Modern Quilt Guild in June.

Here are a couple that I cannot show the front of yet.





Both of these pieces are abstract work.











Perhaps, I will make a bigger dent in that stack in June!


                                  -sandi