Happy Fall, y'all! My windows are open and the cool, fresh breeze is blowing through. As I finish quilts I have been throwing them over the couch and the kitties and I get some serious quality testing done while I drink my coffee in the mornings.
These quilts were not made by me, both were pieced by Jan at The Colorful Fabriciholic and quilted by Ray on his longarm in Florida. Jan made this top from Pat Sloan's Solstice Challenge and Ray quilted it with a playful swooping dragonfly motif.
Jan said this blue and green sampler was called "Emerald Isle" by the LQS where it was a block of the month, which sounds perfect since the colors are so ocean-y.
This one got a butterfly motif. Perfect! I'm so grateful to the many quilters who have helped with getting quilts quilted ever since I asked for more help back in the spring. I went through a period in July and August when stressful circumstances in real life meant that I didn't have the focus for spending the several hours at a time it takes to sit down an quilt, plus a constant low level headache kept me from being able to crawl around on the floor to baste - or else risk a migraine.
The efforts of many volunteer quilters kept us from having a noticeable lag in output while I was away from the quilting machine. (Since mid September I've been back to normal and cranking out the finished quilts and quite a rate.) I know many of my usual volunteers have mentioned in emails and notes that's you've gone through similar episodes of depression or distress; I've been calling it The Covid Malaise. Obviously this is an extremely weird time when all of our schedules have been interrupted and the touchstones we normally rely on are missing. Remember to be kind and gracious to yourself and it's ok to take time to take a break from obligations.
When in doubt, act like a cat: nap in the sunshine, get outside and sniff the wind, and spend time with friends.
Linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Finished or Not Friday
As soon as I saw the first photo, I thought, "That's one of Jan's quilts!" Her work is so lovely and meticulous and I'm lucky to have a few of her orphan blocks to play with. And I love Ray's quilting so much! He's been such a big help to so many charities.
ReplyDeleteYou are wise to lean on the community for help, Kat. We all need that from time to time. Allowing others to give to YOU is a gift to US. We all need to be needed, and crave connection. Thank you for letting us step up to the plate and welcome back from Malaise Land :)
Jan and Ray made a great combination, Kat. SEW glad to hear that you are feeling better and are back at the quilting machine!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you were able to use my quilt tops! Ray did a marvelous job with the quilting - I couldn't be more pleased. It makes me feel good that these quilts will go to a good cause. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are feeling better. Good advice from your kitty! 😊
ReplyDeleteLove the crossed paws on your kitty!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and great quilts. So good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a very supportive network and I'm glad quilters stepped up to help you out. It's a very stressful time on so many levels. Thankfully you are getting back on a even keel. Thanks for all you do and thanks to your great team.
ReplyDeletePat
Beautiful quilts for a good cause. I'm so glad you're feeling better. Love your advice--when in doubt, act like a cat!
ReplyDeleteLol. I was scrolling down on my phone
ReplyDeleteWait for it
Wait for it!
Yes!!
Cat tested, kitty approved:)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteAll your quilts are beautiful. My cat used to do that...test out the quilts...sadly she went to kitty heaven a few years ago. Your kitty looks just like her...Now my Dachshund, Toby, tests all my quilts out. Have a great day!
Those quilts are fantastic & I'm so glad you are feeling better & also that you have such great support from your followers. Good help is always a blessing. Thanks to Jan & Ray for all they do for CiL. And also a big thank you to Fudge for showing us how to live life.
ReplyDelete