Reset
Nearly every Friday I take time to reset. I highly recommend it. One way I reset is to take stock of what happened during the week by sharing a recap with you. Another way to reset that I indulge in, before I sit down to write, is a restorative yoga class. Restorative yoga is the opposite of power yoga. Not only does my body relax and reset, but since all poses are prone and supported, my mind is free to wonder. Yes, this is when I started thinking of the importance of resetting.
Moving On
Last week I focused on piecing the sunflower block for How Does Your Garden Grow? Next I seamed the top together. Let’s just say it was an intense week. This week I treated myself to easy piecing. I “designed” and pieced the back. This is so second nature to me, that it really doesn’t take much designing. It is far more about the math, making sure that the back will be larger than the top. Why? So, I can quilt right to the edge of the top and have something to grip as I do so.
I had find this large print floral fabric in my stash and felt it referenced the front side nicely. I used most of what I had, then added solid colored fabric to create a 9 patch. Finally, I surrounded the pieced section with a muslin border. Most of the muslin will be trimmed away when I square up the quilt.
Now that the back was pieced it was time to revisit the front. I have been promising to add some thread painted butterflies to the garden. I spent time surfing the web for copyright free photos of butterflies. Isn’t this photo by Tinthia Clemant fabulous? I discovered it on a site called Pexels. I’m not sure what I am more thrilled about, the photo or finally finding a great source of copyright free photos. Uplifting discoveries are the perfect reset.
Doing My Thing
I took Tinthia’s photo and cropped it. I won’t be using the flower, just the monarch butterfly, which I will reset on a flower or two in my fabric garden. Thanks to the ability to flip photos, I can create a mirror image. I also resized the photo to match the scale of the garden.
Rainbow Scrap Challenge
I am the poster child of taking a simple design and adding a flourish here, intense free motion quilting there, until I find myself asking why did this take me so long? Does it matter? No, life is too short. Each time I start a new phase of a quilt is a reset.
I’m linking up to the following posts:
I love that you have a reset moment. I too like to do yoga and wish I did it more often – it really does clear the mind. Your butterfly is going to be amazing!
I’ve made working out a daily routine for 30 years. What I do varies with interest and now aging. When COVID hit I started exercising exclusively at home. When I discovered Peloton provided on demand workouts, I was in. They have over 2,000 yoga classes, including meditation and restorative, but also more extreme power and flow classes. I also do barre, strength and HIIT. Everything is self-modified, though. At age 70 I am not as fast and have no need to prove myself by lifting heavy weights. Just staying active is good enough. Peloton is much friendlier on the pocketbook than a gym, too, at least the way I take advantage of it.
Thanks for checking in. Namaste.
The butterfly will be an amazing addition to your garden! It will be fun to see how you add it in!
This is not my first rodeo with thread painted elements on my quilt. I cut them from their background, audition where I will place them and then attach them with a thin satin stitch that melds with the edge of the thread painting. This fixes them securely and hides the under layers.
Thanks for stopping by Diann. I appreciate your positive comment.
That butterfly is beautiful. I have taken a few good pictures over the years. While they are sipping nectar, they are very still. I’ve never thread painted one. I’m sure yours will be stunning.
I have a photo Dana, my husband took of a swallowtail butterfly on our butterfly bush I will also be thread painting. That is in the iconic wide wingspan pose. What isn’t captured in the photo of the partial thread painting is how the polyester thread shimmers. Love that effect. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Norma.
Your idea to do restorative yoga is a great one, I may need it too 😉 Great backing too, I like the scrappy nine-patch here! This butterfly is gorgeous, it’s going to be a very pretty addition to your garden top.
Thank you for sharing your inspiration, and linking up!
What I love about restorative yoga is not only does it force you to take a break from everything else in your hectic life, but it allows your body to reset and realign. Between sitting at the computer working and stitching in my studio, I need that realignment.
good to hear from you Frédérique.
Such cheerful colors you are working with. Love the Sunflower.
Nothing like the Rainbow Scrap Challenge to bring on the cheerful colors. I think that may be one of the reasons I have participated in it for a second round. Thank you for the thumbs up.