Quilt fit for the City

My youngest sister Diana has been working in NYC on Madison Avenue in fashion for over a year now. A few months ago her and my other sister moved into a three bedroom apt in Astoria, Queens, with my cousin AD. Their apt is very nice but I felt like it needed some homemade warmth and love.

I decided to make Diana this quilt from a Batik pop pack I picked up at PQ about a year before. The pack contained 40 2 1/2 inch precutt strips which I used to create a rail fence. Since I was sick for her actual birthday she did not get the quilt until about a month later but she didn't mind.

I really enjoyed making this quilt because the colors were so different than what I usually work with. This was my first experience using Batik's on such a large scale. It really came out so unique and beautiful. As I worked on the quilt I thought about how exciting it is for Diana to be on her own living and working in NYC. I thought about all the great culture and entertainment there for her to enjoy. I also imaged the seasons in Central Park and the beauty of nature against the city landscape. Thus, Big City Dreamer was born. It came so naturally and I think it is a perfect way to describe my sister. She had a dream, worked hard, and made it happen. I wanted to commentate her accomplishments and dreams through this quilt. My dream is that each time she sees this quilt it will remind her to never stop inspiring others to dream big.

Happy 24th Dirty Diana,

Much Love,

The Mad Quilter

Wake me up when September ends

What's crazy about the summer is that I always think I will be quilting my days away and I end up being so busy that very little gets done. I spend my time catching up with friends and running all over the place. This summer I was so busy working on professional development and school work that I spent only a few days infront of my machine.

The fall is when my creative spark lights and I get tons of projects done. I have been working like crazy on a project for a friend (which will be added in the next few weeks) and completing projects for my living room. It looks great. I am also organizing my projects for Christmas. I would like everyone to have a little something homemade.

This picture is of my mother's dog Akema. She came to us a few months before we lost Daddy. She has been such a big part of helping us deal with Daddy's death. She is always there giving lots of love and support. We just love her. Here she is modeling for a quilt I made Mommy when I first started qulting. Mama loves everytyhing I make her. I think Akema came to us for a reason.