skipping in the rain {and a giveaway!}

Not surprisingly, Juliet of Tartan Kiwi is at it again with her mad paper-piecing skills.  As I'm sure some of you might recall, she recently debuted a massive bear, which turned out to be a wonderful reason to break into my newly acquired stash of oakshott lyon and summer stripes:

This time, she's dreamt up a playful silhouette, skipping in the rain with umbrella in hand.  Okay, technically she's "Singing in the Rain." :o)  And because my oakshott, liberty, and low volume stashes are the only fabrics that aren't packed away in bins at the moment, my selection should come as no surprise.  Though I originally had my heart set on a favorite watercolor tana lawn print (tresco c) for the umbrella...

Until it occurred to me that the limited bit I had to begin with had already made its way into liberty and justice for all.  But all was not lost!  Because I soon realized that this would be a perfect start to a quilt for our niece (my cousin and his wife live in London, and I actually picked up this black and white floral on my celebratory trip to Shaukat when we were in the UK for their wedding last fall).  Full circle :o)  Of course I'm hoping they can tell it's a girl dancing in the rain.  ...My husband thought it was someone running with a large rock for a head.  (Perhaps I should've seen that coming and opted for a striped umbrella per Juliet's original pattern.)

Speaking of which, if you're wanting to try out this pattern yourself, Juliet has offered to provide one lucky ready with a complimentary copy of this pattern plus two others of the winner's choosing!  (And yes, that includes big bear!)

To enter, please leave a comment below.  I'll pick a winner next Wednesday (October 15th).  For those of you who just can't wait until then, you can grab this pattern for just $2 over the next two days in Juliet's craftsy shop.  And as an added incentive, Juliet will even refund your money if you win :o)

Happy sewing, everyone!

#opgivewarmth {october 2014}

Seeing as more than half my social media faves these days tend to be indigo-inspired (think all that shibori dyed goodness), this month's #opgivewarmth palette should come as no surprise...

And because it also happens to be my month as quilter for my do.good circle (believe), I've asked my bee-mates to make simple geometric patterns of their choosing in an inky blue monochromatic colorway for an eclectic mixed-print design that's been brewing in my head for too long (read:  long enough for me to recognize that its best chance of coming to fruition is with the help of some friends).

So last night I had fun with some stripes, half-rectangle triangles and a teensy 1/2" checkerboard.  So much so, that I hope to carry over the print-mixing theme into this month's batch of #opgivewarmth blocks.  Indigo plaid, pluses, and plenty more to follow!

For those of you who missed the announcement (or would like a refresher), this project is a monthly callout for charity blocks that will benefit My Very Own Blanket (specifically, children in the Indiana foster care system).  All styles and piecing methods are welcome.  I only ask two things:  (1)  that your block(s) fits a 3" grid system (i.e. finished sizes of 3", 6", 9", 12", 15", etc., so add a ½" to each of those to allow for seam allowance), and (2) that they mesh with that (or any prior) month's color palette:

Address for #opgivewarmth blocks:

My Very Own Blanket

c/o Sarah Sharp

P.O. Box 4586

Carmel, Indiana 46082

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