Thursday, December 2, 2021

November Monthly Mini and Celebrations

It can't be December yet. I haven't posted my November mini! So here it is.The top was finished a couple of weeks ago, but birthday celebrations and Thanksgiving kept me from getting it quilted and bound until now. This finished at 14". I will link up here with Wendy, The Constant Quilter (she really is), for our Monthly Mini listing.

The color is not accurate here, but this gives you a bit of a look at the quilting. There really needs to be some stitching in the larger HSTs, but I want it to be hand quilting, so that will come later.

The machine quilting shows up better in this photo of the back. I kept it as simple as possible, because I was so far behind. I had thought about feathers, but had to pass on them this time.

The colors in the quilt were inspired by a stunning monthly mini made by Gladi (seriously, all her quilts are stunning) back in September, which you can see on her blog here. I was smitten by her quilt, and knew I wanted to copy her colors. I was just getting ready to join in on Pam Buda's Quilt Archeology doll quilt, Dear Prudence, when I saw Gladi's post, and I knew I would transfer that color palette over to Pam's design. 

Pam's pattern was for a larger doll quilt than this. I cut all the parts for the whole quilt and then realized I had made a major error and had cut everything wrong. That is what I get when I work too late at night. I had to cut things down for each block. After reworking 6 blocks, I'd had enough. I chose 5 of the six blocks and made a smaller version of Dear Prudence.

As I had worked on this little quilt I was sure I had used this palette before. I finally realized where I'd used it when I sat down to Thanksgiving dinner. The first quilt I'd made with these colors was hanging in our dining room. This was a SAL at Humble Quilts blog, where Lori had us choose an orphan block and the SAL was the process of adding the borders. It was called "Faithful". Here are the two quilts together, with my hand in the photo to give size perspective.

I hope all my friends in the U.S. had a lovely Thanksgiving last week. We had planned on having 7 or 8 family members for dinner, which is small for us. But Thanksgiving morning our youngest son, who was visiting with us for the holiday, was informed that he had been exposed to COVID the night before. We had no other family come, under the circumstances, and we just had 3 for dinner. But I have to say, no matter how few will be eating, it still makes a mess to prepare it. 

My birthday usually falls in the same week as Thanksgiving, and often gets swallowed up by the preparations. In such cases we try to celebrate a week early. Happily, hubby gifted me with tickets to a Van Gogh immersion experience available in Salt Lake City the week before.

It was incredible. Words can't convey and photos don't quite do it justice, but I will try to give you a taste. I understand there are different versions of this experience across the country, but the idea is similar. There was a photo op just inside, where they offered to take your photo  with your phone. There were four different rooms of this experience, but the last one is where you spend the bulk of your time. You can click on any of these photos to enlarge them.

In the experience on the left, above, all of the water glimmered. In the picture on the right, if you watched closely, you might catch a self-portrait blinking. And in the portraits where he was smoking a pipe, the smoke wafted from the barrel of the pipe.

I took video of some of the experiences, but the files are too large to upload. I'll try to give you an idea of what was going on. Keep in mind that there is effective mood music  going on during the whole thing.

On the left was the beginning of this picture. Then the petals started fluttering around the room until it felt you were in a snowstorm of flower petals, as on the right. Then the petals began to disappear, and there was a whole different painting on the walls behind them.

At the beginning of this painting experience the room was dark. Then the swirls began to move about the walls. They continued to move and expand until it had finally become "Starry Night." Each time the paintings changed, the transition was different. 

I would say if you get the opportunity to attend, it would be well worth it.

I am humbled by the number of "mini-acs" who are participating in my Baggie Challenge. If you haven't seen their amazing quilts, check the links in Wendy's post and see what everyone has made. I haven't made my Baggie Challenge quilt yet, but plan to do it this month--after I get some Christmas gifts made!! Oh, it is coming quickly!

Hope you are finding ways to spread joy, and stay safe.

Until next time, 

Janet O.

 

Leaving you with this sunset from last night. The hazy sky from the inversion provides a bit of a glow spilling over the mountain top. This photo was taken from my sewing room window.

23 comments:

  1. Beautiful view from your window! Love your mini quilts, both are stunning. Hope everyone is ok after the covid happening. The Van Gogh experience looks amazing!

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  2. Congrats on anthor Mini finish. Happy birthday gift of the Van Gogh experience. Happy to see your post tonight.

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  3. Happy Birthday Janet and wow the Van Gogh experience looks to have been really amazing! Your quilts are just so beautiful, very classic and meticulously pieced (with such tiny pieces!), and then your quilting is the perfect finish. This latest color scheme and your earlier quilt with a similar scheme are perfect for the season. I hope your son didn't get Covid. You did the wise thing, limiting your group and I hope you got a lot of help in the kitchen. Thanksgiving dinner is so much work. Lastly... it was fun to do your "baggie challenge";).

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  4. lovely mini as usual...the van gogh exhibit looks astounding...and the happiest of birthdays with many more to come!

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  5. Oh, I love Faithful and the new mini as well. Have thought about seeing the Van Gogh exhibit...thanks for the review.

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  6. What a fabulous mini! Pam will be thrilled with what you have done with it. Gorgeous! And, I'm sure Gladi will be happy that she inspired your color scheme. We get so much from other quilters don't we?! I had so much fun with your "baggie challenge"! It was such a clever thing to do. I need more "boosts" like this to keep me from getting stale. And, once again - "Happy Belated Birthday"!

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  7. Your version of Dear Prudence turned out great! How exasperating to realize your error in the cutting. I once kitted up about 30 blocks to assemble at a retreat, only to discover I’d cut one of the pieces in each kit too small. I don’t blame you for abbreviating the size, but I think it’s just right. Your Faithful mini is simply stunning! How you can work all those minuscule pieces boggles my mind. We have that Van Gogh exhibit near us right now so I must make a point to go. Thanks for sharing. And happy birthday!

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  8. Such a sweet mini, I love the border fabric. I'm sorry you had to cut down all the blocks, this sound like something I would be caught doing. I look forward to seeing the hand quilting on the baskets. I'm glad you got to go to the Van Gogh experience. (And that you braved the traffic!)

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  9. Yes, I think we are all mini-acs. Your baggie challenge was a great idea. Both your newest mini and Faithful are your wonderful style. Happy Birthday. Glad you got such a special treat. It looks like it was heavenly.

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  10. Gosh that sunset is stunning Janet. I just love your new mini quilt & think you made a perfectly good quilt despite your cutting mistakes that you mentioned. Belated birthday wishes to you too Janet.
    I have heard of that exhibition - I think there is a similar one touring Australia at present. It looks amazing - I shall keep an eye out in case it comes to our shores. xx

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  11. Happy Birthday Janet! Love both of you minis! Such beautiful color choices in both. They remind of the colors in your sunset photo. Wow! The Van Gogh experience looks amazing.

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  12. Happy bealated birthday Janet !
    That Van Gogh exhibition was fabulous and certainly, a great experience for you !
    Yours minis are beautiful... as always ! :))

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  13. Beautiful sunset. Happy birthday and WOW, what an experience!!!

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  14. Your latest mini is beautiful as always! I'll have to go back through all the links you shared. Seeing your new mini alongside Faithful, same palette but two entirely different moods in those two quilts! I'd love to see the VanGogh exhibit though those floors would be dizzying. I hope your son and you and hubby escaped the covid. And happy belated birthday to you!

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  15. Happy belated birthday! I love your mini and “Faithful” too! Agree - a great color palette😊! Thanks so much for your kind words about my work and thanks for the link to my blog. It makes me feel so good to know that my work sometimes inspires others - it’s one of the highest compliments. I agree with Wendy about the “baggie challenge.” It was a fabulous idea - many thanks! Wow! - the VanGogh experience looks amazing!

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  16. Thank you for sharing that beautiful sunset! And the Van Gogh pictures too...that looks very cool! :0)

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  17. Love your November mini...basket blocks, what not to love...belated happy birthday...how fun to immerse yourself in the Van Gogh exhibition...

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  18. I love your new little quilt, especially the colors you chose to use together.
    That's too bad your family wasn't able to get together for Thanksgiving. I hope Covid bypassed them.

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    1. And belated wishes for a Happy Birthday. It looks like it was a great one!

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  19. Wow, Janet what a beautiful mini! Love the colors and seeing it next to "Faithful". So many tiny pieces! Happy belated birthday--what a great present. That Van Gogh exhibit looks amazing. I always enjoy your sunset photos. And thanks for the mini baggie challenge--it was so much fun!

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  20. So...does that mean we get two more days until Christmas?! LOL! I have found that with each new monthly mini you post, I love them more and more. Those colors are gorgeous! Fun to see the two quilts side-by-side. Wow, that exhibition was spectacular! It came here (well, to Birmingham, about an hour south of Huntsville) and some quilter friends went. It's really quite amazing, though not nearly as amazing as the sunsets you post!! And I *know* the photos don't do it full justice! Hugs to you!! :)

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  21. Wow the Immersion Experience looks incredible! And belated Birthday Wishes to you! Your mini, as always, is lovely - the colours you have used are just beautiful.

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  22. Oh Janet your little quilts are just wonderful! Your precision and quilting are always spot on.
    I'm glad you discovered Gladi's blog too.
    I was delighted to hear your review of the Van Gough experience. We are going in January in Boston. I'm even more excited now! The best way I have found to upload videos on the blog is to first make it on youtube.
    that sunrise is so majestic. Just gorgeous.

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