Saturday, July 5, 2014

Stitching memories

of a visit from a friend and hot flashes.


Chris from Hudson News and Muse sent a note few weeks back wondering if I was going to be around on the 3rd of July. In past few years Chris and I have had quite a few email visits with each other involving conversations about family, hobbies, work and quilts. On Thursday, for few short hours I got to meet her in person with her husband, Scott - two of the nicest 'first time in person - friends' I have had opportunity to welcome in my home.

I am generally very shy meeting someone for the first time. Believe me when I say this, I was definitely not 'as cool as a cucumber' as I greeted them. As a matter of fact, within first five minutes of their arrival, I had one of my worst hot flashes! I was so embarrassed, I had to stop talking and get myself a glass of water to cool down.

Although it lasted for only first few minutes, I will never forget that. Over the lunch we talked about our kids, quilts and friendships. After lunch we did a little show and tell. I showed them my studio! She also got to see few of my quilts from my book. Just in case you missed it, YES!!! I wrote a book! Cultural Fusion Quilts is due out this December and available now on Amazon to pre-order.

Scott was nice enough to take a few pictures of us. He did a great job.. What do you think?


After they left, I sat down with my scrap quilt and took a few stitches thinking about the time spent with them. I have met many friends through blogging and continue to appreciate what it has done for me. I had not stitched a single stitch by hand in a while. I am thankful that a visit from Chris and Scott brought me out of that slump.

I spent rest of the day stitching what I call organic quilting. No marking, no tools, no noise of the machine.. just my needle and thread along with my thoughts.

By the way, Chris had pointed it out on her way in that a little bird was making a nest in my fuchsia basket. 
No wonder no matter how well I took care of that basket, lately it was looking rather disturbed!
That afternoon I paid close attention to the activities out there.. A pair of wren were making quite a nest. 


They had dug out a considerable size hole in the basket. I watched them line the hole with grass, twigs and even dried leaves and build a structure with walls and roof! When they were done it looked like an igloo made with grass. Clever, right?


It seems like our front porch has become quite the maternity ward for our backyard - front yard birds. Early this spring robin had made nest on the front porch lamp.. We were only gone for couple of days and before we even realized what was happening, momma robin had made it her home. We kept the front porch light off for the entire time.



Now I am wondering if I can water the basket with the nest.

I would like for it to continue blooming.


It's been blooming since the month of May!

I am going to continue hand quilting today. Here are some more pictures of the quilt in progress.




Have a great weekend!


21 comments:

  1. Blog friends are great! Can I come see you too? I'm coming to Lancaster County and Chambersburg in a few weeks. where do you live?

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  2. Your quilt is beautiful ....so full of color....& how nice to meet a blogger friend! I am so happy for you & your book.how exciting your life has become through blogging.

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    1. Thanks, Sally!
      Blogging has proven to be a door to so many things.. Mainly meeting interesting friends and people all around the world. So much of how we interact with people have changed! I am certainly learning something new, every step of the way while sharing my creative journey.

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  3. love the quilt - your quilting is fabulous. what sweet birds. lucky to have a gorgeous fuschia - too hot for them in Florida. Hot flashes stink - they've been making my life miserable for awhile now. I get the least bit hot and fwoom, I'm running with sweat. I've already got your book pre-ordered!

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  4. I think that making friends is the best part of blogging!! It's so sweet that you have birds nesting in your pot plants. I love your quilt!! Such beautiful colours and organic quilting is perfect for it.

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  5. How delightful to meet a new/old friend! We've had nesting birds too - more than usual. There used to be a pair that insisted on nesting in our mailbox. (The postman was NOT amused.) I'm looking forward to your book; thanks for the notice.

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    1. Oh Dear! The nest in the mailbox would not fly around here either! Three weeks of no front porch light and requesting our guests to use the garage door to enter the house was hard enough.

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  6. I know Chris and Scott, and you are right, they are two of the nicest people you will ever meet. As far as hot flashes go, you just never know when one is going to happen. I'm glad I'm past that part of life!

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  7. Thanks for your warm hospitality Sujata - Scott and I had such a nice visit!

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  8. You are lucky to get to meet Chris. She seems like a very sweet person. I love the story about the nest in your fuchsia. Lovely stitching on your quilt!

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  9. I love it when birds build their nests where I can watch. How neat! Get to that quilting, looks great.

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  10. The hand quilting gives depth to your design. Lovely colors and so interesting to look at.

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  11. So good to hear from you and I'm so glad you have started stitching again . . . I miss the rhythm and peace of hand quilting (although the hum of the machine also soothes me - just not in the same way). And I agree about meeting interesting people and making friends through blogging - I am SO glad I'm part of this community!

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  12. Hot flash might be a good name for your quilt! LOL

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  13. How fun to get a visit from a fellow blogger! The birds are so sweet, not sure if you can water or not...
    Love that quilt!

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  14. Its always fun to meet a blogger in person. You feel the instant connection. I love the photos of your tiny visitor and also of your tiny stitches.

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  15. It's good you got to meet your blogger friend in person! I really understand about the hot flashes. I seem to always have my worst ones when meeting new people. We have Wrens every year. There was one family in the spring and now we have a new pair preparing a nest. Love the quilt!

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  16. Again, congrats on the book, and how wonderful that you got to meet a blogging friend in person, and share a lovely afternoon! (I'm also very shy when first meeting someone and still remember running into you a few years back when you recognized me at the Lancaster AQS quilt show. My husband had dropped me off and I was feeling half out of it due to some pain medication I was prescribed for a bad back. In my memory I just babbled something stupid, and afterwards felt like a total idiot! So don't feel bad about that hot flash!!)

    And aren't birds amazing with their nest building skills... no hands, just a beak... how do they do it?!?

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  17. Can't wait to see this quilt progress as I said on the Hand Quilting FB group! So glad I tracked you down :)
    Just this morning I pinned, from a 2009 blog post of Barbara Brackmans', the very quilt that is hanging above your fireplace! So I'm reading this post and see a quilt I just pinned!
    So strange, I think it was meant for me to come here today!

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    1. Lori,
      That is too much of a coincidence! I am glad you found that quilt on this post. That was my proud moment when Barbara Brackman asked for permission to post 'Driftwood' on her blog. I am glad you found this blog too! Thank you!

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  18. Sujata, it is wonderful to know you had such a great time with your blog friend. Your quilt is charming, love your hand stitching! And the babies in the fuchsia plant, so sweet!

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