City (of New Orleans) Sampler Quilt Top FINISHED!

I am thrilled to announce that my City Sampler Quilt top is FINISHED!  It's a King size quilt (104" by 104"), and made in a Mardi Gras color scheme (purple, gold and green).  I have all 100 blocks from Tula Pink's City Sampler Quilt book in there, and used her City Planner quilt pattern to finish it up.  Many of Tula Pink's fabric lines are in the quilt, and I tried to use at least 1 of her fabrics in each block. I liked it so much that I made a King sized quilt, even though we only have a queen sized bed LOL!

I'm hoping to get it quilted up before our local quilt show in May.  I've heard rumors that this may be our last year of the quilt show.  :-(.

I'm linking up to Sara at Sew Sweetness, who was the instigator of this quilt along. Be sure to see what others have finished up!

Suddenly craving King cake after making this king quilt!!

Tula Pink City Sampler Quilt Along

Hi, my name is Becky, and I'm a quilt along addict!

I've joined yet another quilt along.  Over the week-end, I was able to make a trip over to Walla Walla, WA and Stash Quilt Shop.  They were able to bring back a trunk show from Tula Pink, after this Spring's Quilt Market.  Tula Pink's new Quilts are just incredible!  I was able to buy her new book at Stash, so that I could join in on the City Sampler Quilt along over at Sew Sweetness.

These blocks are really fun to make, and also half the size I'm used to making, only 6 1/2 inch square.  They are great for using up my scraps, which is exactly what I'm going to do.  I'm throwing in some of my Tula Pink fabric, and also am going to make them "Mardi Gras" colors...

With summer heat right around the corner, it'll be a great summer sewing activity!

Fat Tuesday and WIP / Ash Wednesday

Can you tell what I've been working on today?!  I love biology, but when I was in school if the biology teacher told us to take out our colored pencils, I was ecstatic! I'm going back to school with my Valentine's cards this year!  So much FUN!  I'm also inking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced WIP Wed...

Today is also Ash Wednesday, which means that yesterday was Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras.  I was so busy making King Cake, a traditional Mardi Gras treat that I didn't have time to blog yesterday.

I have a few Louisiana cookbooks, but only one had a King Cake recipe, and I didn't feel that it was "traditional" enough.  I found this John Besh recipe on-line that totally takes me back to my childhood!  King Cake is actually a yeast bread, with a brioche dough.  It traditionally has a plastic baby that is tucked into the cake from underneath after it's baked.  Whoever gets the baby has to bring the next King Cake.  They are served on a very regular basis during the season of epiphany (12th day after Christmas) until Lent. I had to once again go "old school" and used a walnut half instead.  My oldest son was delighted to find it. 

The original custom, way back when, was that whoever got the walnut, or bean would be the "king" of the ball or event which this was served at, and then hold the next party.  I'm linking up with Debbie at A Quilter's Table!

I also finished my 3rd Triple zip in Mardi Gras colors.  All day long I was listening to my dozens of New Orleans music CD's... The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Professor Longhair, and many many others!  As the song goes, I "know what it means to miss New Orleans", but carrying on these traditions here in Oregon makes me miss it a bit less.

Do you have any traditions that makes you miss yous birthplace or past home less?

More Blocks for Hurricane Sandy Quilts

Just thought I'd share a few more blocks that I just put in the mail today for a group quilt that's being donated to Hurricane Sandy relief.  I signed up over at the Quilting Gallery, where Michelle has asked volunteers to sew up some of these scrappy log cabin blocks for quilts.

I decided to make mine Mardi Gras / New Orleans colors again (purple yellow and green).  As I sewed, I reflected and meditated at how Hurricane Katrina changed our family's life so much.  I now no longer have family there, and as the song goes, I "know what it means to miss New Orleans".  I know there are so many affected East Coast families who really are missing their homes right now.  Hopefully this quilt will bring a little bit of comfort into their lives.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I'm also very thankful for my own home that is stable and intact.