Monday, October 30, 2017

Good News, Bad News

Life is full of all kinds of news. We must navigate through times, both good and bad and somehow make it on the other side. I don't know how many times I have reminded myself with "This too shall pass".. it always does.

Early this year my husband lost his job due to a big buy out of his company. His department was shut down and you get the picture.

The change happened just before we went to India and Thailand. The trips were planned well in advance and we thought a little vacation doesn't hurt anyone. And it didn't!

We had a great time and after coming back I got right into my teaching trips. Numerous workshops and lectures kept me busy all throughout this year. My husband on the other hand had busy months filled with searching for a new job. Our primary goal was to find a job right here in the bay area, where we feel very much at home and hope to be for rest of our lives. The idea of another move just didn't sound appealing. We have done this "move thing" few times and I rather not even think about it.

In May, our younger son, Shail graduated from Berkeley with his graduate degree and found a job right here in San Francisco and my daughter, Kavita graduated from Emerson college and started working in Boston. In August as you all know, our first-born got married in August and life couldn't be any perfect.

Sometimes even the best of the things can be over shadowed by that one, only negative thing in life but those good things in life work as fuel to help us carry on.

Here are some good news! After months of searching, my husband has a new job. A job that is just right, in fact it started out with a trip overseas. That only means there will be some traveling in future for him and may be for me?

Well... let's talk about my travels later.  

At the same time Kavita has a new job..where you ask?

Right here in San Francisco! She arrived just a couple of days ago.

Life is now perfect! 

Not so fast!

My husband's job is in San Diego! Eight hours away from home.

Yes, we are on the move again. 

So, after all these years of me wishing for my family to be on the same coast, We managed to reach that goal.

I am not sure what's in hold for us but for now, I am preparing for my upcoming cruise to the Caribbean with World of Quilt Travels. I am excited to meet everyone and teach on my first ever quilting cruise.


My husband is moving to San Diego soon and I will join him in few months after few of my travel plans including my Handmade India tour with Amy Butler.



Yes, it is true. Life gives with all its mighty, good and bad, we must accept. You never know what it could turn into.

For now, everyone in the family is employed and these two started their new job on the same day!


Life is Good!



Monday, October 9, 2017

PNQF Museum

This past weekend I had the opportunity to teach a workshop at the Pacific Northwest Quilt and Fiber  Arts Museum, previousely known as the La Conner Quilt Museum. The love and kindness I see in quilters is always overwhelming and makes me want to continue in this direction. We worked on Endless Mountains and the results were as fun as ever.
Here are some pictures from the workshop.
I also got to see few of the quilts made by my lovely friends from previous workshop. They are my biggest rewards of teaching.



This is also my first time blogging from an iPad. Let's see if I do it right.









Monday, October 2, 2017

Paper Beads and Simply Moderne #10 Giveaway

This is a scenario, I know we all have gone through.

You have worked on numerous quilts and are left with all sorts of scraps. Your baskets and bins are spilling over and no matter what you do to organize them, they seem to overflow. Sometimes literally follow you wherever in your quilty life you go. 

Those strings and scraps..

Is it worth saving them?

Do you ever want to see THAT piece of fabric ever again after having used in more than three quilts?

Have you ever asked that question to yourself?

What do you do with those, now ugly and old to you scraps? Do you give them away or do you save them?

I don't think anyone wants bits and pieces of my scraps so I piece them together in hopes of some day making a scrap quilt.

Paper Beads started out something like that. Tons of ugly scraps overflowing the scrap baskets, finally saw the light of day and graced the cover of a beautiful magazine!



There are so many inspiring string quilts out there but I wanted to make mine just a little different.

I made blocks in all different sizes. It's easier when you have no end result in mind. Then came the designing stage. How was I going to use my string blocks into a quilt?

During that time I had bought a necklace made out of magazine paper by women in Africa. Bowls and baskets made from magazine papers were in almost every home stores. I was not only intrigued by the texture and shapes of those beads but also the idea that they were made with recycled material.

It made sense to try my hand at that. Except, mine were going to be made from fabrics.

For the background, I used a brown Indian shot cotton purchased on my trip to India. Those beads jump right off of it, don't you think?

Couple of years back I was approached by Quiltmania Editions to submit a quilt or two for Simply Moderne magazine. Paper Beads made the cut!


When I worked at the quilt shop, Quiltmania was one of my favorite magazines and it is an honor to see my quilt on the cover of its sister magazine.

I am excited to share this news. Now you can put all your scraps and strings to a good use and make this quilt too!

Quiltmania editions is giving away a copy of Simply Moderne to one lucky winner from my instagram feed!

I improvised my quilt as it progressed but you can make this quilt with the instructions provided by the magazine.

To win a copy of the Simply Moderne #10, all you have to do is subscribe to this blog and follow me on Instagram @therootconnection

I will pick a winner on Monday, October 8th. 

Good luck! 



Enter to Win Bernina 455 QE Kaffe Edition

Hey everyone! It has been a while! I have to share some great news! I have some great giveaway announcement!     Alex and Ricky at TheQuiltS...