Tuesday Tales - Tranquility Nights

Tonight's blog post is one that I've been wanting to write for a while. I want to take a moment to tell the story of this quilt, which is destined for a very special purpose, and I'm thrilled beyond belief to share it with you here.The quilt is named Tranquility Nights, and it's pictured with the longarm quilter who quilted it for me, Cheryl Szynkowski of of North Port, Fl. This is a project that was talked about over a dinner in Houston last fall, and to say that the final quilt exceeds my expectations is putting it mildly.This is our donation to the MD Anderson 2017 Online Quilt Auction, which is held every two years in Houston at Quilt Festival.  This year's auctions funds will be used to fund the Blanton-Davis Ovarian Cancer research program, which is dedicated to funding effective screening methods, and, ultimately a cure for Ovarian Cancer.  I first became aware of this effort on my first trip to Houston, and I will be making something for each auction going forward.Tranquility Nights, which was designed by me (using Jaybird Quilts Boomerang pattern as an inspiration), and pulling a lot of the Ambassador box from Island Batik's shipment last fall.  I drew the Surf and Sand collection from Fourth and Sixth designs, and I knew that the color palette would go beautifully with its' mission, which has Teal as a signature color.Now, I have to tell you that working on a quilt like this has yielded a few surprises along the way for both of us.  Cheryl really had the chance to get in touch with her 'inner modern quilter' while she worked on this - you're welcome, by the way.  I think we were both surprised with the gusto with which we took to this project - and she pulled out everything for this one.Cheryl doesn't blog (yet...hope springs eternal), but I asked her to give me her thoughts as to where she drew her inspiration - "...As I started to quilt I chose the diamonds in the beautiful colors and made them move further by making the design into an off set diamond half and not the same angle as the diamond itself. Then to further that I changed directions. Even though it was a triangle shape it started with a diamond in the smallest area of the designI kept the triangle on the borders to make the eye travel back and forth between the diamonds and triangles. So that left the middle. I wanted a big circle to find everything the eye to really change direction. I started with it the the guy one side should have feathers. As I did other quilting I realized it would look better with feathers on both sides if the circle makeing it complete. I knew to push all my diamond sizes into the circle. As I put a few in more just needed to be there and I built on that..."As someone who isn't remotely in the same category, I am humbled that she put so much of her heart and soul into something that means so much to me.And, hopefully, to you - or someone who will appreciate it. It's going up for auction this fall, and it's a full queen size, custom quilted item going for a wonderful cause.  As soon as MD Anderson puts the link on their site for the item to indicate that bidding is open,  I'll put a button on my website - and Facebook - and Instagram linking to it.This is a cause that is near and dear to me and to my family, and this is my small way to help raise funds to erradicate this killer. I've lost too many friends to this, and it has to stop.I am blessed to work with some of the most talented people in the industry, and I am so happy that Cheryl and I crossed paths.  If you are looking for a quilter to work with on your special project, I can't recommend Cheryl highly enough.So...what are you working on this week?