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Falling for the Outdoors

As I write this, it’s 100 degrees outside in Southern California. It’s mid-September and the leaves on the Sycamore tree in my front yard are beginning to turn brown and fall off. My lawn is covered with them! For those of us in So Cal, that signals fall.

An arborist would simply tell me that the leaves are burning off due to heat, but that’s so unromantic! Hallmark is already showing their fall lineup of cheesy romantic movies and Starbucks has pumpkin spice lattes for sale. I am here for all of it!

Since my weather app says that it will be in the 80s next week (I know...brrrr!), I will be gearing up for one of my favorite fall activities: putting up my fall decorations! While I have all types of decorations for the fall season, my outdoor quilty items are hands-down my favorite!

The second outdoor quilting item that I ever made was a pumpkin that has hung outdoors in my backyard from the end of September through Thanksgiving for the last 5 years! It hangs on this adorable little fence that is next to my potting bench. It's like a little secret just for me and my family who wander back to that corner of the yard.

But the thing that I like most about my quilty fall decorations is my double-sided fall mailbox banner. Whenever I change this banner, my neighbors make the comment, “We always look forward to your pumpkin and leaf mailbox banner coming out. It just feels like the season has started.”

Friends, that is what I get the most excited about: the sharing of a craft that I hold so near and dear to my heart and having the ability to set the tone of a season for those who live on my street. That is what the Outdoor Quilting movement is all about–creativity and community. So whatever the temperature in your neck of the woods, Happy Fall Y’all!

Falling for the Outdoors

Stars, Stripes, and Stitches...Let's Celebrate

Stars, Stripes, and Stitches...
Let's Celebrate

Orange, California (the city I am blessed to call home) has embraced America’s upcoming 250th anniversary with great enthusiasm… and with a quilt. Yep, you heard it right! The city created an installation at the Parks and Recreation Office called The City of Orange Freedom Quilt. They asked the residents to stop by and create their own patriotic “quilt square” celebrating 250 years of American history, freedom, and community pride. Wait, what? How could this be? I love my city, I love quilting, and I LOVE America! They did not have to ask this quilter twice! I sped down to the office faster than Paul Revere on his famous Midnight Ride yelling, “The quilters are coming, the quilters are coming!” OK, not really, but I wanted to.

When I arrived there were various art supplies neatly displayed along with some 6 x 6 inch pieces of red, white, and blue papers. There was a sign asking folks of all ages to create a square for our community quilt. Folks were drawing images or writing meaningful words on their squares, but I took mine home. I sewed patriotic fabrics (crazy quilt style) on my square and brought it back the next day. The receptionist literally gasped and held it gently in her hands asking if I could make more. It was a precious moment for me. It made me thankful that I could sew something that my city appreciated, but what really touched me was what this installation represented. There was a sign by the quilt that stated, "Together, we will build a vibrant community display…one square at a time."

Well isn’t this true about our amazing country, our local cities, and our vibrant community of quilters? Quilting has been on our shores for over 350 years, brought by European settlers in the late 1700s. Quilting continues to grow and evolve as quilters bring new ideas (like outdoor quilting) to the creative table. I can’t wait to see what the next 250 years of quilting has to offer to the “fabric of our country” as we learn from each other and from the global quilting community. So from our living spaces to our landscapes (or sea to shining sea), let's continue to create new quilts… together!

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