Shine!

 Well, hello there. Sorry about the unplanned absence, I've had some health things going on the last couple of months but I'm back now, pretty much recovered from surgery in December. I've been creating all along, just haven't had the energy to keep things up to date. So, I have some catching up to do!

Back in May of 2025 it was my turn to provide a prompt to the Quilts Unscripted Bee.Here's a summary of what I sent them:

In 2024, my word of the year was Shine and I have found it so impactful for me that I decided to make it the theme of my year five Quilts Unscripted prompt. With all of the turmoil and uncertainty in our world these days, I find that committing to Shine and be my best self is the most impactful thing I can do to change my immediate environment.

I love this quote by Francis Bacon,

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be

present.

So I encouraged my bee friends to Shine! I asked them to make 2 12 1/2” ish

blocks or the equivalent that represent the word shine. I was not looking for

literal Sunshines (you all know I love a good sunshine) but rather their improv

interpretation of Shine.

My preference, as usual was for clear, saturated colors. I provided a fat

eighth of Kona Lagoon and asked them to use it in moderation in each

block they made.

As always my beemates came through with amazing blocks! I added improv letters to spell out "shine" and started assembling. I admit there was a "messy middle" with this one, a time where I wasn't sure I loved the way it was coming together. Friends from my guild suggested framing it with a border. That did the trick! I didn't get it finished in time to enter in Quiltcon for this year (I'll try next year) but it is finished! My pal Martha quilted it beautifully for me with a groovy flower panto that suites the palette and the theme. I'm really happy with the finished quilt.