Boca Raton with SFMQG, and Improv

It's been two weeks since I posted. I know. That's very unlike me. But it's also a statement about how on-the-go I've been. First it was QuiltCon; then there were houseguests; then it was giving a program and workshop to South Florida MQG in Boca Raton; followed by a quick visit to Orlando to see our Kansas City daughter who was attending a conference. Whew. The time has flown by, albeit in an extremely happy way!

Where to begin? 

I'll start with last weekend's (February 27-28) trip to Boca Raton. I spent Friday night in a hotel, and then all day Saturday with members of South Florida MQG. 

The South Florida chapter of the MQG offers hybrid programs and workshops - on Zoom and in-person. No doubt that's one of several reasons they have 88 members. Another is that they're simply a great group of people, many of whom are already friends that I came to know when I was a 2020 virtual member of their chapter.

Saturday's meeting was at the Boca Raton Community Center. Members were in-person and on Zoom.

At their request, I created a presentation for them about me and my quilts. 

Honestly, when I began putting this together I hadn't realized that this year marks 50 years of quiltmaking for me. The process of going through pictures of old quilts, many that I no longer possess, and documenting my journey including earning a journalism degree, writing for quilting magazines, learning to teach through my Stitchin' Mission ministry, and writing the First Time Quiltmaking book, followed by embracing modern, was enlightening. I've told hubs that when I die, all he need do as a memorial is play this slideshow! 

I added a few funnies and quilting tips to the program, so it wasn't totally boring. This is a 2000 magazine ad promoting Fiskar scissors with a not-to-be-overlooked hunky guy. Effective advertising, I'd say!

I followed the presentation with a trunk show of Snowflake Medallion quilt (an award-winner) that concluded my traditional journey and 21 other, more modern quilts that have been my efforts to make quilts that would be accepted into QuiltCon - thus far, 19 acceptances in 9 shows. No winners.

After a nice pizza lunch... 

... and cake... (Wasn't that nice of them?)

...I led quilters in a Kawandi-making workshop. 

I still adore making Kawandi myself, and for teaching purposes have begun two of them. 

More (pink) icing on the cake 😀 was receiving this certificate... complimentary membership in South Florida Modern Quilt Guild, for one year!

I'm delighted! I will happily attend their twice-monthly Zoom Sip 'n Sew evenings where conversation is mostly about quilting or books read, and attend as many virtual meetings as possible. This is such a genius gift idea. A free guild membership could certainly incentivize a chapter's members to give a program or workshop.

By the way, Cindy Grisdella's new book was recently released - Freehand Curve Quilts. I recently received my complimentary copy and am delighted to share my Party Time! quilt on page 85.

It's on the page after Candi Lennox's quilt on page 83. 

Candi (a member of the Jacksonville MQG) is excellent at improv having four quilts accepted into QuiltCon, and participating in the making of two group quilts at QuiltCon! Here's Candi with the group quilts.

The first is We Come in Piece and earned my vote for People's Choice (it didn't win). 

This is Heard of Turtles.

My next post will be a brief overview of QuiltCon followed by a couple posts with more pictures of QC quilts. Linda

What I've Worked On

I haven't taken time to write a blog post, wanting to be sure I have everything ready in the run-up to QuiltCon. I also thought I didn't have anything to post about, but then I realized... I have continued to create in between other pre-QuiltCon obligations.  

As happens to many makers, I had a squirrel moment about a week ago when I saw a foundation paper-pieced hexagon made by Canadian quiltmaker, Cristina @shipsandviolins.

(At left) Cristina's Good Morning, Mom! quilt hanging at QuiltCon 2025 in Phoenix is how I found Cristina, and first started following her on Instagram. She made this quilt after seeing her infant son smile at her one morning. 

Good Morning, Mom! got my vote for "People's Choice" (it didn't win) mostly because it made me smile too. It's now among those in the QuiltCon traveling show. 

Anyway, Cristina's Scrappy FPP Hexagon block pattern is being sold by her guild - Toronto MQG - as a fundraiser. 

Scrappy FPP Hexagon, 12" X 12"

For just $5, I got to "torture" myself sorting through bins of print and solid scraps to create color and value gradations, and sew lots of narrow seams. 

First I pieced the gradated aqua to green hexagon half. 

Then I pieced the gradated orange to yellow (and back to orange) hexagon half. 

The template makes a 15" square block that can be sewn into anything you wish, or follow pattern instructions to mount it on a 12" X 12" canvas. 

I'm pleased with this finish, and recommend the pattern to anyone who likes foundation paper piecing. Removing the ¼" pieces of paper (I used newsprint as foundation paper) was a bit tedious, but the result is worth it. 

On the round loom knitting scene, I'm making another Tiny Doll - doll #7 to add to the collection I will donate.

Pretty in pink. Her cap is in the works; then eyes and a nose. 

I've joined a newly-formed monthly knitting group, and already got a new-to-me pattern for a Waffle Knit Dishcloth using size 6 needles. The pattern is a freebie from a 2007 blog post by Homespun Living.

I knitted with "Loops & Threads" cotton yarn from Michael's, and struggled a little with the P2, K1 row. It seems that purling by the Continental method is awkward for me, perhaps because I've been using old aluminum needles from my Mother's knitting supplies. I'll be watching for a chance to buy bamboo needles. 

For those of you following along on my braided rag rug progress, here's the latest. Don't see much progress? Well, it's slow-going now that it's 47" X 60". On Saturday I stopped at a thrift store and shopped for color from the $1 men's t-shirt clearance rack. The lime and yellow shirts have been washed and are ready for cutting and braiding.

Will I see you at QuiltCon next week? Linda

Slow-Going; Little Sewing

I tried. I really, really tried to again get into piecing the improv quilt that's been on my design wall for several weeks. I'm feeling the disappointment that comes from an inability to "get it right." 

Here's an honest picture of how it's going. 

Ugh. Not well. I'm thinking to take it down so I don't have to stare failure in the face. 

Avoiding sewing altogether, I've been round loom knitting. Ah yes... something that is turning out.  

Two more cute "Tiny Dolls" made using Denise's (loomahat.com) YouTube video. It's interesting to me how using two strands of "super-soft yarn" and a little too much Cluster Stuff poly fill (from Hobby Lobby), made one of them a tiche taller than the other. 

Then, my friend Sherry @otterbeequilting let me know that Denise has a Teddy Bear YouTube video, and I was all-in on that one. Teddy sits 5½" tall, and loves my braided rag rug. 

All the stuffies I've been making have come off a 24-peg round loom, and are filled with Cluster Stuff. I plan to donate these to the local police department who will give them to kids who need comforting. 

It's slow-going on the rug. I'm up to braiding/weaving with 16 strands, and it now measures 60" long. I'm still using only upcycled clothing, leftover garment-making fabrics, and bed sheets. 

Don't forget that if you're interested in learning "Braided Rag Rugs," Ilka White (of Australia) is offering a six-hour workshop (over two days) in April. Go here for more information. Her workshop is how I learned!

I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row in anticipation of the rest of February, which is turning out to be packed with exciting activities - Central Florida MQG meeting (and me writing the monthly member newslettter); QuiltCon in less than two weeks; houseguests; and presenting a program and workshop to South Florida MQG.

Though "going" won't be slow, sewing will no doubt remain "little." Linda

End of January

Did January fly by for you too? 

Ever since moving to Florida, and experiencing "snowbird season," it's been remarkable to observe how busy January and February are. It's because many of the part-time and year-'round clubs and activities save some of their best annual programs and events until everyone is here. That means, all the clubs are meeting, and programs are full steam ahead. For me, most often with two activities every day, I find myself coming and going a lot!

Not much time has been spent in the sewing room, with no sewing at all this week. Still, I'm satisfied with my out-going fabric total for January: 8.13 yards. No fabric came in.

The out fabric total is based on two items: 1) backing and binding Sunny Lanes; and 2) donating 7.2 pounds of tiny scraps for pet beds. 

Here's the finished 52" X 68" Sunny Lanes.

Backing and binding used about 3 yards of January's out yardage total. 

Though I wouldn't have minded making Sunny Lanes larger, it's plenty heavy. Between the seams sewn in 1,968 1½" (unfinished) squares, and Quilter's Dream Blend, a 70/30 (cotton/polyester) batt that's heavier than Quilter's Dream Request Cotton, this quilt is weighty. 

My Sunny Lanes block tutorial is available HERE, in case you'd like to make this. 

This week's creative focus has been on braiding. My rug is now 43" X 51". I'm delighted with it and even more thrilled that I've been able to braid it flat!

After first making a round rug, followed by making two oval rugs, I have learned that the oval shape is more difficult to achieve flatness. Tighter curves on the ends require weaving two strands in a loop to create extra fabric for the perimeter. Anyway... I've learned that lesson!

Do you see what I added? A slash of orange from a knit fabric flat bed sheet; and a bit of light blue from a print flat bed sheet gives it more interest.

I'm repeating both the orange slash, and bit of blue on each opposite side. Those extra bits mean having two braids going at the same time.

As I go, I'm cutting strips and keeping them somewhat organized. I will definitely keep braiding to make the rug as large as possible. 

If you're interested in learning to make Braided Rag Rugs, I highly recommend learning from Ilka White, an Australian who is offering two April dates (evenings, in the US) for a virtual workshop. I learned from Ilka myself, and can't recommend a better instructor. Find more information here.

Book Recommendations

January time spent braiding meant time spent listening to 14 audiobooks. 

In score order (with 5.0 being highest), audiobooks I listened to are: 

The River is Waiting is a somewhat dark story. I suggested it to a friend, only to learn she'd begun it and couldn't finish it because of the difficult subject. Indeed, it's sad. I was also a little frustrated with a couple of the characters. But I appreciate the emotions of a father living with the guilt of a tragic accident, and the insight it gave to life in prision. It is beautifully written.

Count the Night by Stars by Michelle Shocklee is a ficticious story that takes place in Nashbille. It's factually based on the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, and life at the Maxwell House Hotel (yes, that's where Maxwell House coffee originated). It involves charm and propriety, romance, and disreputable men. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and learned something in the process. Now I want to revisit Nashville (since QuiltCon 2019) to find the sites described!

The Last Witness is a psychological thriller that's intriguing, and whose end I didn't see coming. This story begins with Ellie driving toward home and witnessing the death of a motorist directly in front of her. While the reader sympathizes with her throughout the story, an underlying untold secret explains why Ellie is suffering so much. It's one of those books I occasionally like to listen to. But one phychological thriller after another can become too much. 

Sisters in the Wind is about a young girl, Lucy, and her dad living alone. Knowing he's dying, he marries a woman who he believes will take care of Lucy. That's when Lucy's life takes a drastic turn. Living in foster homes, she tries to find a peaceful life, but corruption in the foster care system makes her life difficult. Then Lucy uncovers the proof needed to change her life forever.

I must give a mention to The Wedding by Nicholas Sparks because his writing style is thoroughly dependable. He always tells a story that's much like a Hallmark movie, with pretty speech and thoughtful insight. This one was especially charming and beautiful, told from the perspective of a husband who, now that their three children are grown and gone, sees his marriage drifting. His efforts to restore romance are sweet. In the end, he caught me unaware.

I really want to keep going with the "Andy Carpenter series" by David Rosenfelt, but... both my library apps - Hoopla, and Cloud Library - let me down. Book #13, Who Let the Dog Out? is available only as an e-book, so I'll have to make time to read it. And neither library app has book #14, Outfoxed. Argh! Since David Rosenfelt has written 33 "Andy Carpenter" books, I likely won't finish the series. 

I hope I've shared a couple titles that pique your interest. Linda

17th Blog-iversary!

Happy Australia Day to my friends in Australia! And happy blogiversary to me. 

It's difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that 17 years ago today, I wrote my first FlourishingPalms blog post. 

17 years! 

My first post was about January 26 being Australia Day. In honor of the occasion I made pavlova, a traditional Australian baked meringue dessert reputed to have been named for the ballerina, Anna Pavlova. Back then, in 2009, I was into all things Australia because our daughter lived in Sydney, and I visited there multiple times when we lived in Iowa. 

For the first seven years of blogging - writing 716 blog posts during that seven years - I had each year of posts printed into a book. As I recall, the first few years of books were $40 to $50 each. By the time I'd had the seventh year printed for $80, I decided it wasn't worth it to continue that practice. I just check a site to see what it would cost to print 70 posts from 2025 and the price was about $148 - still not worth it. 

While some quilt makers have told me my blog posts are my legacy, and I should document everything I've written about by printing a book, I have strong doubts that my descendants will care one way or another about what I had to say about my quilts or my process for making them. 

Only for me is it satisfying to recognize that I've continued to regularly write blog posts while many other creative bloggers I avidly followed in the early days have long ago let their blogs lapse. For me, each post is a journal - a means to document all my makes, whether they're quilts or other creative efforts to which I've applied my "flourishing palms." 

I remain very happy with the blog name flourishingpalms, and use @flourishingpalms on Instagram too. In case you didn't know, I chose the name because it signifies three things for me: 

1. It's a favorite Bible verse: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, planted in the house of the Lord." Psalm 92:12
2. I've always admired and been fascinated by palm trees, even making a palm tree quilt while living in Iowa. (See below.)
3. I appreciate the play on words, with "palm" not only referring to the tree, but referring to the creative efforts of my hands - my palms.

Here's the palm quilt hanging in our Florida house.

There's one special block... a sun chair sitting in a field of Iowa corn, where a palm is also growing!

The quilt name is I Can Dream, Can't I?

Little did I know, back in 2005 when I made the quilt, that I would one day be living in Florida where palms are a regular sight. We've been here 13½ years now.

What I've Been Doing Lately

I finished a skein of donated variegated pastel yarn. I previously posted about the baby afghan I made. Using the same knitted pattern, the remaining yarn made a piece that's only 13" X 26". I've dubbed it a lovey, or perhaps it could be a doll blanket.  

13" X 26"

"Beautiful Texture Baby Blanket" knitting pattern info

Braiding continues on my rag rug that's now 40" X 50", making it completely importable. It's heavy!

Trying to be a little more creative with the rug design, you can see where I added a second braid that's entirely orange.

Along the end I'm inserting another short, light blue braid. I plan to repeat the orange design on the next long side, and add another light blue braid at the end. My thrift store investments (several years ago) in two flat bed sheets - orange, and blue print - were good choices.

I've also begun another take-along sewing machine project. My five-pound Janome Derby sewing machine is perfect for this.

I'm piecing to "do something" with dozens and dozens of triangles I found in scrap bins. I know some triangles are offcuts from making Posh Penelope, but I can't remember where others came from. Some HSTs are finishing at 2½", and others at 2¼". No matter. I plan to work out a way to make them all into one quilt. 

Another Fun Thing

For blog-readers who are not Floridians, you won't recognize the structure below, but it's a Twistee Treat ice cream stand. 

I discovered Twisted Treat in 2020, stopping at one after getting our first COVID vaccinations - my reward for being a good girl. 😀 

I adore their soft-serve ice cream, but seldom have opportunities to eat it because the nearest location is 15 miles away. All Twistee Treat structures are distinctive like this, with a cone base and an ice-cream-and-toppings roof. Some also have sprinkles!

The picture above is of the stand that's going up near me. Oh boy! I'll be able to get there by golf cart! This is supposed to open in February. I'm closely watching @twisteetreat on Instagram.

I can't end this post without saying 💕 thank you 💕 to everyone who's been a blog-reader. 

While I miss quilters who once-upon-a-time read my posts (and I considered friends) I remain ever-so-grateful to you who take a moment to read and comment. I love hearing from you! Even those of you who have been commenting as "Anonymous," I hope you know I am responding to all comments. Whether you receive an email reply, or a response in the comments of that blog post, I appreciate you!

Maybe I'll keep hearing from you... for another 17 years? Linda