Summer 2023 Recap

I’ve been pretty quiet on social media the past month. I was doing a lot of traveling and recharging and I decided in advance that I was ok with whatever the algorithms did in my absence—I am, after all, a human!

Now that I’m back home and in the studio and summer vacation is drawing to a close, I thought it would be fun to recap the fun of my monthlong sabbatical-both as a means to share some of the awesome (and, let’s be honest, challenging!) experiences and also as an opportunity to reflect on them.

Heliconia

Summer got off to an exciting start here with the release of my very first quilt pattern, Heliconia! It’s currently available as a PDF download, though there are rumors that a printed version could be available at QuiltCon 2024 🤐😉

I have recently decided to donate 50% of sales of this pattern to Maui Mutual Aid to help those affected by the wildfires in Lahaina.

Iceland and England and France, oh my!

The backstory/the “why”

My dear husband, who enjoys watching and playing golf, procured tickets for the Friday of the 151st Open outside Liverpool, UK. We have both traveled internationally some and wanted to give our teens a taste of that so it seemed like a great excuse to head across the pond. Iceland Air runs a pretty cool setup where you can arrange a multi-day “layover” in Iceland, without it being treated as a multi-stop trip ($$$), AND they have a direct flight from RDU to Keflavik. So that’s two countries…and since it was only a 2.5 hour train ride, we decided to add some time in Paris as well. In hindsight, we all agreed it was a little ambitious and that we lost some time to travel days - but it was a great trip overall and we know there’s more waiting for us when we can go back!

Iceland highlights

This was the first time in Iceland for all of us! Fun fact: I had a couple Icelandic friends growing up in Swampscott, MA, but I sadly did not get a chance to use the only Icelandic I remembered: “vinsamlegast farðu úr skónum,” which means “please take off your shoes.” It is an otherworldy place and I’d love to visit again - maybe in early fall to see the Northern Lights before it gets too cold!

Happy Toes

The silica-filled, steamy waters of the Blue Lagoon were a welcome respite from hours in airports and a rather cramped plane!
Image: a pair of feet belonging to a white woman emerge from steamy, pale blue water. Black rocks line the shore, and the sky is blue.

Reykjavik mural

There were so many cool murals in Reykjavik! Image: The side of a multi-story building, covered with a monochrome mural depicting snaking lines of people with animal masks and hoods.

Silfra

In Thingvellir National Park, we got up close to the place where two of the earth’s tectonic plates almost meet - the chasm is filled with frigid, clear glacial water. Image: A broad vista with mountains in the far distance. the landscape is split into two rocky and mossy sides, with water flowing down the center.

Katla Volcano

Katla, a volcano that lies beneath and around the Myrdasjokull glacier. Image: a flat, volcanic-black and mossy landscape, with a small river running from one side to the other in the near distance. In the far distance are sloping, moss covered mountains beneath a blue sky with clouds.

Ice Cave & Glacier Hike

This was a highlight of the trip for us all: hiking through an ice cave onto a glacier. It was stunning. Image: a black, grey, white, and blue-streaked glacier rises up towards a blue sky.

Reynisfjara Beach

This magnificent (and dangerous! people are killed every year by “sneaker waves”) beach is bounded by basalt cliffs with striking hexagonal basalt rock formations. Image: looking up a cliff face. The bottom third of the cliff is a pale beige color and is made up of staggered vertical hexagonal shapes.

Reynisfjara beach

Looking westward toward Dyrholaey beach - this photo was taken at 8pm! Image: a rocky, black sand beach in the foreground, with ocean and rock formations in the background.

Nature finds a way...

I’m always amazed by nature’s tenacity! Image: a small flowering plant grows horizontally out of a crack in a towering beige rock face.

Basalt cliffs

I couldn’t get enough of the rock formations at Reynisfjara! Image: a close-up of beige rock formations; a generally flat wall with angular vertical protrusions.

Dyrholaey Beach

This beautiful rocky outcropping is where we saw (camera shy, but take my word for it!) puffins! Image: an ocean vista with rock formations jutting out from the coast, some of which have tunnels carved through them.

Seljalandsfoss

It wouldn’t be an Iceland photo reel without waterfalls! This is the majestic Seljalandsfoss at almost 11pm! It was really cool (and LOUD) to walk behind it as well. Image: a towering cliff face covered in patchy moss, with a very large waterfall crashing down below. The sky is blue with some clouds.

Litli-Hrutur eruption

The Fagradalsfjall volcano was erupting during our trip, and on our return trip it was actually dark enough to see the lava light show from across the bay! This photo was taken at nearly 1am, just down the street from our Airbnb in Keflavik. Image: beyond a rock-lined path lies a smooth body of water. On the left side is an outcropping with a light which reflects on the water. In the distance beneath the clouds, a small but bright orange glow is visible.

England highlights

Brian had been to England before but it was a first for the rest of us. We lucked out with the weather - a number of quite sunny, pleasant days that weren’t too hot. Driving from London to Liverpool on the opposite side of the road in the opposite side of the car was an adventure for which I’ll always appreciate my husband’s taking on with grace and patience.

Tower of London

We booked an early access tour of the Tower of London and it was excellent! We got to see the ceremony of the keys, the ravens, and the crown jewels, all before it got really crowded. Our tour guide was fantastic - this was 100% worth it. Image: the corner of the Tower of London, a beige stone building with turrets, against a blue sky with white clouds.

Tower Bridge

After our tour of the tower & grounds, we headed to the tower bridge - we went inside and up into the towers - again, the tour we booked basically let us skip the long lines. There were lots of displays throughout detailing the history of the bridge. I was enthralled by the architectural details! Image: The stone face of one of the London Tower Bridge supports against a blue sky with white clouds.

Liverpool digs

Our Airbnb in Liverpool was a super fun - some might say over the top - Beatles-themed former pub with lot of bright murals inside & out! Image: an archway painted with brightly colored rainbows and flowers surrounding a window. Painted text under the arch reads “This building appeared on the sleeve of Ringo Starr’s first solo album Sentimental Journey.”

The Open

The whole reason behind the trip! The whole family went in the morning and we let Brian enjoy several more hours in the afternoon and evening after we headed back to crash at the Airbnb. I was a huge fan of the “QUIET” signs these folks carried and was disappointed that they did not carry them in the gift shop. Image: A man in a white hat, black, tan, and white jacket, and black pants is facing away from the camera and is holding a yellow sign that says QUIET on it in his clasped hands behind his back. In front of him is a wide expanse of green grass and blue sky, with some golfers in the midground.

Penny Lane

We of course had to visit Penny Lane on our way out of Liverpool, though the teen named after the song refused to pose with the sign for a picture 🙃 Image: A rainy city street corner, with a curved stone wall several feet high holding back green trees and shrubs. In front of the wall is a black metal framed sign a couple feet tall. The sign says “City of Liverpool Penny Lane L18.”

Richmond

Fans of Ted Lasso: we visited the town where the show is set and it was ridiculously charming! Image: a cobblestone, shop-lined alleyway, with multicolored triangular flags and lights string between the buildings. It is rainy, and several people are walking with umbrellas.

Paddington Station

The only hotel we stayed at on our trip was near Paddington Station, where this absolutely wonderful, larger than life sculpture invited you to join the tea party! Image: a series of bronze sculptures: a large table with tea and various foods, with a hippo, dog, rabbit, lion, and rhinoceros all seated around, as if for a tea service.

Stonehenge

This was an absolute dream come true. Everyone agreed that it was worth it to get up at 2:45am to drive from London for the experience of being in a small group escorted right up to the actual stones. These tours happen before and after hours, and are the only way to walk inside the circle of stones. It was magical. Image: a symmetrical view of a series of large grey stones. Two smaller ones flank a path in the foreground which leads between two larger ones, rectangular in shape, that have horizontal stones stacked atop them, forming a doorway of sorts. In the distance lies another stone which is narrower at the top than the base.

Stonehenge

This is an accurate representation of how happy I was the whole time! Image: a woman in a light blue rain coat, black pants, and bright pink sneakers throwing her arms skyward. She is standing between two very large stones - easily twice her height - in bright green grass. It is a grey day and fields of green and yellow are visible in the background.

Quilty inspiration

I had to stop and take a pic of this hotel - the patterns formed by the windows and balconies are begging to be translated into a quilt - stay tuned! Image: a wide shot of a building with a sign identifying it as the Imperial Hotel in large red letters. The face of the building is almost entirely windowed, and pairs of windows jut out and meet each other at angles, giving the entire surface a jagged appearance. Concrete balconies are interspersed between some of the floors.

Liberty of London

For all the fabric lovers out there - we had to stop at Liberty of London! I petted bolts upon bolts of stunning Tana Lawn, and ultimately ended up with some perfect remnant cuts that fit in my carry-on. Image: the front of a large store with a British flag out front and a sign reading "Liberty” in all caps. The building is Tudor-style, with grey stone and stucco framed by dark-stained wood planks.

Regent's Park

We spent some time wandering around Regent’s Park, and were delighted to come across these folks feeding parakeets that live there! Image: an older man with white hair and sunglasses, wearing a blue jacket and grey pants, has hisright arm outstretched, holding some sort of food item. A bright green parakeet is flying up to his hand to take the food. The man is standing next to a wrought iron fence, on the other side of which are lush green trees & shrubs. Two other people are behind the man, partially obscured.

Paris highlights
I was fortunate to have done an exchange trip to France in high school, and Brian and I visited twice more together pre-kids. I’m still enchanted 💙

Sacre-Coeur

We made it to Sacre-Coeur just a few minutes too late to go inside…but it’s still just as beautiful as ever! Bonus: we rode the funicular up :) Image: a 3-domed, white stone church is illuminated against a night sky. In the foreground there is a signpole with a light and a clock.

Sights along the Seine

We gave our feet a rest on the Batobus (some of us may have snoozed a bit as well), cruising the Seine and seeing Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower from the river. Image: a scene from a boat on the Seine River, looking towards a bridge with golden statues atop pillars at one end. The sky is blue with white clouds, and the Eiffel tower is visible in the distance.

Image: An Art Nouveau style Metropolitain sign arches against a night sky, with buildings in the background.

Catacombs

This was the first time for all of us visiting the Catacombs - on prior visits they had been closed or sold out. We all enjoyed the cool (literally and figuratively) walk underground and marveled at the volume of bones. Image: a stone doorway with block letters carved at the top reading, “Arrete! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”

Arc de Triomphe

We started a stroll down the Champs Elysees from the Arc de Triomphe - the intricacies of the carvings are magnificent! Image: a large pale grey stone monument against a blue sky with white clouds. The monument is an arch with a squared-off top. Carved battle scenes extend out from the face of the monument.

Macarons!

Laduree, the quintessential French macaron! We were thrilled to stumble upon their greenery and floral ensconced sidewalk shop, and the macarons themselves were just as beautiful and also delicious. Image: a white woman’s arm is extended, holding a slim rectangular box filled with a rainbow of macaron cookies. The backdrop is an oval sign with a white background and a gold letter L, set against a wall of greenery and pink flowers.

Pompidou

Our Airbnb was great - air conditioned, roomy, and in the Marais district, just a couple blocks from the Pompidou center. We sadly did not make it into the Pompidou, and the beloved Stravinsky fountain & sculptures were under repair…next time! Image: a night time city scene; a building which appears to be covered in scaffolding is on the left, and a lit up domed walkway snakes down the side.

Louvre

Yes, it’s packed full of tourists and yes, there are so many additional wonderful museums in Paris…we went to the Louvre anyway! Image: a blue sky with white clouds is seen from beneath a glass pyramid. The view of the sky is broken up by the structure of the pyramid, with diagonal beams connecting to make diamond shapes.

New England

Sewing Camp!

We made it home relatively smoothly (one of our bags trailed us by a couple days - hooray for AirTags!), and then a few days later I was off to Massachusetts and Maine! I was so thrilled to be able to go back to Slow Stitching for a second year. For a week, I got to reunite with and make new friends, in a beautiful environment, where I was completely physically, emotionally, and creatively nurtured. This retreat fills my cup and my heart!

Medomak

Medomak Retreat Center is an oasis in Washington, Maine. There’s a lake to swim in, and beautiful fields flanked by wild blueberries growing in later summer. This is the view from the “top of the hill,” where Kim Eichler-Messmer taught us about mordants and dyes. Image: a view of a bright green field with trees and a house in the distance. There is a path mown through the field, and the grasses and plants and flowers grow tall on either side. The sky is blue, with white clouds.

"old" friends...

Allie (aka https://exhaustedoctopus.com/) is a treasure of a human I was happy to become friends with last year - here we are reunited! Image: two white women face the camera, smiling and embracing. They are both wearing black tank tops and denim shorts, and they are standing inside a wood-frame building with folding tables set up behind them.

...and new friends!

I first “met” Radha (aka Sewing Through Fog) on Instagram when I was a pattern tester for her Cosmic Waterfall quilt pattern. Lucky for me, she wasn’t too creeped out when this stranger from the internet suggested we drive to camp and room together! Image: two white women wearing colorful aprons carry a large metal pot between them across a grassy area, with a wooden building behind them.

Sewing in the barn

Sujata Shah joined us in the barn to share techniques, wisdom, and inspiration around color. I absolutely love the quilt top I created with her help - stay tuned for a future blog post about it! Image: a white woman with short, curly, red hear is wearing glasses and seated in front of a white sewing machine. She is feeding fabric through in hues of pink and blue. She is inside a large, open barn, and other women are visible in the background, sewing and cutting fabric.

more quilting...

My view in the barn - I was really pleased to actually get the top fully pieced! Image: A white sewing machine, with an assortment of fabric squares under and behind the needle. Beyond the machine, there is a deck overlooking woods. It is sunny out.

Roomies!

I loved rooming (cabin-ing?) with these two! Image: three white women face the camera, smiling and embracing. The woman on the left is wearing a pale green tank top and has reddish curly hair. The woman in the center has dark curly hair and is wearing a black and white floral dress. The woman on the left has long straight brown hair, wears glasses, and has on a brightly colored tie-dye dress. Above them hangs a banner of triangular fabric flags.

Boston

I flew into & out of Boston for camp, thanks to my generous brother loaning me his Jeep Rubicon and not getting mad about the sap from an Austin Powers-type situation between a tree and a cabin at camp 😅 (huge shout out to Sam & Allie for resolving that situation!). I scheduled a couple extra days on the way back so I could spend some time with family & longtime friends.

Saboteuse

It’s always a treat to spend time with one of my dearest friends from back home - Sarah (aka Saboteuse) and I have been friends since the late 80s and share a birthday, among many other things. She is an accomplished artist and maker of bespoke boots; it was so cool to see some of her work on display at the Arts League of Lowell with her in person! Image: a white woman wearing glasses, a pale blue tank top, and jeans, stands smiling next to a hip-high white pedestal. Atop the pedestal is an artwork pair of “shoes” made from metal, leather, and yarn.

New England Quilt Museum

Sarah & I visited the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, where we were wowed by the artistry and skill on display! The quilt in this photo is The Forest Where Spirits Dwell, by Misako Imamura. Image: a white woman faces away from the camera, taking a photo with her phone of the large quilt on the wall in front of her. The quilt features overlapping hexagon shapes and stripes in hues of green, blue, and yellow.

deCordova

Y’all, I LOVE sculpture gardens. LOVE THEM. My family is generally tolerant of them, but they don’t share my level of enthusiasm - so of course when I had time to myself I had to visit the deCordova Sculpture Park in Lincoln, MA! It was a perfect, quiet, misty day to wander and contemplate. This is Best of All Possible Worlds by Saul Melman. Image: an outdoor scene, with a slender dirt path cutting through the grass on a hill that slopes down to the right. Trees are in the distance. Artwork description from deCordova website: “The piece consists of eight vacuum-molded casts of doors, arranged in the exact configuration of the artist’s Brooklyn apartment. The vacuum-cast process creates translucent replicas of the original doors in plastic. Traces of paint and small pieces of wood cling to the surface of some of the doors, suggesting their past lives and situating them between the material and immaterial, past and present.”

more from the deCordova

Lincoln, by DeWitt Godfrey. Image: (description partially from deCordova website): a “low-lying, horizontal sculpture is composed of eighty variously sized and shaped cylinders that appear to spill down the hill” - trees are behind the sculpture and a red stone building is seen in the distance. It is a cloudy, grey day.

Home sweet home!

I’m pretty sure Frida missed me the most…now it’s back to designing more patterns and sewing more quilts - did I mention QuiltCon is coming up?!

What did your summer hold? Let me know in the comments!