What does Silk have to do with this quilt obviously made of cotton?
Would you believe me if I told you it all started on a trip to Vietnam in May of 2023?
Here in the high mountain region surrounding Sapa, farming happens
on the hillsides in cascading terraces just as it has been done for millennia.
On this day we had traveled a ways out of Sapa to attend a
batiking workshop amongst the Hmong – we were all so excited!
There is some from my group on the pathway below.
The scenery was
breathtaking –
Our workshop was wonderful – and the elevation? Well –
pretty high. And I’m blaming the lack of oxygen to my brain and the excitement
of the whole experience with this next moment –
I stopped to get a
photo of this fella.
This water buffalo was just there grazing along the side of
the road.
I happened to crouch down, thinking I needed to take this
photo straight on to fully get him in frame and before I knew it:
Yes, that’s me being walked back to the car by Marnie and
Chrissy – my right foot had slid in the mud and down I went into a ditch like
the proverbial slip n’ slide experience from my childhood.
There was no way to stop it.
I twisted my left knee badly in the slide.
But quilters do what quilters must. Back to the hotel to change!
There I am trying to peel out of muddy clothes, and wash myself up enough to put on clean ones and somehow I think that *now* is the time to rummage for my phone and take a photo of the tile wall, because??
I was in pain, and still captivated by the design before me
on the wall.
Even the color inspiration came from the bathroom tiles – or
perhaps it was the mud I landed in?
Bathroom tile in the lady’s room at the Silk Path Spa &
Resort in Sapa Vietnam.
This interesting motif was the floor of our elevator. I sense a theme! Where is my graph paper?
The Silk Path floors, and bathroom tiles were the
inspiration for this quilt.
In any case, the pattern wouldn’t leave me. I was set to
graph it out in some form.
And that’s the story -but one more thing:
I was granted the golden water buffalo award for endurance!
(Thanks Marnie & Chrissy!)
Silk Path is completely scrappy. I used many shades of rust-to-brown for my
darks and all shades of neutral from white to cream to toasty sand.
The more variety the better is my feeling with a quilt like this. The more variety you have, the easier it gets when it comes to laying everything out and not having the same fabrics “touch.”
Silk Path is easily constructed from strip-sewn panels: Sliced, mixed and matched, rearranged and sewn back together! No triangles required.
Full color photos, step-by-step instructions included.
Quilt Size: 84’’ X 84’’
Introductory Special: I have placed Silk Path at 25 % off in both the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store and in the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop.
Sale price good through 11/15/23. Hurry now and save - no coupon needed!
And yes - I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive a Silk Path PDF pattern from me, and a Facets of Brown Color Roll from Cotton to Quilts.
We'll draw for our winners on 11/16/23 upon my return home from visiting my Dad and family in Arizona.
Good luck, everyone!
Of course - you'll be back here on Monday, right? I'll be releasing Part Two of our Star of Hope Sew-Along.
And Tuesday? Quiltville Winter Mystery Intro goes live!
Wednesday I'll be drawing for our winners in the Summit St Box Gift-Away. There is still time to enter so head on over and get that entry in! SEW CUTE!
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
30 comments:
Bonnie the way you captured the design into a quilt is breathtaking !!
THANK YOU so much for the VietNam update along with silk path drawing, which i am entering in hope that the miracle improvement in my vision and winning the drawing will occur simultaneously... giggles & grins, i don't buy lottery tix, this is as close to "gambling" as I get, my gratitude to the whole quilter's community and especially the winner of the golden buffalo award... what a trooper!!! cats in carlsbad ca
I have been looking forward to this pattern! You have done such a nce job of interpretation Bonnie.
Beautiful!!!
Wow, Bonnie. I can see how that pattern just spoke to you….practically shouted! Thankfully you listened. We are all the more grateful that you are who you are and you do what you do!
I fell (no pun intended!) in love with this pattern when you got the inspiration to bring it to life! Thank YOU! This is a definite for me! I am also blessed with an abundance of browns gifted from my mentor and friend.
OH MY GOODNESS. That Silk Path is amazing. And I am so excited to hear the back story and see the photo of the tile. WOW. Just WOW. With Mystery Season just around the corner I do NOT need to start a new project but I think I HAVE to do this one. It speaks to me...
My comment started as “Wow Bonnie!” Didn’t realize google has now labeled me as anonymous until after I sent it.
SUCH a great quote for today. Truly the way you react to a situation will make you or break you, as the saying goes. The Silk Path is beautiful as always.... and I am glad that you are on the healing end of that little fiasco! Happy weekend!
Beautiful quilt. Thanks for sharing your inspiration photos, too. I'd love to make it, -- after I finish the On Ringo Lake that still languishes in my UFOs!
Looking forward to getting this pattern and winning that fabric would certainly be nice. I need to start buying more cream/white fabrics. When the cosmos speaks, listen. Inspirations is everywhere. Glad you have recovered from that injury and are sharing such a beautiful design with us. Enjoy time with your family. Saturday I'll be with family for the annual Pumpkin Chunkin' and dish-to-pass gathering.
Incredible interpretation of the tile pattern into the quilt! I loved the story "behind" the design!
Loved learning about more of the design's backstory. Fine inspiration for a lovely design, which I'm so happy you've released. I'm with Cats in Carlsbad, entering the lottery with small expectation of winning, but who knows? Lucky happens, but shopping is more reliable, lol.
I love this pattern! I'm very Irish and this clled me. Mine will be greens and neutrals, reminicient of the Celtic knots. Hope for a finish by St Oat's day!
Absolutely love ❤️
Yep, I remember! So glad you're on the mend! Great use of one color family. Did it cleanse your pallette fir choosing the Mystery Colors this year. It's been 10 years since I met you at the QM Blpck Party, did you see that picture? No gray hair there. Happy Fri-Yay!
This would e a wonderful birthday present as you’re picking the winner on my actual birthday! ❤️
What a day you had! Great friends to help you and the little buffalo figure award is the best! You are so good at seeing the brighter side of things. We should all be so positive. Two patterns that I am wanting to do - Silk Paths and Lozenge. Thank you for the giveaway.
javascript:; I love your idea Linda!
I love this pattern. So sorry about your fall. Reminds me of when I slipped and fell and broke my shoulder :-(
Wow! This is an amazing quilt! Perhaps you were meant to slip in the mud so that you would be inspired by the design in the bathroom. From a muddy accident to a stunning pattern, quilt designers like you are truly incredible and I am grateful for what you do!
Love this! You see quilt patterns everywhere! Awesome. And glad you didn't break anything!
I love that you found inspiration from things you saw on your trip. I also see things and think what a great pattern for fabric or for a quilt and snap a photo with my phone. My family likes to tease me for taking photos of random objects and patterns that I see in nature, but to me it helps.
Oh. my. goodness...I will need to retire! That is an incredible design, Bonnie!
Absolutely stunning. Love the geometric movements. Thank you for your creativity and generosity!
It’s beautiful!
It is absolutely beautiful. I love it.
Love the beautiful quilt.
A very nice pattern. I don't have a brown quilt as yet but i would like to have one like that.
I would like to have a brown quilt as I don't have one. What a beautiful pattern for that color.
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