Happy Turtle: Around the World Blog Hop

I'm very happy to be a part of the Around the World Blog Hop today! I was invited by Leslie from Leslie Unfinished! If you haven't been on her blog before do stop by. She makes beautiful and interesting things and even shares some great recipes!

For the hop I'm supposed to answer a few questions and tag people to post next Monday, September 29th.

Questions first!

What am I working on?
Like many quilters I have a long list of WIPs but right now I am working on my Eastern Sunrise Quilt top. This is a paper-pieced pattern that I designed. You can download it for free here: Eastern Sunrise Quilt Block.
Why do I create what I do?
This is a long story but the gist of it is - I was turning 30. I was unhappy with the way my life was going. I took a year to find myself and what I wanted to do with my life. Asked the hard questions. Made difficult choices. Spent time figuring what I liked and did not like and what would make me happy for the next 30 years and Quilting came up on top! I see patterns everywhere I go. I love to see and touch fabric and I love the sound of the sewing machine! Some nights, when I can't sleep I imagine I'm sewing and it calms me! So really - I can't help myself! I have to quilt - it is who I am now.

I also quilt because quilts bring comfort, tell stories, and shape lives. I recently made a quilt for my mum and she tells me she thinks of me every night when she covers herself with the quilt and sends up a little prayer for me. Having the quilt makes her feel a little closer to me, and makes me feel a little closer to her. I think of the babies that are wrapped in my quilts when they are born, children who sleep under them as they grow, and friends and loved ones who (I hope) will receive some comfort and warmth from a quilt I give them and it makes me feel like I have done something beautiful in the world. Something small - but beautiful.
How does my creative process work?
Sometimes I draw sketches and work out my pattern and yardage etc. Other times I feel like I just need to make something so I whip out some charm packs and sew them together! More often than not I see something and think - that could be a quilt so I work out a pattern for it.

Eastern Sunrise was inspired by a young girl's jacket on the subway. I carry a little notebook/sketchpad with me all the time and when I see something that is interesting I start drawing/designing. The end result isn't always like the initial trigger but that's what's good about the process. You see something and then make something new with it.

In the Pipeline was inspired by a game my aunt had on her phone. In the game you had to connect pipes so you get water to flow from Point A to Point B. I quite enjoyed the game and I love mazes so I thought it would be fun on a quilt! The maze on this quilt works - there will be a start and finish!

This quilt has been very interesting to make. I started with a sketch and then tried to work out the math and realized that it was quite pointless. So I make the quilt as I go... measuring and cutting and piecing (partial seams are very useful).

Scrabble Star I got from playing with scrabble tile magnets on our fridge. My husband thought it would be nice for us to have these tiles and we could leave messages for each other. I of course, had to use the tiles to make a pattern. :) These are Quilt As You Go blocks made with Moda Candy Squares. I have a little how to post here: Scrabble Star

Thank You for taking the time to be here today!

I'm tagging:

Sarah from mila+cuatro and Tina from Holy Scrap!

Sarah is from New Zealand and has a lovely blog and makes the most fun things. I love all the bright colours in her projects.

Tina is from India and is very active in the quilting scene that is growing there. Having moved from my home in India to Toronto 3 years ago, and having begun my quilting journey there, I am so pleased to send you off to meet a Desi Quilter! :)

Sarah and Tina will be posting next Monday.

Many thanks again to Leslie from Leslie Unfinished!