A Colorful Thread: February 2024
Weaving together my life as a maker and other spheres of life.
Best of Stitched in Color {February}
On My Mind
Experimenting:: with dancing. I have been a ballet dancer since the age of 4, but I had never danced in public, with the exception of a few weddings, until this month. I had always wanted to feel free and confident enough to dance socially. In February I was able to completely give myself over to that kind of open, spontaneous dancing in a safe environment called Ecstatic Dance. It was an absolute blast and totally empowering!
Reading:: Zarifa, a memoir by Zarifa Ghafari, an Afghan woman who is dedicated to helping the women of her homeland realize equal human rights. I am reading the book in Dutch, but the writing pulls me right in. Her life story is amazing and the text is intelligent and insightful, without being overly detailed. Although the subject is somber, you can feel Zarifa’s strength and hope through it all.
Celebrating:: a gorgeous Kaleidoscope group by @MurielVanDerPloeg. I always find myself smiling at Muriel’s fresh and modern interpretations of my patterns. Happily, she is sewing along with the Positivities block of the month club. I love that serene aqua she’s chosen for her main background color. The bold hot pink and citron yellow contrast to the softer aqua and grays with such verve. Can’t wait to see more!
Anticipating:: Taking exams! Next week I will be taking 4 of the 5 exams necessary for becoming a citizen of The Netherlands. My level of Dutch language is more than enough for the nationality requirements, but this is my moment to let it show. Liam is like, “No pressure mom, but you HAVE to pass these tests!” Haha. He is counting on me to gain Dutch nationality in a timely manner so that he can access university as a Dutch citizen (at an amazingly low cost) in fall 2025. Liam and Elora will gain Dutch citizenship when I do, and they will also be able to keep their US citizenship. I really look forward to giving them that gift!
Featured Freebie
Sawtooh Star tutorial
Stitched in Color includes a library of free tutorials, more than 10 years in the making. Each month I’ll feature one to spread the good news.
When I want to relax and sink into my sewing, I gravitate towards the familiar. Sawtooth Stars are one of the very best quilt blocks, in my opinion. You never go wrong! I’ve sewn at least 3 of these quilts, always with a strong background color. This one is ideal for brand new quilt makers as well.
Thank you for your well-wishes in the last month. I was sad to have to share with you that things didn’t work out between Floris and I, but truly grateful that there is space here for both the ups and downs. You might wonder why I write about such personal things on my blog, which is clearly dedicated to our shared hobby of quilt-making. The reason is simply that it feels good. I enjoy sharing some of my non-quilty self with the world, instead of appearing as a one-sided quilt-making machine. Plus, my quilts end up telling stories about my personal life, so giving you some of the background details just makes good sense to me.
That said, February has been a busy month. Up until now I had only “dated” two men as an adult: my ex-husband, whom I married at age 18, and Floris, who was my first date after the divorce. In February I went on dates with five different men to garner some perspective. It was fun and so very interesting. Okay, it also took more energy than I expected! In the meantime, I was also busy with preparing the house to sell. It goes on the market today, so that’s a very big deal.
I am going into March feeling happy and hopeful. The first flowers are blooming. Life is a miracle.
Wishing you a creative month ahead!
xoxo,
Rachel
