Sticks and Stones, Stepping Stones

We are expecting snow tomorrow... and with last month's big Tokyo snow still fresh in our minds:

Snowy days are perfect for quilting... and last month I got out these cheery yellow squares again .... to work on the "Sticks and Stones" quilt.

The pattern is by Bonnie Hunter and can be found here.  Note that the pattern is free to use by individuals.  Check out Bonnie Hunter's website here for more free scrap patterns.  Awesome!

A little chain piecing... taking over the dining room table for a few days....

I bought most of the fabrics at The City Quilter  in New York City last summer and over the Christmas break:

A group of ladies from my church has started a quilting initiative for "graduates" of an orphanage  here in Tokyo.  In Japan children are fully released from orphanages at age 18, and they often need a lot of support finding an apartment and securing basic necessities and perhaps a few luxuries.

The graduate I'm sewing for is Erika (yes, that's a Japanese name!) and her favorite color is yellow.  And these fabrics are (bright) YELLOW!  Not my usual palette, as I wouldn't consider myself a "modern" quilter, but I have to admit, it was fun to work with these cheery fabrics.

I finished the blocks side by side with Tommy as he studied for final exams.  Sure glad I wasn't the one working on physics:

Julie W suggested "Stepping Stones" as a name for our little initiative - I love that.  A step up, a step forward, a step perhaps over trouble, and into a promising future.

In any case, we hope that this project will become ongoing even after most of us have returned to our home countries.

I hate to admit how long it sat on my floor before I put on the borders - ugh.  It took Downton Abbey and several movies to motivate me through borders, sandwiching, and basting.

And then ... some quilting in the ditch:

I hope wherever you are in the world... that your year is off to a promising start!
Linking up with Plum and June, and with Quilt Story. :)

Cynthia

p.s.  On a few blogs... and on Facebook... I've seen this idea of picking a focus word for the year.  I LOVE this idea.  I'm still thinking about it... but we're in February already.  I'd better pick a word soon - otherwise it will be "indecision" by default. :)