Permission to Fly

So ... basically, I've got nothin', so I'm resorting to some thoughts I had a couple of months ago. The fact that I can retrieve those thoughts is nothing short of a miracle. Sometime in April, when my June issue of American Patchwork & Quilting arrived, I was so taken by this first page, I didn't delve into the rest for several minutes. (Another miracle, btw.) This was the very credo that caused me to form the Patchwork Pilot Club, now thriving at this store on the 4th Wednesday of every month.

I have used a combination of my own patterns and those of others as the basis for our projects. During the months of March and April, we worked on Bluebirds of Gratitude, my pattern that grew out of the birds that I hand appliqued in Seattle last summer. You can see that pattern here.

Everyone is still in varying stages of piecing/applique/borders, but I had to show off Sharon's because she was the first to finish her quilt top. I was wowed by her choice of batiks and I am not kidding, I got a little teary when I first saw it. All the others continue to add their own touches such as Michelle's blacks and pinks, Margot's rich florals and Sue's machine-digitized birds in an altered layout. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that their quilts don't look just like mine does on the pattern.

So ... my plan worked.

How about you? How much do you/do you not like to switch things up in a pattern? As you can see ... you now officially have permission to do so.