After getting a bit of rest in early January, I felt well enough to finally quilt the Safari top. It all came together quickly, and I also assembled the full pattern in the meantime.
I have reactivated the pattern store for now. Please keep in mind that I have to fill orders manually and send out the patterns myself. As I am still undergoing treatments, I might not always be as fast as I would like to be.
I have also created a discount code – enter SAFARI20 at checkout to receive 20% off. The code is valid until February 13, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST and applies exclusively to the Safari quilt pattern.
Here is a pattern I came up with last year while I was making Christmas cards. The card design and the little blocks I had stitched felt like they wanted to become a full Christmas quilt, so I bought more fabric and stitched one up in no time. I did not manage to write the pattern earlier with everything that was happening this year, but I finally pulled it together, just in time for Christmas.
These are not my usual bright and bold colours, but there is something about the simple elegance of the black and white metallic fabrics that I really enjoy.
I have also created a discount code – enter YULE20 at checkout to receive 20% off. The code is valid until November 25, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST and applies exclusively to the Yuletide Reflections quilt pattern.
Here are the finishing instructions for the Safari quilt. It will be a while before I finish the full pattern, I haven’t even quilted the top yet. But at least it is finished and looks great. Here is a digital image of the quilt, these are the actual fabrics I used for the sashing and border.
I want to thank everyone for their kind words and messages of encouragement and also clear up one small misconception. Dancing and quilting are my two big passions. Since I cannot dance right now, quilting has become my happy place. So when I feel well enough to work on quilts or patterns, it is not out of obligation. I have always loved designing, but my brain has to be in the right place for it. Being able to return to that creative work is actually a good sign.
The August block is a fat, cuddly Crocodile. Well, maybe do not try to actually cuddle him, but I wanted him to be more cute than scary. His belly looks quite full, so hopefully he is not in the mood to attack anyone.
As always, the pattern will be available for free download until the end of the month and move to the pattern store when the next block is released.
EDIT: The period of free download is over, and the block has moved to the pattern store where it is now available for purchase.
April was a wild month for me, and not in a good way, so I am very glad it is over. I had a ventrogluteal injection right before Easter. Colloquially, you might say it was in the buttocks, but it is actually given higher up in the hip area. Everything went well until about six hours later, when my buttock muscles decided they did not like the injection and went into spasm. That put pressure on my sciatic nerve, and the pain was so intense that I had to go to the emergency room. I spent all of Easter flat on my back, unable to walk more than a few steps. It has improved since then, and I am able to walk around again and stand and sit, but the nerve is still very irritated and can be quite painful at times. The things you can get! I had scheduled a lot of blog posts ahead of time, and everything published right on schedule, but I could not keep up with social media. Here is to hoping that May will be better.
Our next Safari animal is a kudu, an African antelope with long horns that curl in a corkscrew shape. I had to simplify the curves in the horns a bit, but I think it is still very recognizable as a kudu. They are surprisingly good at blending in, even with those dramatic horns. Ours is doing its best with a mix of browns and beige.
As always, the pattern will be available for free download until the end of the month and move to the pattern store when the June block is released.
EDIT: The period of free download is over, and the block has moved to the pattern store where it is now available for purchase.
Elaine is participating again in this year’s Safari BOM project, and as always, she is very reliable in sending me pictures of her finished blocks, which I appreciate very much. Her blocks are super cute, and I thought I would share them here in case any of you need a little extra inspiration. I especially love the tiny specks of light she added to the pupils of the animals’ eyes. They add so much realism! Click on the images for a larger view.
