The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt exhibition curator Educator, Access and Community Programs The Metropolitan Museum of Art The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt at The Metropolitan Museum of Art The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt was designed by Faith Ringgold and constructed in  collaboration with New York City students ages eight through nineteen.  The quilt poignantly conveys the importance of communication across cultures  and religions to achieve the goal of peace. Comprised of three panels, each  with twelve squares on the theme of peace, the quilt will be displayed alongside  several original works of art that inspired its content. The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt August 30, 2011–January 22, 2012 The Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education

Learn more about The 9/11 Peace Story Quilt exhibition

Feels so Good....

...to be a Gangsta. My submission for the show!

I love that modern quilting has given permission for quilters, old and new, to consider how the craft relates to each of us in a current context. For me, modern quilting is all about contrast and juxtaposition, putting seemingly incongruous elements together to achieve an unexpected balance.

For the past couple of years, I’ve been fascinated with postage stamp quilts. Every time I would see one I’d think, “That’s a crazy amount of work….but maybe I’ll make a queen-sized one someday.” I love the tiny pieces (what they do to the colors and prints), the squares (I love squares!), and the amazing number of fabrics in some of these quilts (like an “index” of fabrics in one’s stash). As I was approaching this challenge, I decided postage stamps would be the perfect base for my favorite lurid, dirty, odd yellows. I love prints of all kinds and especially like to mix reproduction calicos with graphic modern prints and colors.

Historically, young ladies would practice their stitches or record family history in a crosstitch sampler. I wanted to echo their style, but with my own voice and a little humor, so I chose to pay homage to a 90’s cult-classic movie that features this rap song. The letters are crosstitched in bright pink to further contrast with this “tough” phrase.

To me, all these little bits are like the vast amount of information that bombards our current lifestyles. So designing this quilt was about giving it order, adding some humor, and anchoring it in traditional patterns or forms. And color--lots of color!

Jessica's show submission

in case you didn't know it,

And now everybody that visits our traveling quilt show will know it too.  My submission reflects my belief that blogland is an integral part of the Modern Quilt movement, and I am grateful for it.  Without blogs and the online quilting community, I never would have found you guys..
Modern quilters still make all kinds of quilts, and I don't yet see one common thread that is visible in all our work, but I think it is undeniable that the way we communicate, gather, share and stay connected with each other would not be possible without the internet.  I think that is what we have in common and that is what sets us apart from the quilters that came before us.  No one color, technique, or aesthetic goal, just being part of a larger community that accepts each quilter for who he or she is.  Thanks you guys.

September Bee Block - The Circle Game

"And the seasons they go 'round and 'round
and the painted ponies go up and down;
We're captive on a carousel of time.
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from when we came,
And go 'round and 'round and 'round
In the circle game."
--Joni Mitchell, the Circle Game

This month I celebrate the big 3-0 (eek!), and I want to make a quilt to mark this milestone.  I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to combine the timely lyrics above with a quilt technique that I've wanted to try for years but only had the courage to tackle now....

Dresden Plates!

Make a Dresden plate with your modern "SPIN" on it!
--Make it any size, from 10 to 20 inches.  Please center the Dresden Plate on the background fabric and keep at least an inch of plain background fabric on each side.
--Make it with pointy spokes, rounded spokes, uneven spokes or no spokes at all (wagon-wheel style). 
--Make it with 6 to 600 spokes.
--Make it ultra-scrappy or perfectly coordinated.
--Attach the center circle and background using either hand or machine applique.  Visible stitches are fine.
--GET CREATIVE!  As long as it's pieced and round, it's good to go!

Fabrics:
--I have sent wildly-colored Kaffe Fassett fabric to each participant.  Feel free to add from your own stash!
--There is red polka-dot fabric for the center and light-blue for the background.
--Please return large unused pieces of fabric, but you can keep the smaller scraps.

I have found a bunch of free tutorials online to get you started:

A.  A 16-inch classic Dresden Plate with a free template.
B.  A 16-inch scalloped Dresden Plate with a free template.
C.  A 13-inch spokeless Dresden Plate with a free template. 
D.  A 12-inch spokeless Dresden Plate with a free template.
E.  A 10-inch scalloped and spiky Dresden Plate with a free applique template.
F.  Ultra-scrappy Dresden Plate.  (uses a ruler, but you can use another website's printed template).
G.  Scrappy Wagon Wheel.  Uses a basic compass and foundation piecing.
H.  Check out these beautiful examples! And the closeup of this pattern!
I.  A Youtube Tutorial!

I know this may be a bit of a challenge, but I know the blocks will turn out great!  Can't wait to see the finished results!

My version of a Modern Dresden Plate.

Closeup (showing stitching).

Sample of fabric package for Bee members!

100 days of Modern Quilting

Has anyone else sent in a submission to 100 days of modern quilting? I think i did (used the e=mail address listed in blog and attached photo of quilt and wrote background and info about me and the quilter) but I've had no confirmation that it's been received.... wondered if there is a different site where I should be posting. I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who might know.

Thanks.... Jody

Struggles with Addiction

Here is my quilt expo entry . . . "Struggles with Addiction" . . . to fabric that is. Was so much fun to quilt something so little! Can't wait to see them all! So far, all of them are fantastic! Time to pop it in the mail.

NYMM #30 Show Quilt

Title:  "Back in To-Day"
Size:  20" wide x 14 1/2" tall
Fabrics:  Cotton

Techniques:  Photo printing, applique, free piecing, fabric painting, thread painting, and machine quilting

Quilter's Statement (this will be included with the displayed quilt):   (Yikes it may be too long..I don't know...biting nails now..smiles - update i have shortened it..)


When I first thought about what modern quilting meant to me, I immediately researched the word “modern”.  I harkened back to my art history days in college, and remembered that Modern Art began with the Impressionists, Romanticists, and those genres that used bold colors and graphic patterns.  As I researched the term modern quilters, looked at the conversations that were being had on quilt blogs and discussion boards, what modern is to me was born.  Modern is anything created To-Day/To-Date.  It is any thing that is created recently, contemporaneously, that expresses our world today.  In a world that is so fleeting and fad oriented, modern is anything current and may no longer be viewed as modern, in as little as a year from now.  And thus the idea for my quilt was formed. 

I became fascinated by the fabric that was used and the functionality of quilting in contrast to the way it is used today, as an expression and often times its own art form.  That is when I searched the library of congress for photos from the U.S. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information.  I specifically looked for images of people quilting in this country in the 1920s through the 1940s.  I found a number of images; however this one struck me the most: “Woman who has not yet found a place to move out of the Hinesville Army camp area working on a quilt in her smokehouse. Near Hinesville, Georgia.”  Call Number: LC-USF34- 043775-D [P&P].  This woman did not have a home at the time and quilted in her smokehouse.  I realized how fortunate I was to have a room that I can dedicate to quilting…my own personal smokehouse. It too has a dual purpose, as a guest room. 

It is from here that the idea began.  I wanted to show that she was modern in 1941 just as I am modern in 2011.  I am depicted creating a modern quilt, just as she was making her modern quilt.  I focused on using colors in the back ground that was more representative of the 1940s because they are still in use today, and can be considered modern because I am creating them in 2011.  I created a mini quilt using bold and bright colors as symbolic of the fabric in use today and the evolution of the textile industry.

While working on this piece, I was most amazed at the way in which it evolved.  I very rarely begin with a sketch, image or idea before hand, and I did for this piece.  I originally thought that this piece would have more color and use more fabric that is indicative of the patterns, prints and colors used today.  However, as it evolved, the piece spoke in its own way, and decided to remain a bit more neutral in scope.  It developed into a framed art piece.  As I began putting the images together, it started to look like the old photos that were framed in both of my grandmother’s homes.  I remembered the photo of my grandmother that appears to be black and white with a hint of color, sitting next to the framed picture of me that had more color in the photo.  This is what this piece began to remind me of.  As I continued to work on it, I decided to keep some of the retro fabric and use more of the Japanese vintage printed fabric.  The Japanese printed fabric reminded me of the feed sacks from the 1920s through the 1950s.  I also like that this fabric depicts advertisements of sewing items from that time as well.

I found this piece to be challenging because I was filled with so many thoughts and ideas for it.  However, I was limited by time and size, and knew that I needed to complete it.  I was unsure of where I would end up in the creative process and had to remind myself that I must be satisfied with it no matter what it finally looked like.  So I would work on it, step away a week, come back and work feverishly on it, then be forced to take another step back.  As I reached the final stages, the real challenges began.  I began to ask, “Is it completed?  Does it need something more?  Do I write on it?  Do I add more color?  How do I bind it?  What do I use to bind it?”  Finally, I just jumped in to finish it.  I hope to continue working on this idea, perhaps on a slightly larger scale and play with some other ideas, embellishments and “modern” techniques. 

I hope you enjoy what modern means to me…As I take a look “Back in To-Day”.

For more pics click here.

metromod travel exhibit

This is my entry for the raveling show. It's called There Was a Crooked Man. As I was piecing my strips of greens and oranges, I saw a crooked house appearing which reminded me of the childhood verse : "There was a crooked man who walked a crooked mile; He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat which caught a crooked mouse and they all lived together in a little crooked house." After doing some basic hand-quilting, I added some heavier embroidery floss to emphasize the house's form.... and added some quilted steps (crooked of course) to get to the house.

Night Flight

Hello Everyone,

This is my very first posting on the blog and I am excited! So I wanted to share my quilt for the NY Metro Mod Show.

It is called Night Flight.

It began as an orphan block... the star. I had made it years ago and had never done anything with it. It is paper pieced, but the rest is not. That block measured around 12" square, so all I had to do was build outward.

I added some flying geese, mini and large, some squares, quilted it up, bound it and now it is ready to go on the road.

If you would like to see more pictures of the detail, you can go over to my blog here, a post will be up in the morning.

Until Next Time...

"The More Things Change..." - Quilt Expo Entry

I just finished my mini-quilt for the Quilt Expo!

Title:  "The More Things Change..."
Size:  15" wide x 20" tall
Fabrics:  Cottons, velvet, satin, silk, suede, lace
Techniques:  Foundation piecing, free piecing, hand quilting and machine quilting

Quilter's Statement (this will be included with the displayed quilt):  

When I started thinking about modern quilting and how it differs from "traditional" quilting, I became interested in the history of quilt techniques.  I wanted to create an evolutionary chart showing how a traditional quilt block changed over the decades and transformed into a modern quilt block.

I focused on the log cabin block, which is one of the most classic blocks in quilting and is considered distinctively American.  Each block is made in a 5 or 10 inch size, includes a classic red center (symbolizing the "hearth" of the log cabin home), and features a traditional half-dark, half-light layout.

For each block, I have incorporated fabrics, patterns and quilting from a specific time period or style:  (i) Civil War era; (ii) Amish style; (iii) Victorian era; (iv) 1930's Depression era; (v) pineapple technique (a classic variation on a log cabin block) and (vi) modern "wonky" style.

While I intended to show a simple evolution of quilting, I soon discovered that each traditional block included touches that we call modern!  The Amish style uses bold, large swaths of solid colors, the 1930's era features an offset center square and novelty fabrics, the Victorian era uses varieties of fabric, decorative stitches and "wonky" block placement, etc.  The final modern block is actually a striking combination and reinterpretation of all of the aspects of the various "traditional" blocks!  The modern techniques that we currently use are not so modern after all.

After exploring this link between traditional and modern quilts, I feel even more connected to the history of quilting.  Over the centuries, quilters have added their unique style and creativity to quilt techniques, which may have been considered modern or radical to their fellow quilters of the time.  Over many decades, those radical ideas become considered "traditional" techniques.  It will be interesting to see how quilting evolves over the next century, and whether our current "modern" techniques will be considered "traditional" a few decades from now.

I am happy to see that the old adage is true:  "The more things change, the more they stay the same!"

Click HERE for more photos of the quilt! 

July's Bee Blocks

They are all here! Do you see yours?

Jess even sent two!

I just love them. Now to decide how to proceed.

I have a few ideas . . . .

Jay McCarroll Challenge Quilt: "It's a Twister, Auntie Em!"

I finally finished the Modern Quilt Guild's Jay McCarroll challenge, using his Habitat fabric collection.  I thought that the finished quilt looked like a twister, so I named it in honor of the Wizard of Oz character.

Closeup!

Backing.

It's not a very large quilt, so it would probably be best as a baby's play mat or a table topper.



You can read more about the finished quilt HERE.  Can't wait to see the other finished quilts!

Design Class

I will be teaching a combination design/curve piecing class at the City Quilter in September. I have taken the traditional Drunkard's Path block - added a few half-square triangles and created a new block that I call Infinite Possibilities. The pattern looks great in all fabrics and would create a fun scrap quilt.

The Drunkard's Path block provides endless possibilities for design and with the addition of these new elements it seems like the possibilities have increased.  Here are some samples that I made (they are hanging at the shop).

This sample uses Asian inspired fabrics

30s Repros add fun to this one - it sort of reminds me of those adaptors I had to use in those old 45 records

This design reminds me of Art Deco fans

I call this one Millstone - stepping up the color/value placement helps to create a secondary design.

Here is the same pattern as with the 30 Repros - creating an entirely different look. What would happen if you switched out the lights for darks, and darks for lights - come and find out!

I call this one Waves - someone called it Falling Leaves - what would you call it?

I hope you might consider taking the class (here is a LINK to the class schedule- the class is on page 3). The class meets for two sessions, September 15th and 29th from either 12-2 or 6-8.  We will be dealing with color/value placement and block arrangement as well as different techniques for curve piecing. I am using a commercially available template which makes cutting out the pieces a breeze.  Drop me a note at bigrigquilting@gmail.com if you have any questions and spread the word to others who you think might be interested.

Thanks!

John

41 Steps for David

Now, I am not implying that David needs any kind of a "step" program! :)

For his Bee Block David asked for something to do with "41."

His age as of this month. Very clever.

So I did a court house step block, there are 41 pieces.

Each step represents a year in this circle of his life.

The steps started as 1" strips, and finished as 1/2"

The square is 10 3/4.

I hope you like David! And I hope the next 41 years are just

as wonderful for you.

41 square cheers for David!

I'm loving all the interesting solutions to this bee challenge! You are all so clever, so fun.

For my block for David, I wanted to continue on this postage stamp phase I'm in--they're so cute! And as I was thinking through possible designs, I realized that I could literally take his 41 challenge and use 41 squares.
I loved that it would work out so even, so decided to stick with that, and play with some interesting colors and a scrappy look.
The block is just 7.5", but David said it could be any size....
Hope you like it, David! Happy Bee-irthday Month!

100 days of Modern Quilt

When I finished the bottom quilt's top, a fellow quilter said I'd have to do something as fun for the back, so I picked up a few bright colors to coordinate and started to free piece a back.... but, I liked it too much to "hide" it on the back and now I have two new quilts. I think the top one is definitely an example of my becoming a "modern quilter."

License to Quilt

David, you have passed the test with flying colors! You are now forty-one and fabulous, so flaunt it!!!

Prime and Centered

For David's 41 block, I was stumped. All I could think was that it's a prime number, so I did a little googling to see what else I could come up with.

Turns out 41 is also a centered square number, which means "the sum of two consecutive square numbers and are congruent to 1 (mod 4)." Yeah, mathy, but the way it is graphed out is beautiful. The dots in the square keep radiating out (there are only 13 here, the next round would be 25, then 41, and so on), which is kind of like a birthday--with each round, or year, you gain so many more dots of experience. Then how the number is a sum of two consecutive square numbers--so 41 is the sum of 16 and 25--is also a nice way to think of birthdays. You reflect on the past, on your 16th and 25th birthdays and the years that followed, and how added together, that's how you got to where you are now, at 41.

A lot of math has gotten you to this age, but it's not without even more nuance and art. Happy birthday, David, and here's to many more centered square ones!

Lisa's Triangles

I tried to get in as many triangles as possible--though stepping back to look at it, clearly I could have packed in some more! Hope you like it, Lisa! Can you see where I snuck in some of your own fabrics, which I ended up with from the scrap bag swap a few meetings ago?

I'm really looking forward to seeing this one come together!

MEMBERSHIP

The MEMBERSHIP page is up and running at the new website!

Go sign up! I just did! wahoo!

http://www.nycmetromodquilters.com/

Thanks to all who scrambled to get the website up and running!!

Amy D, E, Andrea, Karen, Amy, Daniela, Victoria

August Bee Block - Tally Ho!

David requested something involving 41 for his birthday block, so I decided to make a visual representation of the number.  I included groups of tallies of 5 to add up to 40, plus a candle in the middle to represent 41!

Hey Mister tally man, tally me bananas...

I had fun making the block, and it came out rather large (about 14 inches by 16 inches).  Happy birthday!

August Bee Block for David

Happy Birthday, David. Here is your 41 block. It was my first attempt at making fabric but won't be my last. I love the look when a big piece is cut into smaller shapes. Hope you like it.

Check out the new site & PBS special

http://www.whyquiltsmatter.org/welcome/

THE KENTUCKY QUILT PROJECT, INC. PRESENTS

WHY QUILTS MATTER: HISTORY, ART & POLITICS

A NINE-PART DOCUMENTARY SERIES COMING TO PBS STATIONS THIS FALL

AVAILABLE ON DVD IN AUGUST

Created & Executive Produced by Renowned Quilt Expert Shelly Zegart

Louisville, KY – August 8, 2011 – Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics, a nine-part documentary series coming to PBS stations this fall and available on DVD in August, takes the viewer on an amazing journey into the world of quilts revealing their centrality to American culture. Equally compelling for the aficionado and the uninitiated, the series will educate and entertain as it reveals the staggering size and depth of the quilt world and its surprisingly complicated politics.
Avoiding antiquated discussions and stereotypical references, the series takes the viewer behind the scenes in the marketplace, provides a first-hand look at the inner workings of America’s museums, and takes the viewer inside the studios of some leading quilt makers.   Watch as quilts empower women, take us through two pivotal centuries of history, and reveal the nature of the art itself, while helping us understand who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going.
Executive Producer Shelly Zegart, a distinguished expert at the forefront of the quilt world for over three decades, has created a stunning visual account of this enduring American art form. As host and guiding force, Zegart introduces viewers to the academics, savvy dealers, and passionate quilt makers who share their personal stories, experiences and often outspoken opinions.
“The making of this documentary has been an extraordinary experience and one that I’m very proud to share with the public,” explains Zegart. “Quilts reveal the visual history of the United States. However, the subject of quilts and the people who make them is frequently misunderstood. With Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics we spotlight the incredible stories and opinions of those behind the quilt and its culture.”
Adds Dr. Marcie C. Ferris, Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “As a Professor of American Studies, I try to bring the history and culture of the American South to life in the classroom. I can think of no better resource than Why Quilts Matter: History, Art, and Politics to introduce my students to one of the most visually compelling, historically rich art forms in our country. This series presents a diverse community of artists, scholars, and collectors who speak to the powerful meaning of race, class, gender, and region, sewn into every quilt.”
Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims, Co-Founders and Co-Hosts of www.TheQuiltShow.com are not shy about their enthusiasm for Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics. “So many of us think that we know everything there is to know about quilts, but there is so much more to soak in and learn,” they state. “This series takes us on an informational, fearless, and fun ride through the world of quilts and quilt making, its rich heritage and the people for whom this art form is a way of life.”
Produced by Doug Jefferson, founder of Focal Point Productions and a director and editor, and written by Ann E. Berman, author and former art world journalist, Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics was independently produced and funded. It will air nationwide on PBS stations starting this September and is distributed through NETA, the National Educational Telecommunications Association.

Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics is presented by The Kentucky Quilt Project, Inc., a 501(c)3 organization, andwill be available on DVD beginning August 5 at http://whyquiltsmatter.org, the online companion to the series that will house Image Resource Guides for quilts, photographs and people in the series, as well as present news and events, and much more when launched on July 31.

 

 

######

 

Shelly Zegart is a renowned and passionate collector, curator, author and lecturer on both antique and contemporary quilts. Her love of American quilts began in the mid-1970s when she was inspired to hang quilts with other art on the walls of her newly built contemporary home. Raised in quilt-rich western Pennsylvania, Zegart moved to Louisville, Kentucky in 1968, another Commonwealth well known for its quilt heritage. From the 1970s onward, she became a zealous advocate for quilt scholarship and was a founding director and the driving force behind The Kentucky Quilt Project, an effort initiated in 1980 to survey the state’s quilts. The first project of its kind, it set the standard for all state, regional, and national quilt projects that followed. Models driven by The Kentucky Quilt Project concept have flourished not only nationally but also internationally and have culminated in more than 50 such projects in the U.S. and abroad, yielding both catalogues and exhibitions.

 

Zegart is also a founding director of The Alliance for American Quilts, established in 1993 to develop The Quilt Index. She has helped to build quilt collections around the world and her personal collection of extraordinary nineteenth- and twentieth-century quilts was acquired by The Art Institute of Chicago in 2002. An exhibition and catalogue, Shelly Zegart: Passionate About Quilts – Challenging Assumptions, Creating Change, Making Connections, was held at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville in 2008. Zegart is the author of American Quilt Collections: Antique Quilt Masterpieces and has contributed to a number of books and publications. Some of her diverse lecture and article topics have included “Quilts as Women’s Art,” “Political Quilts” and “Myth and Methodology: Shelly Zegart Unpicks African American Quilt Scholarship.” Zegart holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Michigan. For further information, please visit her website at http://www.shellyzegart.com.

 

OUR NEW WEBSITE!!!

Hop over and check out our new website.there will be some changes coming to it, but we have the basics, and it's up and running...  PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES FOR CONTACT INFO.

info at nycmetromodquilters dot com

website address is:

http://www.nycmetromodquilters.com/

the ning site will be discontinued, as of later today.

And the winner is....

....Margaret! Lucky gal who won Jay McCarroll's tote bag at the Alliance event at FIT. She has already finished her challenge with Jay's fabrics (posted Saturday) and now has a special souvenir as a bonus!

Newark Museum quilt show coming!

 Masterpiece Quilts
Since purchasing its first quilt in 1918, the Museum’s has amassed one of the most comprehensive quilt collections in the nation, both stylistically and historically, consisting of more than 150 pieces today. Patchwork from Folk Art to Fine Art tracks the evolution of quilts—from functional masterpieces of women’s folk art to self-conscious artworks intended for display rather than practical purposes.   Many have never been on public view before.
The exhibition features more than two dozen quilts, some created with powerful graphic designs pieced together from geometric patches of silk, wool or cotton, while other are more complex works of narrative folk art, filled with appliqué motifs and embroidered enrichment.
Album quilts, commemorative quilts and crazy quilts—all of these were ways in which women in centuries past built community and were able to express their artistic skills within the confines of gender roles.  Contemporary studio quilters have also embraced the historic traditions of their craft, while creating a kind of quilt that has only existed since the late twentieth century.
Patchwork from Folk Art to Fine Art is a must see for those who appreciate textiles, both for their artistic beauty and their exquisite craftsmanship.
Accompanying this exhibition is The Global Art of Patchwork: Africa and Asia, showcasing work of patchwork traditions outside the world of quilts, also drawn from the Museum’s holdings.


Banner image (detail): Crib or child's quilt, 2004-05, Bibijan Ibrahimsahib, Kendaligri, India, Cotton, 37 x 49 in., Purchase 2006 The Members' Fund  2006.32.2

Also,

October 15, 2011

at the museum,

This evening program will feature  a screening of Jena Moreno's documentary,

Stitched followed by a 

roundtable discussion with invited guests, (myself included)

moderated by Meg Cox that will 

explore the dialogue between traditional quilt making and quilting as a medium

 for fine art. 

 This program will be the first of a three-part series that is planned in conjunction 

with the Museum's Fall exhibition, Patchwork from Folk Art to Fine Art. 

 --Victoria

City Quilter sewing day

 Thank you Teri for the free motion tips!  Very helpful and useful! 

Our sewing day was so not enough time...

(get on that retreat planners!)

;-)

hugs!

rats, we missed taking that group shot....

V

Jay McCarroll Challenge

Last night at V's I had the opportunity to have a conversation with the charming Jay McCarroll.

I told him I loved his fabrics & he asked which ones & you all know what I said!

But how could I forget to mention this challenge ... oh, well, I did.

(Actually I've purchased more in the line & love it!)