Setting Sail Searching Sunnier Scenery

I know it is cliché to say "I really needed to get away....." but it was never more true than this year.

Rich and I escaped the winter of 2015 for a week long cruise in the Caribbean aboard the MS Nieuw Amsterdam of Holland America.

But before we left, I worked up this little quilt as a Birthday gift for my friend, Diane of Persnickety Quilts.  We have been quilt friends for almost 20 years.  She sent me this block, which she appliquéd for my birthday a few years ago.

I machine quilted it with silk thread in the traditional echo style of Hawaiian quilting.  I almost went with a plum binding, but decided to stick with the perfect color theory combination of green with the red and cheddar.

I sued this wonderful New York themed fabric for the backing.  I hope Diane will forgive my free motion quilting.  I just don't practice enough!

On to the getaway.  Here we are docked in Key West.  It was such a fun port to visit.
While away I did a lot of this....
 Quite a bit of this...

A little bit of this....I'm basting here in the cabin so I can stitch on a lounge chair.
 A few rounds of this....
 And nightly dining with Herman and Harris who spoiled us at table 84.
And all too soon scenes like this were replaced
with scenes like this.

Fortunately I have a couple of wonderful things to look forward to:

I'll be a the AQS Show in Lancaster on Friday.  Say Hi if you see me and visit my Jubilee quilt.

I also learned before leaving that my Jubilee Quilt has been accepted to AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah in April and I've already made plans to go!  I'm so excited and thrilled.

I hope you have all had a great week too.  I'll share more travel photos soon.