Living Greenland

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I can’t express enough how thrilled I am for the Fall Puzzle Mystery QAL in 2024! It’s an event filled with excitement and anticipation as we delve into the world of puzzles and mysteries together. I believe we all share the same enthusiasm and can’t wait to embark on this thrilling journey.

Jamboree
Chalk and Charcoal by Jennifer Sampou for Robert Kaufman Fabrics

As detectives, we’ll be using our sharp problem-solving skills to decipher the colorway clues and solve the case. It’s amazing how something as simple as fabric and thread can transform into a captivating story that unfolds with each stitch. The creative flow we experience while sewing this QAL adds an extra layer of joy to the process.

Tombstone
Tim Holtz Eclectic Elements for Freespirit Fabrics

What makes this QAL even more special is the sense of camaraderie that accompanies it. We’ll be joining forces with fellow quilters and enthusiasts, forming a community of like-minded individuals bonded by our love for crafting and solving puzzles. The shared experience and support from one another will undoubtedly make this Fall Puzzle Mystery QAL an unforgettable adventure.

Goldrush
Kaffe Fasset Collective for FreeSpirit Fabrics

So, let’s rejoice in the excitement and embrace the challenge ahead. Get ready to unravel the mysteries and immerse ourselves in the colorful world of quilting. Fall will be around the corner when we start this QAL and together, we’ll create something truly magical!

Delilah
Nora’s Garden by Shauna Doris for Andover Fabrics

Detectives have a plethora of 15 different options at their disposal when it comes to selecting the perfect colorway for their investigative endeavors. With a stunning selection of 6 different colors, which are customized by creating an ambiance that suits their unique style and preferences.

Mystic Cactus
Ebb & Flow by Essoldo Designs for WIndham Fabrics

As the detective delves deeper into the case, the colorway they have selected continues to play a significant role. It becomes an integral part of their thought process, offering subtle cues and inspiration as they piece together the intricate puzzle of clues. The visual stimulation from the colorway creates an environment that enhances focus and concentration, allowing the detective’s analytical prowess to flourish.

Josie
Bee Basics by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Fabrics

Moreover, the chosen colorway leaves an impression on those involved in the case. It sets the tone for interactions with other detectives, along with other key individuals. Whether it’s a soft, calming tone that helps put others at ease or a strong, commanding presence that demands attention, the colorway serves as a silent accomplice in the detective’s pursuit of truth.

Crimson Canyon
Holiday Style by Satin Moon Designs for Blank Quilting Co

In conclusion, the 15 different colorways available to detectives offer not just a visual feast for the eyes, but a means to enhance their problem-solving abilities and create an immersive environment conducive to unravelling mysteries. So go ahead, choose a colorway that resonates with you, and embark on your next investigation with style and sophistication!

Ghost Town
Eerie by Katarina Roccella for Art Gallery Fabrics

First clues ship on July 26th, 2024!

The “Small” size project will finish 48”x60” and will cost $20.25 / month or $192.50 if you choose to prepay all at once.
The “Large” size project will finish 72”x72” and will cost $30.50 / month or $295.00 if you choose to prepay all at once.

Saloon
Banyan Batiks Studios for Northcott Fabrics

To customize your order, first choose your payment preference: Month to Month or All at Once. Next, select the size and colorway. You can then add borders, oops kits, and the new coordinating thread kits as optional extras.

Calamity
Grunge Brights by Basic Grey for Moda Fabrics

Detectives who prepay for their mysteries will receive all the fabric at once, instead of waiting for monthly mail deliveries. Instructions for assembling the quilt top will be emailed each month so that detectives can participate in real-time with others around the world. To ensure delivery before the first clue is released, please sign up by July 1st. After that, mysteries will be batched mailed weekly. You may experience a slight delay in starting, but you will have all the fabric when you receive the instructions.

Blue Belle
Garden of Dreams by Jason Yenter for In the Beginning Fabrics

If you have any accidents, “Oops Kits” are available with a variety of fabrics to fix any mishaps. These kits will be shipped with the first clue. Finally, “Border Kits” are available to expand your quilt top using coordinating fabrics from your kits. These kits will increase the size of the large quilt top from 72″ x 72″ to 88″ x 88″ or the small quilt top from 48″ x 60″ to 58″ x 70″.

Tumbleweed
Autumn Forage by Boccaccini Meadows for FIGO Fabrics

Sometimes an issue happens with a mystery clue. Cotton Cuts team is ready to assist and resolve the problem. Fill out a form on Cotton Cuts PMQ Support Page and they will contact you. Your feedback is valuable for Cotton Cuts continuous improvement. If you haven’t received your clue yet, please note that postal mail delivery may take 10-12 days.

Wrangler
True Blue by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics

Fall Puzzle Mystery Quilt clues are shipped some time near the end of the month. I will write the actual time frame when that information becomes available.

Prairie Sunset
The Flower Fields by Maureen Cracknell for Art Gallery Fabrics

New for 2024 – Digital Colorway Swatch Card
Detectives purchasing their PMQ will receive a digital color swatch booklet along with their purchase.

Dusty Rose
Joy by Laundry Basket Quilts for Andover Fabrics

The digital swatch card will be permanently stored in their account for easy reference, in case it gets lost.

A printed color version will still be provided with Clue 1, ensuring that everyone can continue sewing even if the swatch booklet goes missing.

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel

Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People

Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page

Living Greenland Blog

Greenland Quilter Facebook Page

Featured

Pan-fried Buttermilk Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Pan-fried Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

1 1/2 cup buttermilk
12 chicken drumsticks
Coarse roasted Garlic Seasoning
1/2 cup plain flour
Thin sliced red bell pepper
Thin sliced small onion
Thin sliced shallot
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
12 tbsp butter
12 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup spinach
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups broccoli florets
(Note: I used 9 drumsticks instead of 12)
Rinse drumsticks in cool water. Place in a bowl or plastic bag.

Marinade in buttermilk for at least 1/2 hour. Can marinade longer if the time is available.

Chicken legs being drained from buttermilk

Drain chicken drumsticks in colander.

Season with coarse Garlic Salt or Coarse Roasted Garlic Seasoning mix

Place flour in small plastic bag. Put 2 or 3 drumsticks in the flour and shake till covered,

remove and continue with more until all drumsticks are covered in flour.

Red Bell Pepper, Onion, Shallots, Mushrooms,

Slice onions, bell pepper & shallot along with mushrooms (I’m lazy, I just use premium sliced mushrooms from a jar) Drain the juice if using canned mushrooms.

Add butter and olive oil to a fry pan. Heat butter and oil. Add 6 drumsticks to hot fry pan and lightly brown on one side.

Once chicken is browned on one side, turn chicken to brown other side. Make sure to brown all sides.

Remove once browned and drain on a wire rack or paper towels to rest while browning the remaining legs.

Let lightly browned chicken legs rest for a few minutes

Mushrooms, Onions, Red Bell Peppers, Seasoning Shallots,

Using the drippings and oil/butter left in pan, saute the onion, shallots, bell pepper, and mushrooms till tender. (Note: If the butter/oil mixture seems to be over brown, you could drain off most of it and add fresh butter and allow pan to heat up the butter again and then add the vegetables)

When vegetables have reached being tender, Add dry white wine, let it cook till most of the alcohol has cooked out (there should be a brown liquid with the vegetables at this stage)

and then add the chicken stock to the pan. Bring to a boil. Test for taste, add salt if needed.

Return all chicken legs to the pan, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat till meat starts pulling from the bone.
While the chicken is simmering, add 2 cups of water to a 2 quart pot. Bring to boil. Add 1 cup rice. DO NOT STIR! When water returns to boiling, turn heat down to lowest simmering setting, cover with a bamboo sheet and then the lid or use chopsticks to keep the lid slightly open. Let it cook till all water has been soaked up. Check it about 15 minutes in to see if water has left pot.
In mean time, steam the broccoli.
Feeds 4 people.

Recipe by © Kathryn Joelsen

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel
Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People
Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page
Living Greenland Blog
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Featured

Northern Atlantic Flounder with Northern Atlantic Shrimp, Steamed Broccoli & Corn with Fluffy Long Grain Rice

Fried Flounder / Shrimp Scampi with rice and stir-fry vegetables

1 Kilo Northern Atlantic Flounder deboned and filleted
1/3 Kilo Northern Atlantic Shrimp
butter
coarse garlic
finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup corn meal
1/4 cup flour
Broccoli florets
Corn
1 cup Long grain rice
3 Tbsp Dry White wine

Directions:

Flounder:
Remove head, tail, fins, internal organs from flounder, gently filet meat from each side of the bone.
There should be 4 nice size filets. Rinse in cold water, drain the water, lightly season fish with coarse garlic/parsley.

Mix flour and cornmeal inside a plastic bag. Place one filet at a time in the bag and shake to coat fish meat. Set aside.

Melt butter in fry pan on medium high. Let butter get nice and hot and place two filets at a time in the fry pan. Fry in butter till golden brown and then flip to do the same to the other side. Should be done after 3/4 minutes of cooking. The meat should flake away when checked with a fork.
Shrimp

Peel the shell and head of the shrimp. Rinse in cold water.

Melt butter till hot un medium high, add coarse garlic and parsley.
Add shrimp into the fry pan. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes, add dry white wine and cook for just a few seconds. Turn off heat.

Rice
Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Pour in rice. DO NOT STIR! Place a lid on pot however use a chopstick to hold the lid slightly open. Turn down to simmer setting and let simmer till liquid is done. Turn off heat once it’s done and remove chopstick so that pot is completely closed.

Broccoli & Corn
Place corn and broccoli in a steamer and place over boiling water. Steam for five to seven minutes. Remove from heat.

Have fun and enjoy the food!

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel
Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People
Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page
Living Greenland Blog
Greenland Quilter Facebook Page

Featured

Navy Bean Lentil Soup

White Beans and Lentil Soup

About 2 lbs pork rib bones
2 boneless chicken breast
1/2 bag lentils
1/2 bag white beans (Navy Beans)
Chicken Stock
1/2 sliced onion
1 sliced shallot
1/2 pound cubed bacon
1/4 pound sliced bacon
Coarse Roasted Garlic Seasoning
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp cilantro
3 tbsp white wine

Directions:

Beans and Lentils:
Remove from bags and wash. Place in cool water and cover and allow to soak over night.
Pour soaked beans into a colander and rinse thoroughly.

Risotto:
Rinse under hot water for about 2 minutes in wire strainer.

Pork Rib Bones:

Rinse under cool water, place in pot and cover with chicken stock. Cook till meat is tender. Remove from pot to cool.

Remove meat from bones.
Let pulled meat rest in a bowl while preparing more of the soup.

Chicken Breast:
Lightly pound with meat beater to flatten. Season with Coarse garlic and then coat with flour.

Place seasoned and floured chicken breast in melted hot butter/olive oil mixture (50/50)

Brown breast in butter on both sides.
Remove and place in plate until needed.

Thin slice breast when ready to add to pot.

Cubed Bacon and sliced Bacon:

Fry cubed bacon till tender.

Cut bacon in half, separate and place in hot fry pan. Fry on both sides till crispy.

Remove from fry pan. Set crispy bacon aside. Add cubed bacon to cooking stock and crushed sliced bacon into pot. Gently boil for a few minutes.

Onion and Shallot:

Saute both in small amount of butter till both are nice and tender.

Add white wine and allow to cook till most of the wine has dissipated.

Add vegetables to stock in pot.

Directions for the rest of the soup:

Pour beans into stock and bring to boil. Add Risotto as well. Cook gently for awhile till the water starts to slightly thicken. Add the pork back into pot. Add cooked chicken breast to pot.
Crush bacon and add to pot.

Keep extra chicken stock in a cup due to the water cooking down as the beans cook just in case more water is needed.

Cook bean soup has thickened and beans are tender. (Simmer about 2 hours or more) Serve with croutons or crackers or garlic bread.

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel
Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People
Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page
Living Greenland Blog
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Featured

Fragrant Beef/Pork Risotto Soup (One pot)

Fragrant Pork – N – Beef Risotto Soup (One Pot Meal)

Serves 4 people
Ingredients:

4 – 6 High Quality Sausages
1/2 pound Ground Round
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
1 small Onion sliced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper Sliced
2 Garlic cloves smashed and minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp Cilantro
1/2 Cup Risotto Rice (Rinse under hot water till water runs clear in a wire colander)
900 ML Chicken Stock (Can use Vegetable Stock)
2 cans Chopped Tomatoes
1 cup frozen green beans snapped into small pieces
Coarse Roasted Garlic Herb Seasoning
1 shot glass of Sherry

Directions:

1. Split the sausage skin, squeeze out the meat, mix all of the sausage in with the ground beef. Make small meatballs.

In a sauce pan or a large dutch oven heat the oil and butter.

Brown all the meatballs on all sides and the place in a plate and keep warm. (You will have to do them in batches) I ended up having 2 batches.

While the meatballs are browning, Slice a small onion in thin slices. Slice 1/2 red bell pepper slicing in thin slices, Slice a shallot in thin slices.

Smash and mince 2 garlic cloves.

2. Add onion, shallot, and red bell pepper and saute’ till tender and lightly brown. Sprinkle a small amount of coarse roasted garlic her seasoning or a seasoning of choice over the vegetables.

Pour sherry into pan for deglazing the pan. Cook till all fluid has almost disappeared.

Add in chicken stock, risotto rice, canned tomatoes, and

spices stirring till combined. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5-10 minutes. Then add the meatballs back into the pan and gently stir till all are covered in the sauce. Gently simmer for another thirty or so minutes.

Add the green beans in and allow to cook a few more minutes. Keep an eye on the fluid, if the risotto starts to absorb some of the chicken stock, add more to compensate. I ended up adding another 1 1/2 cups of stock to compensate.

In the oven bake two garlic/butter french bread loaves.

Spoon soup into bowl and add thick slices of bread to eat with the dish.

NOTE: The original recipe came from a magazine called Eatwell 101 healthy recipes. Winter 2015, I modified the recipe further to fit our dietary taste. 🙂

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel
Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People
Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page
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Featured

Celebrating 1,000 YT Subscribers

Update: November 29th, 2023

Winners for the $25.00 Gift areas are as follows:
Marie Johns
Mini Dula
Jim Bennett
Teajuana Mahone

Grand Prize Winner of the Spring 2024 Small Full Kit Cotton Cuts “Tree of Life” Puzzle Mystery QAL. (Barb Olson)

Congratulations to all the winners and Thank you so much for all of your support for my channel in helping it get to the 1,000 milestone.

Now it’s time to start working towards the next milestone. I am hoping to reach the full monetization milestone which can only be fulfilled if the “Watch Hours” reach 4,000 hours! I am hoping that all of you can help get me there by watching all of my videos to build up those watch hours. The water hours are even more important then the subscribe numbers. Both are important but one can’t reach full potential without both of them reaching a specified number. I am going to thank you ahead of time! 🙂 🙂

*********************************************************************************************

Join me on my life set for November 29th, 2023 at 7:30 PM GL Time which is 4:00 PM EST. During the live I will be drawing four winners who will be gifted a $25.00 E-gift card from the winners choice of Missouri Star, Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon. In order to participate, you have to be subscribed to my channel and you will have to follow a link to a form that you will fill out in order to participate.

Link to Google Form for November 29th, 2023 YouTube Live Drawing: Click on the word Drawing.

Greenland Quilter Live Link

I have no words to describe how much I appreciate what has occurred with my channel. For two or three years I hemmed and hawed about making my channel but fear kept holding me back. It’s hard to push fear aside when a person has had that in them for a bigger part of their life. Fear of failure. Fear of people being mean. Fear of not doing a good job. Fear of the unknown. Fear of loss of control should it all fall apart. Sometimes we as human beings can’t get past ourselves without stumbling in the process. I realize though that having this type of fear is normal but not normal. I can’t really explain what I mean by that either. But either way, I have pushed it aside and decided I wouldn’t let it hold me back. After all, what’s the worse that can happen? As long as I give it all I can and do what it takes to succeed that is all that really matters. I have to say that I have not set any goals for the channel or my blog. My photography on the other hand has done well enough over on Flickr and I feel like there is enough there to leave a legacy for the future for my children and my grandchildren and whatever generation that follows them. So I’ll continue to concentrate on all three while learning through it.

My blog is definitely going to be a place where I can write about different subjects. Some subjects will make others uncomfortable probably. Sometimes that is what has to happen. It’s like making a quilt that is controversial and it might make people uncomfortable. As I’ve aged, I have realized that this has to be done because it could help someone in the future or it could help the person get their voice heard. There are many good reasons to do this. It’s a trouble that some would term “Good Trouble.” A lot has gone on in my life for sure.

So back to writing about the channel. When I uploaded that first video, it made me feel accomplished. It wasn’t much and it was a video of Greenland not something quilt related but that was a start. My channel is going to vary in so many ways I think. I have so much that I want to share while working towards getting good at making videos for quilters and for learning too. At the same time I get to also talk about some history relating to the town we live in and there is such a rich culture here to share that I can’t help but want to share it.

So stay tuned, there will be videos that will hopefully pique the interest of many. As I gain more dexterity with the technology my video making and editing should improve with it. Right now I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m creating as I move forward. I am so blessed to have met such a wonderful group of supportive people in the quilt making community. All of you have been so kind, supportive, understanding and patient. You help to lift up new creators as they learn to get a channel started and if it weren’t for all of you my channel would not be where it is today. Yes, I have been making videos and learning how to talk and interview and learn how to share in a way that person can learn from what I’m sharing. But it’s all of the viewer who are making my channel grow! All of you viewers are the backbone to every channel creator out there! If it were for you, our channels would go nowhere and I have to give gratitude where it’s due!

Thank you so much for helping my channel reach that 1,000 mark. I posted my first video at the beginning of June 2023. Hitting a 1,000 milestone in five months is something exceptionally awesome and I appreciate every last one of you who have contributed to getting me there. My channel hit a second milestone two days ago. I’m halfway to full monetization of the channel. When I started this channel that wasn’t even in my rear or front window and look what has happened. I really hope I can get my channel to a place where it stays interesting and everyone who watches the videos enjoy them.

Thank you so much for all that you have done on my behalf. I just hope that I can inspire some of you in the process!

Touch the Mind, Kiss the Heart, Embrace the Soul, Live, Laugh, Love & Dream!
<\__~
// \\

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Featured

“Tree of Life”

Cotton Cuts Spring 2024 “Tree of Life” Puzzle Mystery QAL

I can’t express enough how thrilled I am for the Spring Puzzle Mystery QAL in 2024! It’s an event filled with excitement and anticipation as we delve into the world of puzzles and mysteries together. I believe we all share the same enthusiasm and can’t wait to embark on this thrilling journey.

Cotton Cuts Spring 2024 Puzzle Mystery - "Team Secret Garden"

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Autumn Shades - Marrakech Warm Northcott

What makes this QAL even more special is the sense of camaraderie that accompanies it. We’ll be joining forces with fellow quilters and enthusiasts, forming a community of like-minded individuals bonded by our love for crafting and solving puzzles. The shared experience and support from one another will undoubtedly make this Spring Puzzle Mystery QAL an unforgettable adventure.

So, let’s rejoice in the excitement and embrace the challenge ahead. Get ready to unravel the mysteries and immerse ourselves in the colorful world of quilting. Springtime is just around the corner, and together, we’ll create something truly magical!

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Chestnut - Rust N Bloom by Sarah Sczapanski Artxtiles Free Spirit

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Enchanted - Indigo and Cheddar by Judie Rothermel Marcus Fabrics

Detectives have a plethora of 16 different options at their disposal when it comes to selecting the perfect colorway for their investigative endeavors. With a stunning selection of 6 different colors, which are customized by creating an ambiance that suits their unique style and preferences.

As the detective delves deeper into the case, the colorway they have selected continues to play a significant role. It becomes an integral part of their thought process, offering subtle cues and inspiration as they piece together the intricate puzzle of clues. The visual stimulation from the colorway creates an environment that enhances focus and concentration, allowing the detective’s analytical prowess to flourish.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Green Meadow - Imperial Honoka -Japanese Metallic- Robert Kaufman

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Hope - Stronger Together Hoffman

Moreover, the chosen colorway leaves an impression on those involved in the case. It sets the tone for interactions with other detectives, along with other key individuals. Whether it’s a soft, calming tone that helps put others at ease or a strong, commanding presence that demands attention, the colorway serves as a silent accomplice in the detective’s pursuit of truth.

In conclusion, the 16 different colorways available to detectives offer not just a visual feast for the eyes, but a means to enhance their problem-solving abilities and create an immersive environment conducive to unravelling mysteries. So go ahead, choose a colorway that resonates with you, and embark on your next investigation with style and sophistication!

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Jubilee - Sunrise Side by Minick n Simpson Moda

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Moonlit - Sea Sisters by Shell Rummel Free Spirit

First clues ship on February 2, 2024!

To customize your order, first choose your payment preference: Month to Month or All at Once. Next, select the size and colorway. You can then add borders, oops kits, and the new coordinating thread kits as optional extras.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Olive Grove - Buttermere by Original Morris N Co Free Spirit

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Purple Mist - Hoffman Bali Batiks Hoffman Fabrics

Detectives who prepay for their mysteries will receive all the fabric at once, instead of waiting for monthly mail deliveries. Instructions for assembling the quilt top will be emailed each month so that detectives can participate in real-time with others around the world. To ensure delivery before the first clue is released, please sign up by January 1st. After that, mysteries will be batched mailed weekly. You may experience a slight delay in starting, but you will have all the fabric when you receive the instructions.

If you have any accidents, “Oops Kits” are available with a variety of fabrics to fix any mishaps. These kits will be shipped with the first clue. Additionally, “Thread Kits” containing coordinated Aurifil Threads will be shipped with the first clue. They include a larger spool for piecing and three smaller spools for personalized elements. Finally, “Border Kits” are available to expand your quilt top using coordinating fabrics from your kits. These kits will increase the size of the large quilt top from 72″ x 72″ to 88″ x 88″ or the small quilt top from 48″ x 60″ to 58″ x 70″.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Radiance - Deco Glo by Geucy Giuce Andover

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Redwood - Heawave by Katie Pasquini Masopust Free Sprit

Sometimes an issue happens with a mystery clue. Cotton Cuts team is ready to assist and resolve the problem. Fill out a form on Cotton Cuts PMQ Support Page and they will contact you. Your feedback is valuable for Cotton Cuts continuous improvement. If you haven’t received your clue yet, please note that postal mail delivery may take 10-12 days. Spring Puzzle Mystery Quilt clues are shipped on the first Friday of each month, while Fall Puzzle Mystery Quilt clues are shipped on the last Friday of each month.

New for Spring 2024 PMQ – Tree of Life Exclusive for Spring 2024 Build the “Cotton Cuts Community Tree” Every detective who signs up for the new Tree of Life mystery will be sent a square piece of fabric. They are instructed to cut it into a leaf shape of their choice, sign it with their name and location, and return it to Cotton Cuts HQ. The fabric leaves will then be added to the Cotton Cuts Community Tree. Every week on the Cotton Cuts Live show, one leaf received that week will be drawn to win a prize.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Serenity - Marrakech Cool Northcott

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life Storytell - Bluish by Zen Chick - Moda

The Tree of Life symbolizes harmony, balance, rebirth, and connection in nature. It also represents strength, individuality, expression, calmness, growth, and the interconnectedness of everything. Team Cotton Cuts is inspired by the theme of their next Puzzle Mystery Quilt, Tree of Life, and wants to involve everyone in a special project called the Cotton Cuts Community Tree.

New for 2024 – Digital Colorway Swatch Card
Detectives purchasing their PMQ will receive a digital color swatch booklet along with their purchase. This digital swatch card will be permanently stored in their account for easy reference, in case it gets lost. A printed color version will still be provided with Clue 1, ensuring that everyone can continue sewing even if the swatch booklet goes missing.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Tranquil - Bliss Norcott

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery Spring 2024 - "Tree of Life" Woodland - Horizon by Pippa Shaw Figo

“I’m In” Badge – When detectives purchase the Tree of Life mystery, they will receive a “I’m In” badge as a digital download. This badge is highly requested by detectives who want to share their love for the mystery on social media. There are no restrictions on how to use the badge, it can be used on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or any other platform. Similar to previous mysteries, if someone signs up and mentions your name as the referrer, you will receive a fat quarter of fabric from your colorway. The badge can be used to earn free fabric.

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel

Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People

Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page

Living Greenland Blog

Greenland Quilter Facebook Page

Featured

Cotton Cuts “Village Green” Puzzle Mystery QAL Spring 2023

I wrote a blog about the Village Green case and shared photos and comments from the detectives of their finished work and why they chose the colorway. All the colorways turned out beautiful and impressive. It was fun to see everyone’s finished case! I hope more people will share photos of their Village Green Colorway cases so I can add them to the blog. Thank you to everyone who allowed me to share this in a blog!

Cotton Cuts "Village Green" Team Begonia

Michelle Money – Team Begonia
“I chose the color wheel because I love batiks. The colors are more vibrant in person. I enjoyed getting a clue every month and that it did not take a long time. Instructions were outstanding!”

Martha’s Creative Life – Team Poppy
“I finished hubby’s Village Green Small Poppy quilt top from Cotton Cuts this weekend! Perfect timing to give it to him as a Veterans Day gift! He absolutely is in love with it too!
I am so happy! ❤️💙❤️💙”

Lisa Turner – Team Peony
“I love it! These are colors I love even though this quilt currently doesn’t have a home. I love making mystery quilts! I have made maybe six. It’s the best of all worlds! I don’t have to worry about cutting accurately. There are so many wonderful color choices and it’s just a fun surprise when you put it together! I don’t worry about getting behind. With one clue a month or even two if I’ve ordered extra, I can just work on it one or 2 afternoons in a week and get caught up. The pieces go together so nicely and with the measurements for each piece given, it all fits together so nicely! So much fun!”

Courtney Pyrch – Team Corn Flower
“I chose the large Cornflower colorway, with extra borders. My favorite color is blue, and I lean toward solid colors, so this was the perfect colorway for me!”

Cotton Cuts Village Greenland - Team Corn Flower

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Lavender

Sandee Plocharczyk Team Lavender “I just completed Village Green, which was so much fun. This is my first BOM. The directions were fabulous and easy to follow. I’m a fairly new quilter and feel needy many times, but this is the first time I did a quilt without asking anybody. So excited!! Thanks Cotton Cuts!”

Theresa Sovar Higgins – Team Bluebell
“I chose the bluebell colorway for my daughter whose favorite color is blue. The quilt is striking with the contrasting lights and darks. Cotton Cuts mystery quilts are fun to make because the pieces are precut, it’s exciting waiting for the clues and final reveal. I’ve gifted 5 quilts to family who love the quilts.”

Cotton Cuts "Village Green" Team Bluebell

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Daffodil

Theresa Sovar Higgins – Team Daffodil
“I chose the Daffodil colorway because it was my husbands favorite flower and my favorite animal which is a bear. It will be gifted to my granddaughter Clara who is nicknamed Beara.”

Bryanna Shindler – Team Aster
“This was my first PMQ. And loved it so much I have 3 Carnivals going! “

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Aster

Jennifer Reck-Allen – Team Daffodil
“Finished piecing my small Daffodil Village Green PMQ. My SIL picked the colors not knowing this will be her Christmas gift. The colors are a bit blown out because the sun was shining through it. It is at the LAQ currently. This is my second round with a PMQ. I plan to do the next offering.”

Tony Miller – Team Peony
The Village Green was my first PMQ. I chose the Peony color way because I loved the rustic, calming and muted colors of the fabric line. Peony’s are my Sister Laura’s favorite flowers, so it also reminds me of her. I don’t have a great picture of it finished as it was just up on my makeshift design wall. It is now off to the longarm to get a sweet flower pattern quilted on it.
~ Anna Miller

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Peony

Sean Ironmonger of “The Guy Who Sew” – Team Lavender
Sean is a Cotton Cuts Ambassador. He enjoyed making PMQ tutorials.

Lindsey Endris – Team Hollyhock
“I chose the hollyhock colorway because I loved the reds and floral. Red was not a color I tend to use in quilts, so I figured it would be a good change for me.”

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Hollyhock

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team Cornflower

Delene Bryant – Team Cornflower
“I really liked the color wheel on this and the fabric pattern. I’m new to quilting, so I’m doing these PMQ’s for the experience before I dive into cutting my own pieces. I am enjoying the mystery part, it is fun to try to guess how the final piece will work together.”

Kathy Davidson Gatti – Team Daffodil
“I have completed my Village Green Daffodil quilt top, Small. I love it, and the extra borders make it just big enough. I am getting my backing prepared tonight and will be ready to take to my quilters next week. I love this colorway. The bears and little girl are simply adorable.”

Village Green - Spring 2023 - Team BlueBell

Phillipa Perlin – Team Bluebell
Village Green was my first PMQ, I chose Bluebell. I loved the William Morris fabric particularly the blues. I was part of the Sleigh Arts/Stephanie Stitches Group joining in on the monthly zoom sew a longs. It was so much fun sewing with friends

Marie Singer – Team Daffodil
“My Village Green large top, with extra (customized) borders, with my Ladybug cat.”

Debbie Dahlen DeLeeuw – Team Marigold
“Finally done! I wasn’t too sure about the background fabric choice on this one, but it really does blend together nicely and the picture doesn’t do it justice. Now that this is completed, I can put Village Green aside and do all the other things. Lots of projects sitting around and sewing machine went away until I finished some things🥳🥳 This is my third mystery quilt. Honestly, I chose those colors because it’s really the least likely color that I would normally choose and I wanted to do something different.. I have been quilting off and on for years and my quilting is basically sewing squares together, so doing the mystery quilts reveals a design and not just squares. So together this has really boosted my confidence on what I can do.😎”

Gwen Brown – Team Begonia
“Finished my “Village Green” Begonia. I am so in love with this quilt that I’m keeping it for myself.”

Lisa Hennesy Alexander – Team Hollyhock
“I love it! I had no specific reason for this colorway other than I think that it is beautiful. I absolutely loved the process that Cotton Cuts does in regards to the pieces already being cut for me!!! That’s the best! I love the process of it being a mystery. Also, I was very pleased with the end result!”

Jeanne Stone Boe – Team Bluebell
“I picked this colorway because I love blues and greys. I really enjoyed getting the envelope in the mail each month. The process was very easy since I didn’t have to cut any pieces, just sew. As the months went on I got better at getting the pieces put together so that they were the correct size. I’m still struggling with consistent seam allowances. My only problem really was when I went to put all the clues together at the end, the seam allowances only nested 60% of the time even though I followed the pressing instructions all along. So, I had to flip some seam allowances so they went together better.”

Marie Singer – Team Dahlia
“My beautiful Dahlia is back from the quilter.”

Heather Bennett Ohye – Team Cornflower
“This is my third PMQ. Gretta Soble got me hooked. I have gained more patience doing these each month. Not to rush the process. I’m always interested in the finished project and can’t wait to see it done. But now I take my time. Get the points right, press those seams, etc. I chose this color way cause it looks like batiks. And green and blue are my favorite. I also wasn’t sure I liked the colors for the first few months as I have a lighting issue in my sewing area and had trouble w the light fabrics blending together. I love it now though!”

Ann Hedge Upchurch – Team Hollyhock
“My granddaughters picked it for me cause I couldn’t decide from all the choices. Enjoyed working with the colors as I sewed and the material was easier to sew after I starched. Was not able to really see the pattern until about clue 8-9 and then when all started to come together I really liked it more and more .. I love the finished top with extra borders. This colorway and little flowers are out of my normal choice range but I will do again. It turned out better than I thought.”

Sophie Boudreau – Team Bluebell
“I love it so much!!! Thanks Cotton Cuts and Sheila Christensen (Quilt Designer) for putting together such a fabulous quilt.”

Katie Kulhanek – Team Tulip
“I usually make quilts with lots of color but this time I wanted a classic look and do something a little different than my normal. I love the design. It’s a very classic quilt design that also has some modern edge to it.”

Ruth Krainik – Team Bluebell
“So excited to finish the large Village Green in the Bluebell color way! It looks much more beautiful in person but still is so lovely! Thank you Cotton Cuts! So pretty“

Te Rie – Team Sweet William
“Love making this and looking forward to doing the next puzzle mystery quilt, “Tree of Life.”

Elizabeth Anne Gude – Team Sweet William
“Loving my finished Large Sweet William Village Green. Those colors and textures are delicious. I cannot wait to load it on the frame and get it quilted and ready for snuggles!! Who’s signing up for the “Tree of Life” Puzzle Mystery Case?

Rachel Hannah – Team Bluebell
Blues are my weakness when it comes to color. I had a hard time choosing between this colorway or the Hollyhock. I ultimately chose the blue because I decided it was for me and not for someone else. I have given away at least half of the PMQs I have done over the years to family. I really enjoy the PMQ because the sections are all a workable size. Even if I get behind I can do more than one on a weekend and catch up. I also work full time and knowing that a monthly section takes about an hour and no more than two makes the process workable when you are limited on free time. I have learned that doing more than one at once is a real challenge! I have so much on my plate that I have to start limiting myself. Also when the quilt is done; I usually think that if I had seen the final pattern first I never would have chosen it because I would have thought it was too complicated. I think this is my 6th or 7th PMQ. No two are alike and they are all beautiful!

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery QAL - Village Green - Team Lavender

Ruth Bangert Ward – Village Green “Team Lavender”
“I love all things purple and thoroughly enjoyed the PMQ process. It was so fun to get the packages and just sIt down to sew. Learned that is is helpful to label each completed block for easier final assembly.”

Joanne Yvon Team Cornflower
“I choose this colorway because it reminds me of tranquility and serenity-basically calming colors. Good for de-stressing. I love the cotton cuts PMQs because they come pre-cut (cutting yardage is something i don’t really enjoy. I don’t mind sub-cut so much -hello precuts which is most of my stash). I learned i am a carefree quilter – which means most of the time close is good enough for me. I’m not one to pick part too much (nothing wrong with that just not the way I roll); unless I really screwed the pooch.”

Elaine O’Connell = Team Begonia
“I loved the batik, first of all, which led me to these colors. I think their choice of greens, blues and sort of a peachy color work well together. I have made several of their mystery quilts, so can’t say I learned any thing in particular about myself, other than that I enjoy having the cutting done, so that I can focus on the piecing. This choice was one of my favorites.”

Dianne Harries – Team Marigold
“One of my least likely colour ways and I love the process of the mystery and I actually like the end result with the choice of colors.”

Bonnie Shuey Hanes – Team Bluebell
“I really enjoy the mystery of the whole process. As far as choosing the color way, I don’t have anything other than just what I like at the time. I will say, this is probably the one I like the most. I have been sewing for well over 50 years and enjoy watching projects come together. My mother was a quilter and so I think it’s just in my dna.😁”

Bobbie Moore – Team Hollyhock
“I wanted something for myself and not purple again. I like the mystery and the monthly puzzle piecing that is not simply a traditional block. I learned that with mystery quilts you have to be patient and let the process work. The results are usually worth it.”

Christine Hammer McHenry – Team Begonia
“I picked the colorway because I loved the seahorse, turtle print and the orange/blue-green combo. I liked the process ok, mostly because the monthly clues were manageable in my busy life. I will say that I prefer the new prepay of getting all clue fabric at once. Gives me a box to keep it all in. I had one clue that was less fabric, and the replacement process was smooth. This might be addictive. Lol”

Carol Wendler – Team Dahlia
“This one is number 5 I think. I chose this colorway because I loved the owls. The PMQ is great because it breaks the quilt down into easily managed parts and keeps me on track! I learned that I need to pay closer attention to my points. Thank you!”

Lindsey Endris – Team Hollyhock
“I chose this colorway because i thought the fabrics were gorgeous and it was also a colorway I had never done before. This was probably my 3rd or 4th one. My first pmq was “Sew Sweet”.”

Laura Tilton – Team Cornflower
“Finally finished piecing my Village Green Large Cornflower. If you see mistakes, I don’t want to hear it! 😉 🙂 This was my 7th PMQ. I was really drawn to the colors. Very pretty.”

Brenda Ward – Team Marigold
“I wanted something bright the day I picked my colour way. I enjoyed the mystery quilt process that I have 2 more on the go. One other one needs to be sewn together. It is a larger quilt. So overall I have 4 in total. Built up my confidence.”

Kathy Davidson Gatti – Team Daffodil
“Hooray I just finished sewing the binding and the label on. My VILLAGE GREEN Daffodil with extra borders is now complete. I love that fabric backing was available for purchase. I adore it. I couldn’t be happier with the finished quilt.”

Lois Hardenbrook – Team Begonia
“I have a friend that loves the beach, that is the reason I choose the fabric. I have learned to remember to order the backing!!! I love Cotton Cuts as they have the best customer service.”

Marcy Reding – Team Sweet William
Village Green small

Sandra Abundis – Team Tulip
“I’m glad I picked the black and white colors. I love the way it came out. I hope we have more quilts in these colors coming in two tone colors. I picked this because I wanted these colors it was a very enjoyable processI did make a couple of mistakes but decided to leave them there.”

“

Maridee Mueller Hargis – Team Sweet William
“I’m always drawn to green. I like getting the envelope and being able to start sewing right away – no cutting first. I’m also able to just let the mystery unfold. I don’t try to solve it on my own. It’s like watching a movie with my husband, he is constantly trying to predict the next scene. When he asks what I think, “I prefer to let it unfold.” 45 years of this conversation. He’s lucky I have a LOT of patience.”

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“Plants Are My Super Power”

The blog is about the first time blooming of my Hoya. The blossoms are so perfect and pristine. They almost look like they are made from wax. It also has a nice cent to it. Some of the pods still hasn't opened but I'm sure the rest will soon. Nature creates such beautiful perfect things.

This blog is about the first time blooming of my Hoya plant. Nature makes such beautiful perfect things. The blossoms look like they are made from wax. The blog is about how I became involved with growing plants as well.

NOTE: I have written things that some may find uncomfortable. I cannot help that since so much is tied to those things and it is part of what has made me who I am. To leave out this would be like lying. Also, if you have the time, please subscribe and like. It will help my blog grow. 🙂 🙂

There are a few people who have known me for at least 75% of my life. If you asked them to say one thing about me what would it be? Kathy has a green thumb. That would be a true statement too. It’s my superpower. When I was eleven our parents took us to Georgia to see my dad’s sister. It was the only time I had met her. In that very short time as an eleven-year-old, the first thing I noticed was all her beautiful plants and she had a beautiful afghan on her sofa. All I remember saying is, “I sure wish I could grow those kinds of plants and also learn how to crochet.” My Auntie Lena sat down and showed me some basic crocheted stitches and made sure I could do them. She gave me a ball of yarn and a crochet hook. I still have that crochet hook to this day. The hook has been in my possession for 50 years!

The other thing she did was take me outside to see her plants. She took some clippings from a really colorful coleus, put the stems in a wet paper towel, and then that was put into a bag so that it could stay moist. She told me how to plant them when I got home. I planted them and nurtured them and that was when I realized I loved plants. Before I knew it, the number of ornamental plants had grown in numbers, We were living in Christmas Florida then so when my parents decided to sell their place and move us to North Florida, I literally shoved as many potted plants as I could get away with into the U-Haul truck after all our belongings had been loaded.

I couldn’t leave them. I loved them so much and they brought me such peace and happiness. Growing plants because an escape that helped me cope with all the bad things that were going on in my life during my adolescent – and teenage years. We moved to North Florida and from there my plant growing grew even larger.

When I was fourteen I had a part-time job working at a cactus nursery. I learned so much from the owner of that nursery. I learned about all different types of cactus and we had a neighbor who was going to Lake City Community College to study Landscape Design. He had seen my plant collection outside in our yard and that is when he started mentoring me too. Before I knew it, I had around 300 different species of plants & cactus. One day my father being the mean ass that he was decided to come out and inform me that I had a week to get rid of every last one of them. He told me that I loved my plants more than God, and our family and that I was to give them up. If I didn’t he would burn them all.

I felt like something inside me was dying as I gave them away to people who I knew loved them. My father literally squashed something I was good at in a matter of days and he didn’t care that he had caused more damage that day than a lot of what he had already done.

About a year later the man across the street who had been mentoring me, teaching me all I could soak up about plants even though I wasn’t allowed any plants, came to our house. He spoke to my parents and he told them that I was gifted and he couldn’t understand why I wasn’t allowed to have them. He told my parents he had graduated from the program and he wanted to give me one plant to remember him by. He asked my father to allow that one plant. Strangely enough, my dad told him okay.

When we moved to a different house, I still had that one plant. It was a ponytail. I ended up with more plants again and for whatever reason my father allowed me to have a greenhouse in the backyard and that was where I kept a fairly good-sized collection by the time I graduated from high school. I practically lived in it, (not really) but I spent a lot of time out there tending to them, and talking to them. It was such a place to escape reality for a while.

I had decided I wanted to go to college and sign up for the Landscape Design course that was offered out there. That didn’t sit well with my dad. No girl should be in that type of program especially because of the religion our parents made us a part of. He was really making it hard to continue to live under their roof as an almost 19-year-old. The greenhouse kept me there but one day I realized I couldn’t continue to live in the atmosphere that I was living in. I tried to take what plants I could and had to leave the rest. They all died in a hard freeze during the late winter when I had left. I still had that ONE plant given to me. I had taken it with me. (Pony Tail) I had the Ponytail up until 12 years ago when I moved to Greenland. It was 38 years old when I gave it to a friend who lived in South Florida.

A lot of things happened after I left home that got in the way of trying to get a degree in Landscape Design. I eventually earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Landscape Technology along with an Associate of Arts degree in Fine Arts. I wanted to continue to a four-year degree but again life got in the way with things happening beyond my control.

I’ve been through a lot over the years but my love of plants has not stopped. Even though I live in Greenland, I still have plants. I don’t have the numbers I had in Florida but what I do have I’m so very thankful for. I wrote about all this today because the one Hoya I have left that hadn’t died while I was stuck in California last year has finally produced a peduncle that now has a cluster of very tiny blossoms. They are so beautiful! I’m so happy to see this has happened. I decided to write about this, only it seems I got off to a strange start in my writing by talking about my childhood and how I came about being a Master Gardener. So down below there is going to be some salty writing about why humans find the need to change what nature creates so beautifully.

Look at the picture of the Hoya blossom. Look how perfect it is! Nature gives us such beautiful plants and animals and sunsets and icebergs and many other things and yet humans find the need to turn them into something else. Why? Are humans that superficial?

Okay, be forewarned because now the writing is going to go down a different path and subject.

I think I have to write about this because there are many less plant-savvy people out there in our world. Not by any fault of their own.

The last couple of times I went home to see my adult children and their children I noticed in Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s that the cactus they were selling had what looked like flowers on them! I have also seen them in Denmark and now here in Greenland.

The flowers are fake, the the producers who grow and sell the cactus injure the cactus with this method of hoping that their decorations will help sell the cactus faster or sell more of it! I’ve also seen cactus totally covered in paint.

First off injuring a cactus is bad enough. But to put those out on the market to sell to unsuspecting people who don’t realize that those injuries could cause rot on the cactus. So basically the cactus are being sold as if they are disposable! There is no fine print on the label stating “This cactus might die due to wounds inflicted by humans who are stupid enough to put the fake crap on them in order to sell them for a higher price and more of them!

It’s ridiculous that we as humans can’t be satisfied with what nature gives us without primping them up to make them more ideal for the human eye. Eye Candy!

I would not spend one penny on any of the cactus just for that reason because why would I want to pay a high price for a cactus that has been compromised? Why do people buy them like this? Do they not understand that it’s fake?

I bought what I thought was a Bird of Paradise plant in Flower. I didn’t think to touch the flower when I bought it. I had that damn plant an entire year and I kept thinking, how it is possible for it to bloom for months on end while the plant hardly grew at all. One day I decided I would look at the root ball so I was trying to be careful not to damage the flower when I turned the plant upside down to remove the pot. The damn flower fell out and that is when I discovered it was a freaking FAKE!!!

It would be nice if none of us spent money on what is done to these plants in order to sell them. The producers are ripping people off!

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Cotton Cuts “Carnival Mystery” Hot Air Balloon

The Fall Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery 2023 has started! I am so excited about being a part of the 2023 Fall Cotton Cuts Fall Mystery QAL called “Carnival”. I chose two colorways. The first one is Bomb Pop (Large) and Hot Air Balloon (Large). Something to make a note of on your calendar is the upcoming 2024 Spring PMQ (Puzzle Mystery QAL). Sign ups will begin on December 1, 2023. Clue 1 will begin shipping on February 1^st 2024.

While you are reading this or right afterwards could you please tell me where you are viewing from and ask any questions you might have about the Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery program. Also, to help my blog and channel “Greenland Quilter,” could you like and subscribe please? It will really help my new channel and blog get out on the algorithms that post our sites. I can use all the help that I can get! I thank you ahead of time and I appreciate so much that you took the time to read and view both my blog and my YouTube Channel “Greenland Quilter.”

I chose Bomb Pop for its colors as well as the whole colorway is batiks. I love batiks! The fabric colors are from Hoffman Fabrics Bali Batiks and Dots. I will be creating a separate blog. I’m also participating in a YouTube collaboration with Sean from “The Guy Who Sews.” We are going to have a lot of fun sewing together live while viewers watch. If you’re a Carnival detective, stay tuned for October 14th, 2023 starting at 8:00 am EST for our live sewing of Clue 3 of Carnival.

My second choice is Hot Air Balloon. I decided to sign up for one that is a bit outside of my usual color and comfort zone. I think I made a wise choice. The colors are really nice and I think it’s going to make a beautiful quilt. Hot Air Balloon colorway is from “Fairfield by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics.” I will be making blogs for this colorway.

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon colorway brochure

Cotton Cuts Carnival Tips and Tricks brochure

So I’m going to talk a little bit about the Puzzle Mystery Program along with share some pics of Clue one from beginning to end. Each month a detective will receive a clue. You won’t know what it will turn into since it’s clues, not blocks. You can try over time to guess how it looks if you’re up for that task!

In clue one you will receive your colorway brochure. Make sure you don’t lose it because it has important information in it along with on the back it has your labeled colorway. You will need this in order to complete the task each month. Also take a cell phone photo of it just in case you misplace it.

Cotton Cuts Carnival Important information Brochure

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon Brochure

Inside the brochure you will have some tips and tricks for fulfilling the task set for each clue. Also included inside the brochure are release dates for each clue along with information on what to do if your clue has an issue or a missing piece. Cotton Cuts customer service is impeccable and they will always make whatever is wrong right. 🙂 🙂 You can also email cotton cuts if you have a question by using help@cottoncuts.com.

There are two Facebook groups that you can join as well. The first one is the Cotton Cuts Fabric page and the other is the Mystery Quilter group. Both groups are there for you to ask questions along with to post your clues as you finish them. Participating is a great way to make friends not to mention Cotton Cuts is always hosting activities to keep us all engaged as we go through each month completing our clues.

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon labeled layout

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon Clue 1a & 1b completed.

Don’t forget to use your “Flat Nancy” link to post your pics and answer some questions. If you’re doing more than one colorway, you can post them all via the link as well as on Facebook and Instagram and whatever other social media platform you use. Make sure you use the #TeamHotAirBalloon (or your colorway) on your post so that we all can see what you’ve been working on. Also use the hashtag #CottonCuts and #CCFlatNancy

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon Clue 1A

Cotton Cuts Carnival Hot Air Balloon Clue 1B

Every month Cotton Cuts will give away ten gift cards to the shop. If you post every month to the Flat-Nancy contest, you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a FREE PMQ for the fall of 2024. How cool is that!!!! So please do participate. There are many activities that Cotton Cuts provides so that we as sewers can win something from time to time! Also, PMQ detectives participate in a free Zoom sew meeting every third Thursday of the month. Make sure you check in the Cotton Cuts Fabric FB and Mystery Quilters FB for the link. If you can’t find it, post in either group and one of us will be there to help!

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Yvette of Yvette Renee Creations

I am so excited to finally share a secret with everyone. I have a new video interview with a special lady who has influenced many quilt creators in the quilting industry. She was one of Cotton Cut’s first ambassadors and she’s known for her love of paper piecing. She loves and wants to be known for paper piecing as well as teaching it! Please say hello to Yvette in the comments section of the video when it premieres and share with all of us where you are viewing from!

The video goes live September 19th, 2023 at 6:00 PM Mountain time, 8:00 PM EST and 10:00 Greenland Time. Please come and say hello and comment below the video where you are viewing from. “Exploring The Yvette Renee channel’s Quilting Journey”

Yvette started making quilts in 2001. A friend of hers influenced her to want to start making quilts. The first thing Yvette did was go and buy her first machine which is a Baby Lock Ellure. She still has the machine but has added the Baby Lock Crescendo to the quilting family.

Over time Yvette discovered her love of Paper Piecing. She has started making her own paper piecing patterns as well as started her “Piecing It Real” online community. She really loves paper piecing and wants it to blossom into something huge. She really loves to teach paper piecing as well.

Yvette started her YouTube channel (TheYvetteRenee) in 2016. One of her cats who is called Jelly Bean loves to parade often in front of the camera when Yvette is filming or goes live to sew. I think he’s in love with the camera!

When Yvette started her channel, she started out unboxing all kinds of subscription boxes. It is because of this I became interested in Quilting. She was opening a Cotton Cuts Classic Box, FQS Sew Sampler Box, Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery QAL, and Sweet Water’s Quilt label subscription.

Yvette was Cotton Cuts 1^st ambassador. What an honor to be one of the first to start making tutorials of the Puzzle Mystery QAL. Her first PMQ was the “This Way and That Way” QAL, Team Ballet.

Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery, "This Way and That Way" Team Ballet

Her second PMQ was the “Stratford,” Team Viola.

Over time Yvette started having live sew-alongs and created short tutorials. She really loves to share her knowledge of paper piecing through teaching and tutorials. The thing that Yvette loves the most is teaching through her Piecing It Real online membership. She also hosts online virtual sewing retreats as well.

Thank you so much Yvette for sitting down to have a conversation with me. I really enjoyed it! To learn more about Yvette go to my YouTube Video “Behind the Scenes With Yvette.” Also please like the blog and comment on where you’re reading the blog from as well as Like & Subscribe to my YouTube channel (Greenland Quilter) to help it grow. I thank you ahead of time! 🙂 🙂 🙂

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Signals of Spring in South Greenland

I have always loved Spring and Fall. Spring the most because I get to watch nature come alive after a perpetually long winter. The first couple of months of winter I have come to love, especially when the first few snowfalls happen but after a while, I want to hurry up and get to spring. I think it’s the Florida girl in me. Spring blasts in loudly in Florida. Here in South Greenland, spring eases in.

One of the things I’ve noticed over the past twelve years is how there are small signals and larger-than-life signals of spring here in South Greenland.

One of the smaller signals is when you see the first green foliage popping up where areas of snow have already thawed. Dandelions are the first to shoot up new growth it seems. You could walk by it on a Tuesday and see only foliage and then walk back by it on a Wednesday to see flower buds already on the plant! It always amazes me how fast plants go from being dormant to in full bloom within days. Must be all those long hours of sunshine during the summer months!

Then the march through spring starts to show up all over the town with different kinds of flowers everywhere. I’ve noticed that for some years Lupines have exponentially bloomed everywhere.

While a different year has an abundance of white daisy flowers everywhere during spring and summer. It’s interesting every year to see which plants flower the most while others are mediocre.

Some examples of other plants that grow here in Qaqortoq, Greenland

I think that it has a whole lot to do with how our winter months are and how spring and summer is. Lots of rain tends to produce more of something while other times when there hasn’t been rain for weeks other plants do better. Our weather is definitely changing here which has caused secondary changes in our weather and how it affects Greenland overall.

Standing in front of our harbor packed with ice.

The second thing is icebergs or sea ice. This year we had sea ice as far as the eye could see in both directions of our fjord. It always amazes me how it turns into a traffic ice jam. Nothing can get in or out if it’s jammed up tightly against each other.

I always see boats trying though. Sea ice signals the hunting of seals for hunters who add seal meat to their food table. This is a way of life. Hunting of seals dates all the way back to the Saqqaq age. Once the ice leaves usually we start to see Cod fishing commencing as well.

The ice tends to stick around for about a month to six weeks. Most folks are ready for it to leave so that boats and ships can come and go here. I have taken some magnificent photos of icebergs in the fjord as well. I’m hoping we’ll see some next year since there have been so few of them this year. 🙂 🙂

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Greenland Quilter Channel

I’ve been thinking a lot about how my channel is progressing. First off I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for subscribing and watching my videos! It means so much to me and my “Heart Light.” I’m really happy with how it’s going while learning a lot and I have a whole lot more to learn while creating and editing videos to share online.

Let’s get down to business first before I finish writing what I want to share with you for the future of my channel.

Currently, my channel has reached 365 subs. I’m 135 away from 500 subscribers. So I’m going to make a challenge. I challenge all of you to help me reach my first milestone of 500. If I make it to the 500+ mark by September 30th, 2023, I will do two giveaways. 1st one will be for a $30.00 and a $15.00 USD gift card from Amazon, Fat Quarter Shop, or Missouri Star. Winners get to choose which place they would like the gift card from. Help our channel out by liking and subscribing or even making comments. Comment about where you are viewing my videos from. I’m really interested in that. I will go live to do the giveaway. I will let you know when that will be set for.

Next: I would love it if y’all would post down below about what you would like to see me make videos about. Since I’m so new to doing this, try to make it simple enough that I won’t have to struggle. As my skill set improves we can go for more later down the road. Share your ideas/suggestions with me! 🙂 🙂 🙂

I’m going to finally talk about why I started the channel to begin with along with my blog. Over the past year, I have had this burning desire to get my videos of the past online along with writing blogs. I want to have all of this up and going so that if something ever happens to me, my children and grandchildren have a way to watch videos and read what I’ve written about along with the photography. The pandemic really made me realize how precarious our lives are in the grander scheme of things. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Currently, I use three different platforms which I post photos, videos, and writing on.

Between me and my “Heart Light,” we have over 12 years’ worth of videos. Most of them are from here in Greenland. I have tons of photographs that aren’t on Flickr or my Facebook that are still in Florida. On my next trip to the USA, I’m going try my best to get those all rounded up and brought home to Greenland so that I can start scanning and uploading those to my Flickr page too.

As many of you know, my channel consists of a few subjects with Quilting being the main one and Living in Greenland the other. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks concerning a video that will be with me and my “Heart Light”. We will be discussing how we became a couple and what it took to make that happen. I am married to an amazing human being. He’s given me a beautiful life that I never thought could happen. So we’re going to tell you our story.

Also, this week I will be posting another interview premiere. I am super stoked about this one since I got an interview with a lovely person who has influenced many people into getting into making quilts, subscribing to subscriptions from Cotton Cuts Classic Cuts box, Fat Quarter Shop’s Sew Sampler box, Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery QAL and Sweet Waters Quilt label. Who do you think I interviewed? Comment on who you think it might be! 🙂 🙂

In closing. I’m so thankful for all of you who watch my videos and read my blogs!

Greenland Quilter

My photographs on Flickr

Living Greenland Facebook page

Featured

Cotton Cuts PMQ 1st Timers

Way back when in 2017 I came across a YouTube creator (Yvette Renee) who was sharing an unboxing of Cotton Cuts Classic Box. Back then I signed up for the Cotton Cuts Classic Box. Later, I became more receptive to YouTube creators who were sharing their unboxing of all things quilt-related. I came across a video about the Cotton Cuts Puzzle Mystery QAL. At the time I was so new to quilting that I had no idea what I was getting into but I really wanted to become involved so that I could learn how to make quilts and gain a skill set in the process of learning.

This blog is going to be about the first PMQ starting with my own along with sharing others who have shared their first PMQs photos with me so that I can write them into a blog. This is in celebration of the Puzzle Mystery Quilt along and how it has brought so many of us together while creating new friendships as well as becoming more involved with future PMQ endeavors. In late fall of 2018, I signed up for the Spring 2019 Stratford – “Team Titania”.

At the time I was sewing on a small Singer Talent and I was so new to making quilts. I really had a strong desire to learn. I didn’t complete it with everyone else at the beginning because I was really struggling with the sewing machine I was using but I had about 75% of it finished. After a year of that, my “Heart Light” bought me a Janome 6700P. I have to say the machine made me feel a bit intimidated but once I began to sew on it, there was no turning back once I got started. My skills as a sewer have improved so much because of it and also because I continued to participate in more PMQs, which also improved my sewing skills. I love the Puzzle Mystery Quilt program. Cotton Cuts has simplified it so much that all a person has to do is follow each month’s clue instructions by just sewing. A person doesn’t have to decide on what fabrics to buy, measure, or even cut. It’s all precut and ready for sewing! By month ten a beautiful quilt top is built from all the clues.

To start off the list of first PMQs from people we will start with the owner of Cotton Cuts – Kim Moos. Her first PMQ was from the Spring 2017 – “All A Glow” – Team Boardwalk Fun If you want to learn more about Kim Moos of Cotton Cuts, come over and watch Part 1 and Part 2 of an interview I have conducted with Kim. There will be more installments as we dig deeper into Cotton Cuts.

Jennifer Lee Merkley – (Fall 2022: Piazza – Team Duomo (small) “While I’m an experienced quilter, I struggled to find my motivation again after Covid, a rough pregnancy, and adjusting to life as a parent to a newborn. I found out about the PMQ and it felt like the perfect way to motivate myself to sew again. And it worked. I was hooked and fell in love. Village Green will be my 3rd PMQ!”

Brianna Robeck-Schwartz: Fall 2020 “Are You Game” – Team Catan

Lisa Turner – Fall 2021 “Olympia” – Team Scott

Trish Read – Spring 2017 “All A Glow” – Team Sedona Sunset

Lindsey Endris – Spring 2022 “Sew Sweet” – Team Abelskiver

Jossalin Newsom – Spring 2022 “Sew Sweet” – Team Red Velvet ” I honestly don’t remember how I found these, but I’m hooked. Had to skip Village Green, but making up for it with two Carnivals… maybe 3 if they reopen Ferris Wheel “

Janice Wagner – Fall 2022 – “Piazza” Team Valle (Small) Using Michael Miller Marine Metallics

Autumn Ela – Fall 2022 “Piazza” Team Vittorio

Margaret Mager – Fall 2021 “Olympia” – Team Scott

Marie Singer: Spring 2022 – “Sew Sweet” – Team Beignet – “I love batiks!”

Deb Fothergill – Fall 2022 – “Piazza” Team Miracolli (Large) “I have just finished quilting my first PMQ. I am now looking forward to binding it! I am an experienced sewer from NZ who pieces and quilts my own quilts, but I have only recently been introduced to Sheila’s designs and the PMQ concept and after finishing this one I’m hooked. I absolutely adore the ease of the piecing, and how well they go together. I have since started two colorways of Village Green and I am looking forward to starting the latest, “Carnival”. I am obsessed!” 🙂 🙂

Ashley Ledford – Spring 2022 “Sew Sweet” – Team Blueberry Cake “This is my first PMQ. I still need to quilt it! I’ve been a regular participant ever since.

Krista Cline – Fall 2020 – “Are You Game” – Team Candyland

Katrina Kuegel – Spring 2021 – “Sparkle and Shine” – Team Garnet “I gifted it to my niece.”

Mel Heimo Meister – Spring 2020 – “Name of the Rose” Team Colorific

Drusilla Tostenson – Spring 2021 – “Sparkle and Shine” Team Jasper” Drusilla made her first quilt at age 90+. What a wonderful accomplishment!

Gretta Soble – Spring 2017 – “All A Glow” – Team Boardwalk Fun. “I received an invitation from Kim Moos to check out Cotton Cut’s new PMQ and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Anna Rootbeer – Spring 2021 – “Sparkle and Shine” – “I did this quilt but not during the mystery quilt period, and Sheila Christensen Quilt Designer also advised me on the right fabrics to suit my friend’s wishes. I think it came out great!”

In honor of “Mary Jo LaLonde” – Fall 2020 – “Are You Game” – Team Labyrinth (Krista Cline; “I found Cotton Cuts PMQ through Sew Becca’s Youtube channel. I started it when clue 3 had already been sent out. I enjoyed how quick and easy it was to do each clue, so I shared it with my mom and that’s how she became a detective. One of the things we enjoyed sharing is this project along with choosing a different colorway that we loved and seeing how the same quilt came out differently. ” What a beautiful relationship!

Heather Bennett Ohye – Spring 2021 – “Sew Sweet” – Team Blueberry “My sister, Gretta Soble introduced me to the PMQs. Loved this and now I’m hooked!” 🙂 🙂

Spring 2021 – “Sparkle and Shine” (Team Pearl) “I chose this colorway because it was outside of my comfort zone. I usually gravitate towards floral prints that are more colorful. This colorway was so different with all the geometric prints and neutral colors.” Fallon from “Sew Be It Quilts“

Yvette was Cotton Cuts, 1^st ambassador. What an honor to be one of the first to start making tutorials of the Puzzle Mystery QAL. Her first PMQ was the “This Way and That Way” QAL, Team Ballet.

Fall 2021 – “Olympia” Team Valerie

Dani from Sew Not An Expert

Linda Feris
Sparkle and Shine, Spring 2021, Team Amber was my very first one. I found out about Cotton Cuts PMQ on a Facebook quilting thread. Someone posted a link on a thread and I followed it and was instantly intrigued. Since I was late in signing up, there were few options for me to choose from, but I was very happy with the Amber colorway. I made a mistake in the borders, but only one person ever noticed. I gave it to a long-time friend of at least 50 years. He is afraid to use it, so it is draped over a chair, lol. Sparkle and Shine opened the door to Cotton Cuts and that is the best thing about it. I simply love being a part of this group and have nothing but crazy respect and appreciation for all of the Cotton Cuts staff. Every encounter with Cotton Cuts is a cut above other fabric companies. (no pun intended haha) Since the first one, I have assembled seven more and I’m currently doing three Carnival. I’m hooked.

Bryanna Shindler – “Village Green” Spring 2023, Team Aster
This was my first PMQ. And loved it so much I have 3 Carnivals going!

Tony Miller – “Village Green” – Spring 2023, Team Peony
“The Village Green was my first PMQ. I chose the Peony color way because I loved the rustic, calming and muted colors of the fabric line. Peony’s are my Sister Laura’s favorite flowers, so it also reminds me of her. I don’t have a great picture of it finished as it was just up on my makeshift design wall. It is now off to the longarm to get a sweet flower pattern quilted on it.”
~ Anna Miller

Mel Heimo Meister – Name of the Rose – Team Colorific
“Finally bound my very first Puzzle Mystery Quilt! I just love it! I didn’t learn about Puzzle Mystery quilts until the sign up was almost done. There weren’t many colorways left. I didn’t have much choice, but I love the colors so I am very happy. I loved having cut pieces sent to me! I’ve made (or need to finish) about 21 PMQ’s since then, maybe more. I’ve lost count. What did I learn about myself? LOL That I can easily bite off more than I can chew!”

Cotton Cuts - Name of the Rose - Team Colorific

Christine Hammer McHenry – Team Begonia
Here is my Village Green Small Begonia. When I saw the final design of the small and large, I decided to make my small a square lap quilt. Using my oops kit, I took the top and bottom designs and carried them to the sides, and used my favorite fabric pattern (the turtle) as corner squares. It was close, with me having to sew together some of the half square triangles to finish the corners of the border and make it large enough. I LOVE how it turned out. My first PMQ. I picked the colorway because I loved the seahorse, turtle print and the orange/blue-green combo. I liked the process ok, mostly because the monthly clues were manageable in my busy life. I will say that I prefer the new prepay of getting all clue fabric at once. Gives me a box to keep it all in. I had one clue that was less fabric, and the replacement process was smooth. This might be addictive. Lol

Kasia Brodzik Hansen – Team Louise
“This was my first one completed. I have two more to finish. I like that everything is coming precut and ready to sew, I don’t like that it takes 10 months to receive all the fabric. Sometimes I’d make blocks every month, but I decided I like it better when I have everything sewn before final layout is revealed.”

Sheryl Tucker Schulze – Team Churro
“Since it was my first PMQ, I was slow to commit. So, my first choices were sold out. I decided on the Churro colorway and so glad I did. I love the PMQs! I love receiving the little mailers each month with the precut pieces. I would not have chosen any of these patterns on my own. Cutting all of those triangles would have been mind boggling!😉 I learned that I could sew those more intense patterns with the PMQs. I did add the green border and used one of the other prints for the binding.”

I will be adding to this blog when more detectives come forward to share their very first PMQ. It is my hope that sharing the PMQ in a blog will show the diversity of quilts along with sharing what we love to do with each other! Being a PMQ detective gives all those who participate a chance to make something beautiful as well as to become part of a friendship with others who are participating as well.

Greenland Quilter YouTube Channel

Living Greenland Kalaallit Nunaat – Land of the People

Kathryn Joelsen’s Flickr Page

Living Greenland Blog

Greenland Quilter Facebook Page

The Longest Day – Summer Solstice in Qaqortoq, Greenland 60º N

Summer solstice in Greenland is joyfully celebrated on June 21st, marking a day filled with rich history and cultural significance. This special day has roots in ancient traditions observed in many countries. Greenland embraced this beautiful celebration in 1985, following its grant of home rule in 1979. On June 21, 1985, Greenland proudly declared June 21st its national holiday, introducing its flag to the world. The “Act on Greenland Self Government,” passed on June 21, 2009, reaffirmed the importance of Greenland’s native language, “Greenlandic,” as the national language while empowering local governance in justice, labor, and finance. Importantly, this act also paved the way for potential discussions on Greenland’s future independence, fostering hope and excitement for the path ahead.

For Greenlanders, summer solstice embodies culture, light, and national pride, serving as a vibrant celebration of unity, community, and a deep connection to their heritage. Greenlanders joyfully embrace their Greenlandic traditions while gracefully transitioning into a more modern world. They hold a strong belief in nurturing nature, living in a harmonious relationship with it, and striving to keep their environment as pristine as possible. The spirit of the Greenlandic people truly represents the essence of Greenland.

I have been living in Greenland for 14 years now, and I have developed a profound appreciation for the deep bond that the people of Greenland share with their land. Nature is truly an integral part of their vibrant way of life. No single person owns any part of Greenland; rather, the island belongs to the Greenlandic people as a whole. It is a shared responsibility and a source of pride for all Greenlanders to care for their beautiful land. This is why no one can buy any part of the island, and it’s inspiring to see how passionately the Greenlandic people work together to maintain and protect their cherished environment.

I have learned so much while becoming a part of this wonderful community. Much of it has to do with the rich history of this town, South Greenland, and Greenland itself. There are countless stories to share about the people who lovingly steward this land. They are filled with laughter, humor, and a deep love for their family and friends. Their appreciation for nature and all that it offers is truly inspiring, and they approach it with a profound respect. The Greenlandic people embody peace and kindness, exhibiting remarkable patience. While many outsiders might perceive them as pacifists, they are steadfast in standing up for what they love and believe in when the time calls for it, all while cherishing a life filled with peace and happiness.

Greenlanders joyously celebrate the summer solstice and its national holiday by hosting vibrant festivities filled with delicious food, singing, dancing, and cherished moments spent with family and friends. The entire day is dedicated to celebration through a variety of delightful activities. It’s truly a joy to immerse myself in this beautiful land and connect with the wonderful people who call it home.

Links:
Thomas & Blaze’s GoFundMe Page
Go here to donate funds.
Amazon Wish List for Thomas & Blaze
Thomas and Blaze’s wish list
Greenland Quilter
Living Greenland Facebook

Greenland Quilter March 2025 Monthly Schedule

Down below is a tentative activities schedule for Greenland Quilter’s YouTube Channel

Week One: March 2nd – 8th, 2025
March 2nd 2025 – 11:00 AM GL Time (8:00 AM EST) – Star Climber Collab Sew Along W-Sean
March 3rd 2025 –
March 4th 2025 –
March 5th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 01 Podcast-Interview w-Cheri Yurtin
March 6th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 06 – Scrappy Block Creation
March 7th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 07 – 1000 Block 3 – “Above & Beyond”
March 8th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 07 – Magnolia EP 03 – Jess

Week Two: March 9th – 15th, 2025
March 09th 2025
March 10th 2025
March 11th 2025
March 12th 2025
March 13th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 7 – PMQ Sewing
March 14th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 8 – Sugaridoo
March 15th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 8 – FQS Charm Pack Chili

Week Three: March 16th – 22nd, 2025
March 16th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – w-Dani “Peace of Mind, Mending
Pieces” EP 02
March 17th 2025
March 18th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 02 – W- Cheri – Hand Quilting
Tutorial QAL
March 19th 2025 – Nikolaj’s Birthday! 🙂 🙂
March 20th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 8 – Channel Charm Pack Sew A Long
March 21th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 9 – 1000 Block 04 – “Nested Bear Paw”
March 22th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 9 – W- Janice – Tula Pink

Week Four: March 23rd – 29th, 2025 & March 1st 2025
March 23rd 2025 – My Youngest Daughter Kriston’s Birthday!
March 24th 2025
March 25th 2025
March 26th 2025 – IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!! Impromptu Live
March 27th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 9 – PMQ
March 28th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 10 – W – Sugaridoo
March 29th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 10 – UFO

The dates that have nothing scheduled will be for me to create other types of videos that are pre-recorded along with a few other activities as well as sewing room.

Greenland Quilter February 2025 Monthly Schedule

Down below is a tentative activities schedule for Greenland Quilter’s YouTube Channel

Week One: February 2nd – 8th, 2025
Feb 2nd 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – Greenland Quilter Live
Feb 3rd 2025 – 8:15 PM GL Time (5:15 PM EST) – Sewing Magnolia In a Modern Way
Feb 5th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – Hand Quilting with Cheri & Katy
Feb 6th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 3 Scrappy Block Creating/Sewing
Feb 7th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 4 – w- Chaunda 1000 Block Tutorial
Feb 8th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 4 – Magnolia Sew Along w-Jess

Week Two: February 9th – 15th, 2025
Feb 9th 2025
Feb 10th 2025
Feb 11th 2025 – 9:00 PM GL Time (6:00 PM EST) – EP 02 About Greenland
Feb 12th 2025
Feb 13th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 4 – PMQ Sewing
Feb 14th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 5 – Sugaridoo
Feb 15th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 5 – Shereece – Charm Pack Chili

Week Three: February 16th – 22nd, 2025
Feb 16th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – w-Dani “Peace of Mind, Mending Pieces”
Feb 17th 2025
Feb 18th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – W- Cheri – Hand Quilting Tutorial QAL
Feb 19th 2025
Feb 20th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 5 – Channel Charm Pack Sew A Long
Feb 21th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 6 – 1000 Block Tutorial
Feb 22th 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 6 – W- Janice – Tula Pink

Week Four: February 23rd – 28th, 2025 & March 1st 2025
Feb 23rd 2025
Feb 24th 2025
Feb 25th 2025 – 9:00 PM GL Time (6:00 PM EST) – EP 02 About Greenland
Feb 26th 2025
Feb 27th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 6 – PMQ
Feb 28th 2025 – 7:30 PM GL Time (4:30 PM EST) – EP 7 – W – Tammy – Sugaridoo
March 1st 2025 – 7:00 PM GL Time (4:00 PM EST) – EP 7 – Tula Pink

The dates that have nothing scheduled will be for me to create other types of videos that are pre-recorded along with a few other activities as well as sewing room.

My First Computer

Daily writing prompt

Write about your first computer.

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I had my first computer built in 1994, featuring an AMD motherboard paired with a powerful processor for its time(133 MHz AMD Am5x86 was a higher clocked enhanced Am486). I knew exactly what I wanted: a fast machine that would enable me to write, tackle college coursework, edit my photographs, and create a personal web page to showcase my photography and writing. I was eager to learn how to chat and connect with friends online, guided by my local internet provider, who showed me the ropes of navigating the brand-new internet—a fantastic resource for learning and exploration.

It didn’t take long for me to become adept at using it, and I formed lasting friendships that endure to this day! Having a computer and internet access opened up a world of knowledge about diverse cultures globally. After my initial setup, I upgraded to another AMD machine with a speedier processor and additional RAM since I was heavily into music, photography, chatting, and web design! I juggled all of this alongside my gardening and pursuing two college degrees simultaneously, which made writing thesis papers a breeze—I could conduct research online instead of drowning in library stacks while trying to keep my three young children quiet. I have a deep appreciation for libraries; they and bookstores are my favorite havens.

While I can’t recall every spec of my first machine aside from its AMD components, I knew it outperformed Pentium processors and was also more affordable! I was right—my first computer ran Windows 95. I used mIRC to connect with others online and had a Geocities web page, which famously merged with Yahoo. I’ve maintained my Yahoo email account since 1994, over thirty years ago—imagine that!

What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?

Daily writing prompt

What’s the thing you’re most scared to do? What would it take to get you to do it?

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I’ve been really thinking about this question a lot. I even asked my “heart light” what he thinks I’m most afraid to do. He brought up something I hadn’t even considered before. I guess I’ll have to go back and write about what led me to where I am now.

So, in late October of 2023, the weather was just crazy; it was the worst wind I’d ever experienced. We were right in the middle of this wind event coming from the south. The wind was so strong that it can knock people off their feet. I’m not great with wind at all. It had been bad for a few days, so I just started sewing like a maniac to distract myself from the wind shaking the house.

After sewing for almost twelve hours, my eyes were hurting, so I figured I’d take a quick nap. I laid down and probably dozed off for about two hours when I was jolted awake by what sounded seriously like a bomb going off. No joke. It was like something exploded and hit the house!

I was groggy, struggling to figure out what just happened, and the dogs were going nuts too. I got up and headed to the foyer, thinking maybe the roof had blown off the front porch or something had smashed the glass in the front door. I swear I heard glass shatter. When I walked into the foyer to calm the dogs and see if the front door window was broken, I was confused to realize nothing was wrong. I looked outside and saw that the front porch was fine.

So I’m standing there in the foyer, super confused and still sleepy when I felt cold wind brush against my cheek. When I turned around to walk into the sewing room, I hadn’t noticed door was open until I stepped through. But when I stepped into the sewing room, there was this whirlwind going on inside, and suddenly I felt crunching under my bare feet. I looked down and realized I was standing on glass! Then it hit me—the window over my cutting table had shattered, and the wind was creating a mess inside my sewing room, blowing all the loose stuff into the air.

I was still standing there thinking I needed to check that I hadn’t cut my feet, while also trying to figure out how the window broke in the first place! So I carefully stepped out of the room and closed the door to keep the dogs from getting in, then I called my “Heart Light,” who happened to be in port at the time, to tell him what happened. When I told him, he asked me to repeat what I said because even he couldn’t believe it. He wanted to know if I had looked outside, and I told him not yet but that I was getting ready to check out what was going on outside to cause such chaos. Most houses here in Greenland are built to withstand high winds since that’s just how it is in the Arctic!

When I stepped off the front porch and walked around to the side of the house, I went from being confused to really angry all at once! Seriously angry! There, smashed into the side of our house, was a trampoline. It belonged to our neighbor. It still had two metal poles that used to hold the safety net on it. The wind had picked it up and slammed it into our house at a high velocity. One of the pipes went right through the window, and the other went through the siding of our house. When I called my “Heart Light” back, I told him what caused all of this, and I could tell he was thinking the same thing!

So now we’ll get back to where I am with all of this. It’s been over a year, and I haven’t been able to step into that room for more than ten minutes. Why, you ask? Well, the storm, the crash into the house, that loud noise—it all triggered my PTSD. Yep, I deal with PTSD and two anxiety disorders thanks to a history of abuse and a family member’s suicide. But I’m not diving into those details right now. What I can say is this: you can’t control what triggers you, especially when PTSD kicks in. We just have to ride it out and hope for the best. Some people have an easier time with flare-ups compared to others.

So, it has been tough for me to go into that room, and I keep wondering what it would take to get me back in there to clean up the glass and reorganize. We’re planning to rename it our craft room instead of just a sewing room. My “Heart Light” said he’ll go in with me and help get it sorted out. Whenever he sees me starting to freak out, he’ll take me out and we can come back the next day to keep working on it. We’ll take it in small steps. With him by my side, I think I might finally be able to overcome this and get back to the room where we both love to craft. I make quilts and I really enjoy sewing and creating things. He’s into those intense Lego kits! Usually, he’d be on one side of the table, and I’d be on the other side working while we listen to an audio book. That’s how we spend our time together crafting and keeping ourselves busy. It’s also how my “Heart Light” unwinds after being at sea for two months! This writing is basically my best attempt to answer that question.

What do I complain about the most?

Daily writing prompt

What do you complain about the most?

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Boy oh boy, talk about opening a can of worms! Let’s dive in! The last thirteen years have been a genuinely happy time for me, something I didn’t even know was possible given my tumultuous past. Yet, it’s hard to ignore how the current state of our world can feel so burdensome at times.

How do you express the issues that trouble you when you know others will scrutinize your words? Growing up, I was instilled with values of respect and kindness—a strange juxtaposition to my upbringing, but essential nonetheless. However, today’s environment has spiraled into toxicity that leaves me bewildered.

It’s clear that misery loves company; as situations worsen, more people are drawn into negativity rather than pushing back against it. Nowadays, right and wrong seem to blur into oblivion. How can we expect children to grow up embodying honesty and kindness when they’re surrounded by hatred and lawlessness?

The reality is that when people witness lawbreaking and see others getting away with it, they’re likely to follow suit. We have a convicted rapist and felon leading our country, acting like a petty bully who thrives on marginalizing dissenting voices. If law and order are relics of the past, why not simply release everyone who has violated the law? Give them all a pardon—it’s impossible to enforce a double standard! And what’s truly perplexing is how these same individuals purport to be Christians while engaging in such reprehensible behavior. That’s not consistent with biblical teachings! Frankly, I feel like our nation is navigating a treacherous path—one that so many of us cannot support—led by individuals who only prioritize one thing: money! The state of the world today is almost unrecognizable due to this rapid decline! So here’s the question: Why do bad people manage to thrive while the good are left to suffer?

What would I do if I won the Lottery?

Daily writing prompt

What would you do if you won the lottery?

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That is indeed an interesting question. First, I would confidently pay off the mortgage on our house and ensure that my two kids, who also have mortgages, are completely debt-free. Next, I would establish trust funds for each of our grandchildren, restricting access until they turn 25. Depending on the lottery winnings, I would also set up a college fund for them!

After that, I would invest in about 20 acres of land in Montana, where I would build a main house and a series of small cabins for our family. These accommodations would allow my kids and grandkids to visit or reside there if they choose. Then, I would return to Greenland to rebuild our current home, giving us the opportunity to spend winters in Montana and summers in Greenland.

Another important step would be to make a significant donation to a well-chosen cause for the homeless, particularly benefiting single parents with children, including single dads and moms. My son and grandson faced homelessness for nearly a year, and I am grateful for the community programs that helped them. Such resources are vital, especially for single dads raising their kids—there’s a pressing need for more support in this area.

As for what I would do with any leftover funds, I would thoughtfully explore my options!

When You Feel Invisible

There are often moments when I feel profoundly alone, as if I am invisible and utterly unimportant. When I speak, it’s as though my words drift away unnoticed, and I long for acknowledgment, for someone to truly listen to what I have to say. Even in the presence of others, I sometimes feel an overwhelming solitude, a disconnection that leaves me aching for a sense of belonging. I don’t have close friends; I’m not a troublemaker, but still, I can’t find my place among anyone, and I can’t grasp why. What makes me so different?

I’ve felt like an outsider for nearly my entire life, a feeling deeply rooted in the abuse I suffered growing up. The cruel words—being told I would always be worthless—were imprinted on my psyche, leaving no escape from that bleak reality. As an adult, I continue to battle feelings of inadequacy; it seems that many would prefer not to engage with me at all. Some dismiss these feelings, claiming I’m simply imagining them, yet I don’t believe I am. Even my own children seldom reach out, their silence cutting deeper. I understand that life is a whirlwind—raising a family, work, everything pulls us in different directions—but it wouldn’t take much to spare five minutes just to check in: “Hi Mom, how are you?” But no, I find myself always having to step up and initiate that connection. It hurts to think that I might not mean much to them either.

Perhaps it’s my fate to walk through life this way. My husband is good to me when he’s home, but during his time at sea, I often find myself utterly alone, grappling with a loneliness so immense. I entered this sailor’s life knowing the challenges it would bring, yet my heart yearns for a true friend, someone who cares enough to reach out, to talk when I need a listening ear and to simply share moments together.

Will I ever mean as much to anyone as they mean to me? Most likely not, and while it might be time to accept that harsh reality, I find it agonizing. I have always yearned to be a part of something larger than myself!

Favorite Family Traditions

Daily writing prompt

Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.

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Growing up, my family had traditions, but once my parents became involved with a church, those familiar customs faded away. For most of my teenage years and into adulthood, everything revolved around the church, and traditional Thanksgiving dinners were transformed into buffet-style meals where the congregation contributed dishes. After leaving the church, I experienced several years without celebrating Thanksgiving with family, as the church did not acknowledge Christmas or other holidays that many cherish. While I didn’t care much for certain holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas were the two that meant the most to me; they were what I longed for.

A couple of years later, I fell in love and got married. I vividly remember our first winter together when we set up a small Christmas tree. The following year, with the arrival of our child, Christmas came alive again with all its joys. Despite the guilt instilled in me about celebrating Christmas—being told that Christ wasn’t born in December—I chose to embrace the season. I never understood why Santa Claus was celebrated alongside Christ, as it seemed a contradiction steeped in deception. I believe it’s vital not to lie to children, as they learn to navigate truth and deception soon enough on their own. Disagreements are welcomed, but I ask for respect in those discussions.

As I began my own family, I was determined to create a nurturing environment that encapsulated all the joys of family life. I yearned for a loving, tight-knit family, despite my own family’s chaotic past, influenced by a domineering father and a mother who didn’t stand up to him. When I married, I was already carrying my own emotional scars but so was my first husband. It’s important to clarify this background, as it informs the lack of traditions that I inherited.

I established my own traditions to pass down to my children. Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday, complemented by my love for cooking. From the moment my kids were old enough to join the table, I dedicated three days to making Thanksgiving special. The first day was all about baking—Italian Cream Cake, cherry pie, pumpkin pies, cheesecake, and cookies if time allowed. On the second day, I prepared deviled eggs, homemade mac and cheese, potato salad, and baked a stuffed chicken hen and smoked ham topped with pineapple rings on the third day. It began early in the morning, ensuring everything was ready for our family feast, with enough food to last for three days of grazing. We gathered around the table on Thanksgiving afternoon and enjoyed each other’s company. That evening, we would drive around to see Christmas lights, and the next day we would decorate our Christmas tree. I started putting up some outdoor lights, keeping it manageable for our budget. My children loved the simple traditions we created together. As they raise their own families now, they often reach out for my recipes, especially for the Italian Cream Cake and homemade mac and cheese, which remain their favorites.

For Christmas, I prepared a feast of ribeye roast and the same beloved sweets from Thanksgiving, all enjoyed on Christmas Day. I chose to let the kids open their gifts on Christmas Eve, knowing they were from us, while Christmas Day was reserved for a delicious meal, movie watching, and enjoying the beauty of the holiday lights.

Let’s Create Unity While We Design & Create a Scrappy Quilt “The Mission”

The Mission Should You Accept: Part 1

I know this may seem like an unusual title for a Scrappy Quilt sew along, but I envision us creating a vibrant, scrappy quilt together, giving each participant the freedom to choose how scrappy to make it, along with their color palette and quilt size. This initiative is all about creating, sewing, and enjoying the process as a united community. It’s an excellent opportunity to bond and support one another while crafting something beautiful! Together, let’s strengthen our community and sew with unity to uplift each other during these challenging times.

As many of you know, I’m already formulating plans for 2025, and this scrappy quilt project is a key part of that vision. Just the other day, I realized how wonderful it would be to create this quilt as a collective. Remember, a village can achieve anything when we come together. We will enjoy making this scrappy quilt while utilizing our existing stashes. And speaking of stashes, feel free to incorporate charm packs; if you don’t have any, layer cakes, fat quarters, or yardage are also great options. While I won’t discourage you from purchasing charm packs, I’ll also share a video showcasing my own stash, which I believe is quite substantial. I haven’t bought charm packs in over a year, and most of what I have isn’t readily available in the market anymore—most are at least five or six years old.

I encourage everyone to use supplies from our stashes as much as possible, though this isn’t a rigid rule. Personally, I’ve faced challenges purchasing fabric over the past year due to budget constraints while also supporting my son and grandson. Many of you understand what I’m talking about. They still require some assistance, but thankfully, things are improving steadily.

Since this will be a design-as-we-go sew-along, I am establishing clear guidelines below to effectively guide us in this group endeavor. Let’s start by discussing supplies. We will tackle the assignment in parts, and I will meticulously document our progress so that by the end, we will have a well-defined pattern ready to be written up and shared among us all!

Supplies:
1. Two to four charm packs
A. If you do not have charm packs, there are alternatives like layer cakes, fat eighths, fat quarters and yardage.
B. Thread of your choice.
2. You’ll need the usual tools: rotary cutter, snips, rulers, sewing machine & iron.
A. On a side note. You don’t need to starch. Save your money! LOL 🙂 🙂 Pull from what you have on hand.

Outline:

1. During the creation of the quilt, we as a group will need to name the quilt at some point.

2. The creation of the quilt will be done in steps so that those who accept the mission can take time to enjoy the process and not feel pushed to hurry up and get it done.
Some of what we sew will be time-consuming, but it will be simple enough even for a beginner.

3. Assignment 1:
A. We will start out with two charm packs. (Most have 42 – 5″ squares in them.
If any of your charm packs has less, we can compensate for that at some point or you can add additional pieces from another charm pack you might have on hand or cut from a fat quarter, fat eighth, layer cake or yardage.
If you do not have charm packs but have what was mentioned above, you will need around 84 – 5″ squares.

B. Most charm pack colorways have 2 each of the same colorway.
1. Separate them into two stacks. Each stack will total 21.

Charm pack separated into two stacks of 21.

2. Next you will take stack one and make groupings of two’s.

3. With each set of two, you will turn them right side together. Make sure they are
aligned properly all around the edges.
4. With your sewing machine, sew a 1/4″ seam allowance on the left and right side of the paired charm squares. The seam allowances should be parallel to each other.

Set of 2 with 1/4" seam allowance on the right side and 1/4" on left side which is parallel to the one on the right.

5. Now with a ruler, measure 2 1/2″ from the left edge and cut block in half vertically while being careful to not to move the block.

Measure from other edge 2 1/2″ and cut block in half a second time horizontally. You will have 4 – 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ blocks.

Cut the unit vertically first which would be in half. Next cut it horizontal which will be in half again in the other direction.

The image above shows that there are now four half patches. This was created from one unit sewn together as previously shown.
6. Now we will sew two together to create a four patch by rotating one in the opposite direction to create that four patch effect. Note: For each pair sewn together, when they are cut twice, there will be four 2 – 1/2 patch segments. I”m not sure how else to word that.
7. You have the ability to take each 1/2 patch and mix and match how you wish them to be. Get creative! Be Scrappy! This part of the assignment is for you to make all your four patches first. Remember, you must only use half of each charm pack. You’re going to need the other half for the Hour glass blocks! 🙂

Sew the two half patch units together to create one four patch.

In the image above you will sew two half patches together to form a four patch unit. The image below shows two four patch units. One that I kept the colors together and the other having mixed them some. You can decide on which way you wish to do the four patch blocks.

I’m confident that what I’ve written is clear. I’ve already outlined how to get started in Friday’s live session on January 24th, 2025, and I’ll reinforce those instructions in Saturday’s live as well (January 25th, 2025). Be sure to check both of those videos along with this blog. If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to me on the Greenland Quilters Facebook page or visit my YouTube channel’s main page to find my email, and don’t hesitate to send me a message. You will have plenty of time to get all the four patches made since we won’t actually start sewing them together until the third week in February. I post that date in the community tab in a few days as well. 😉

Happy sewing y’all!!! Let’s see what you come up with!

“I love photographing anything that catches my eyes!”

Daily writing prompt

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

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One of the things I absolutely love doing in my leisure time is capturing photos of everything that catches my eye. Living in the stunning landscapes of Greenland has amplified this passion, as the natural beauty here is truly breathtaking! With the magnificent icecap, awe-inspiring icebergs, vibrant sunsets, enchanting sunrises, and mesmerizing Northern Lights, I am continually inspired to take pictures of everything around me! Over the years, I’ve amassed thousands of photographs spanning more than forty years, with the last 13 years dedicated to the wonders of Greenland.

There is just something wonderful about nature that I find impossible to resist. I want to sit amongst it, connect with it, and fully embrace the awe-inspiring beauty all around me. Here in Greenland, there truly is no place like this stunning country. Most of it remains unspoiled, and the Inuit people have dedicated centuries to protecting it while living harmoniously with nature.

The photo above of the Northern Lights was taken while we were exploring the enchanting wilderness. In that remote location, there are no distractions from cell service or city lights, allowing us to fully appreciate what nature has to offer. We embark on boat trips that typically take two or three hours to reach our destination, where we relish spending a night under the stars before moving on to the next beautiful spot. Hunting, fishing, hiking, and enjoying the wonders of nature fill our days. I absolutely cherish these adventures because they allow us to escape the hustle and bustle of the world, immersing ourselves in the incredible beauty of the outdoors. No phone, no internet, just nature in all her magnificent glory!

Even in the small town we live in there are ways to enjoy nature. During the winter months when the lake freezes, we are able to hike across the lake and enjoy it in ways that can’t be enjoyed when the lake is free of ice. A lot of times we’ll take our dog with us so that we can hike across while the weather is behaving and the sun is at the right angle along with the temperature being just right with no wind! Perfect time for a hike! So basically taking photos and enjoying nature are what I love doing during my leisure time.

These photos showcase only a fraction of what I capture here in South Greenland. I have a genuine passion for documenting every remarkable sight I encounter.

“Places in Greenland I haven’t visited yet but are on my bucket list.”

Daily writing prompt

Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

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One of the destinations accessible by boat is known as Qassiarsuk (Brattahlíð). This site features ancient Norse ruins, among which are remains of a church, stables, a hall, and other structures that remain visible, in addition to reconstructions of both a Norse longhouse and Tjodhilde’s church, which is believed to have been the first Christian church in North America.

The area boasts a history of over a thousand years, having been established by Erik the Red, who journeyed from Iceland to settle in Greenland. It was Erik who bestowed upon this picturesque land the name “Greenland.” During his time, Greenland experienced a warmer climate, rendering it lush and fertile. He returned to Iceland to gather his family and persuaded friends to migrate with him to Greenland, bringing not only friends and family but also their farm animals and the necessary provisions to establish a new life. Although 26 boats departed from Iceland, only approximately 14 successfully reached South Greenland.

Currently, the inhabitants of Qassiarsuk, primarily Greenlanders (Inuits), maintain a sheep farm. The existing settlement of Qassiarsuk was established previously; however, the founders, Otto and his wife Tiipaaraq Frederiksen, were the first residents to engage in sheep farming in South Greenland. Today, South Greenland is home to several sheep farmers, some of whom also have Icelandic horses.

The settlements provide rich narratives, kaffemiks, gourmet Greenlandic cuisine, kayaking amidst icebergs, and horseback riding trails to appreciate the splendors of nature. Qassiarsuk is also recognized as part of UNESCO World Heritage. I plan to visit this area in the near future. I have previously explored Hvlasey and Igaliku, and I can understand why the Vikings selected these locations for settlement; they are truly magnificent.

Another destination on my itinerary is Ilulissat, which is also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Ilulissat is renowned for being the location where the largest icebergs are calved, and during the summer months, humpback whales and other marine mammals come to feed among the towering icebergs. There is an abundance of sights to behold, including one of the largest ice fjords, which produces massive icebergs, along with opportunities for whale watching, hiking, and more. This destination is also included on our bucket list.

Goals for 2025 for the YouTube Channel and Blog

Most people make New Year’s resolutions every year. I truly do not believe in them. Every time I have made them, all I have done is set myself up for failure. After a while, I realized I did not enjoy feeling like a failure because I didn’t have the ability to follow through on what I had set for myself. I have spent many years trying to understand why I am the way I am when it comes to this type of mindset too. (Disclaimer – some will find what I’m about to write super uncomfortable, but I have every right to write about it. So if you don’t want to read what I’m about to write about – skip the parts you don’t want to read.) Some out there will relate to it in their own way due to what they have experienced. I am a product of the environment that I grew up in, as well as the one I married into the first go-around. The things I experienced and endured were not easy, and that is why there are times when I don’t push through or follow through, or what I call procrastination.

I had been talking to a friend about how I went through the 2024 year without much of a plan for my YouTube channel. I basically winged it! It didn’t hurt the channel all that much. I had a period of summer doldrums with the channel where it seemed like it just wasn’t thriving, but instead of giving up, I continued to push on through it, and in the end, it was well worth working harder for it. So I have been working on the plan for the last two or three weeks now. Down below is an outline of what I set as goals for the channel. Be forewarned, it might seem like a lot, but this will cover all the way up to the end of the year. Now I know that there might be times when I don’t follow through. It’s the nature of who I am, but I hope I can persevere and stick with at least 70% of it. Wouldn’t it be cool if I stayed with it and accomplished what I set out to do?

2025 Tentative Greenland Quilter YouTube Goals – Plans

Lives (Regularly Scheduled
A. Thursday 7:30 PM GL Time – 4:30 EST
B. Friday 7:30 PM GL Time – 4:30 EST
C. Saturday 7:00 PM GL Time – 4:00 EST
1^st Week of the Month – (Tentative Plans for each live)
A. Thursday – Scrappy Block Creating
B. Friday – Block tutorial from 1000 Block book
C. Saturday – Tula Pink
2^nd Week of the Month – (Tentative Plans for each live)
A. Thursday – PMQ
B. Friday – Sugaridoo
C. Saturday – Sew Collaboration w-Jess (Magnolia – Modern)
3^rd Week of the Month – (Tentative Plans for each live)
A. Thursday – Channel Sew Along Project
B. Friday – Block Tutorial from 1000 Block Book
C. Saturday – FQS Charm Pack Chili
4^th Week of the Month (Tentative Plans for each live)
A. Thursday – PMQ
B. Friday – Sugaridoo
C. Saturday – Sew w-Janice (Tula Pink)
5^th Week of Month (Tentative Plans for each live)
A. Thursday – UFO
B. Friday – UFO
C. Saturday – UFO
Collaboration Lives
A. 1^st Sunday 11:00 AM w- Sean (Star Climber)
B. 3^rd Sunday 7:00 PM w- Dani (Mending Pieces – Peace of Mind)
C. 3^rd Tuesday 6:00 PM w- Cheri (Hand Quilting) – How to Hand Quilt
D. 2^st Saturday 7:00 PM w-Jess (Magnolia – Modern Quilt)
E. 4^th Saturday 7:00 PM w-Janice (The Wright Way.
Guest Sewing With Me
A. Shereece
B. TBA
C. TBA
D. TBA
E. TBA
Subjects for GQ Channel Videos
A. Reflections of 2024
B. UFO’s
C. New Projects including channel project
D. Tula Dragon Fruit Project
E. Sugaridoo (Get back on track)
F. PMQ (Get back on track and also work on unfinished PMQ’s)
Pre-Records
A. Interview-Podcasts with creators
B. CC Modern Maker & CC Color Challenges
C. Videos on “What’s in my Sewing Room”
Notions & Fabric
A. Rulers
B. Cotton & Batiks
C. Sharps
D. Pre-Cuts
E. Thread
F. Marking
G. Foundation Paper Piecing & Triangle Paper
H. Other
Sewing Room Restoration (Changing name to Our Hobby Room)
A. Clean up due to storm damage
B. Reset – Set up
C. Blog about journey as I try to return to the room
Mental Health
A. Disclaimer
B. Share phone numbers for people in need
C. My Mental Health (PTSD & 2 Anxiety Disorders)
D. Triggers & What can we do when it happens?
E. Ask others to share what they do when a trigger happens.
F. Would having a group to go to when in need be helpful?
How Hobbies are tied into Mental Health
A. Learning tools to help with re-directing during rough times
B. Getting regular exercise like 30 minutes of walking can help boost mood and
improve health.
C. What can those who can’t walk due to mobility issues do for exercise?
D. Eating healthier, regular meals while staying hydrated
E. Make sleep a priority.
F. Relaxing activities like a hobby, reading, music, meditation, or any other activity that helps with relaxation.
G. Set some goals and priorities – Keeping it simple
H. Focus on positivity.
I. Stay connected
J. During rough times, talk with friends and / or someone in the community.
Qaqortoq
A. Live Stream once a month with Me / Niko
B. Stone & Man
C. Arna – Rasmussen & Lindberg
D. WWII & USA
E. Colonization & How it Changed Inuit Life
F. Missionaries / Religion / Pagan beliefs
G. Princess Mountain
H. Behind Qaqortoq
I. Tasersuaq / River
South Greenland
A. Norsemen
B. Oldest Colonial buildings.
C. 1932 Fountain
D. Famous People
E. Tannery (Great Greenland)
Hunting & Fishing
A. Farmers/Fish Market
Government Services
A. Healthcare
B. Education
C. Government
D. Other Government Services
Geology & Icecap
Airport Updates
A. Nuuk International Airport
B. Qaqortoq Airport
Stores & Industry
Summertime Activities
A. Tour Guiding
B. Going on Tours
C. Nanortalik & Forest
D. Icebergs & Icecap
E. Hot Springs
F. Other activities
Gardening in South Greenland

Five Things I do For Fun

Daily writing prompt

List five things you do for fun.

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Nora and I at the rock of history on Tasersuaq (Big Lake)

After giving this writing prompt some thought, here are the five things I do for fun:

1. First off, gardening is definitely at the top of my list! Since I was 11, I’ve discovered that I can grow just about any plant that comes my way. It’s like my own little superpower, you know? I love spending all day outside, digging around, growing stuff, and even chatting with my plants. As I got older, my passion for gardening just grew and grew. I’ve been at it for over 51 years, and I absolutely love it!

2. Another thing I can’t get enough of is taking photos. If something catches my eye, I’m snapping a picture! I’ve probably had a camera since I was about 14 or 15. Not entirely sure when I started, but I remember really wanting my own. I was using this tiny 110 camera back then. I especially love capturing plants, flowers, icebergs, and just about anything interesting! I have so many pictures; it’s kind of wild!

3. Sewing is another hobby I enjoy. When I moved to Greenland, I figured I needed something else to keep me busy. Turns out, making quilts is super fun! I already knew how to sew from making my own clothes as a teenager. Quilting is a whole different game though, and I’m really into colorful batiks. I just can’t resist all the colors!

4. Oh, and I also love crocheting! Same deal; it lets me get creative and play with all the colors! I learned to crochet around the same time as I started gardening. These two hobbies have been with me forever! Since moving to Greenland, I’ve really gotten into crocheting—joined some groups and took part in a couple of year-long crochet-along’s. So much fun, and I picked up loads of new skills that I didn’t have at the beginning!

5. Exploring nature is something I totally adore! Living in Greenland has been a blast because I get to soak in everything this place offers. I’m completely obsessed with icebergs; it’s beyond cool to go to the icecap and actually see and touch them! It’s one of those experiences you never forget. And it’s not just about the breathtaking icecap. The air feels so fresh and pure around it, and the sounds it makes are incredible. When pieces break off, it’s like thunder mixed with rushing air. It’s intense! Each iceberg is unique, which I love too. Some are bright blue, while others are pure white with splashes of turquoise and sometimes even black streaks from forest fire soot. The deep blue ones are super old, and they’re definitely the most awesome to see!

6. And I can’t forget about my sixth favorite thing: horses! I absolutely love riding them. I miss it the most since moving to Greenland. Riding gives me that same joy that being in nature does, and when you combine both, it’s unbeatable! Trail riding through tall pine stands is my jam. You get lost in the moment, forget the outside world, and just vibe with your horse and the forest around you.

So, those are the things that bring me joy! There are other fun things I love too! Hope you enjoyed my little ramble about what I like!

What is my mission?

I have been brainstorming with pen and paper in hand for a few days. I am considering my plans for 2025. My focus is mainly on my Greenland Quilter YouTube channel and the blog. I am also thinking about establishing a decent Greenland Quilter / Living Greenland Facebook account. Additionally, I want to integrate Instagram, creating a solid platform for social media followers. There are many it seems that don’t use Facebook who yet, use Instagram. I also know that some of them also read my blog.

So what is my mission? let’s start with the what I can do to be better with writing in my blog. I want to do better with being more consistent on how often I write in it. I want to do better with expressing things even if it’s a topic that make people uncomfortable. I’m at an age where I no longer want to tiptoe around others. I refuse to constantly please those who are sensitive or closed-minded to necessary conversations. It’s like there is this unspoken rule. You can’t express your true self when discussing transformative experiences. We all have past history. Some of us have had a rough past life. It reflects on how we think. This can influence what our behavior is towards things. It bothers me that people don’t understand that. I digress.

So part of my mission is to do the next steps:

Write at least once a week in the blog.

Be consistent with getting out edited pre-recorded videos every week. I don’t presently have a set number I would like to get done every week. At some point, I will have figured that out too.

Set time aside for mental health. This means either writing about it or making a video about it. I’m not the only one in this world that needs to work on being healthy mentally.

Take one day a week to do whatever makes me happy. Even if it’s doing absolutely nothing, I should not feel guilty about it.

Get the 2025 plan finished written and transferred over to the blog for publishing. This will be the first time I will have written a plan for anything actually. I’ve had schedules for different reasons. Still, I’ve never written a year long plan to be consistent on things I should achieve during that year. I really want to work hard on carrying through because I not always finish what I start.

Start walking again. I used to do that a lot. I lost interest when COVID happened. I faced challenges with my son / grandson being homeless. I worried about that situation.
Stayed tuned for future blog updates along with my plan for 2025.