Lunarcy Quilt: Year of the Snake Block Release Day
What do you call a python with no clothes on?
Snaked.
Hissssterical, right?! Well, my 10 year old lad thought so. Bahahaha.
Just dropping in with some Chameleon hiss-trionics to distract you from real life. 2020 might be hiss-tory but it seems that some of the dramas are taking a while to scale back. So while we patiently ant-hiss-ipate better times ahead, how about some more Lunarcy?
I don’t asp-ecially like snakes, but every zodiac critter is important. And the snake pattern is up next in the Lunarcy schedule.
So we’d better get on and adder the Year of the Snake block to our Lunarcy appliqué collection!
But first, in the Chameleon’s corner….
- My best news of the week – I have reason to be making a baby quilt gift by July. 😀 I am so excited for the expecting family that my design is already drafted (did someone say “squirrel”?!). Of course, that process also reminded me of another design idea that had been laid aside in 2019…. and so it goes…. My short term goals have thus suffered a few temporary setbacks this week, but that’s ok – we all know the Chameleon’s quilting goals are made of rubber anyway.
- … Mostly I have been on task and beavering away at my next BOM idea. It will be a mix of paper-piecing (for the one repeated motif) and simple appliqués (for motifs that are only used once each).
Hopefully I will have the paper-piecing test sewn and the details nailed down very soon. The repeated-motif pattern is printed and ready for me to give it a go asap.
I don’t want to spoil the surprise just yet…. but this new design will be super-personalisable. A bit of fun to lighten the mood while we wait for 2021 smarten up! You will be able to choose from the appliqués to make your own meaningful or fun project, just right for your intended recipient.
But more than that, I am also hoping that this quilt might draw a bit of engagement from all you clever chameleons out there. The quilt is specifically designed so that anyone can add their own appliqué ideas – and it would be marvellous if some of those ideas were shared back into the community. Stayed tuned on this!
And now to the Year of the Snake Lunarcy block….
If you were born after Lunar New Year in 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 or 1929 etc the Snake is your Chinese Zodiac animal and today I am releasing your special block. People born in the Year of the Snake are overall considered wise and intuitive, prefering to keep to themselves and their closest circle of people. They are calm, diligent, creative, and great problem solvers although materialistic. Snakes (the real ones) seem to be held in much higher esteem in China than here in Australia.
The Snake is the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac. There are lots of reasons offered as to why he received this placing in the Emperor’s great race. My favourite tale is the one where the Emperor was so taken with the good-looking Dragon that he offered the place after the Dragon’s rank of fifth to the Dragon’s son. But the Dragon’s son hadn’t joined the race, so the Snake claimed the Dragon as his adoptive father! Another version of the story says that the Snake arrived at the Emperor’s party with his good friend the Dragon, but was only noticed by the Emperor after the Dragon because he was smaller. Or alternatively, during the race the Snake hitched a ride across the river in the Horse’s hoof and then he jumped out at the finish line, scaring the Horse and stealing sixth place.
Part Ten of the Lunarcy Quilt pattern is available to download via the button below. This new pdf supplies you with all the appliqué templates you’ll need to create the Year of the Snake appliqué and his Chinese lantern.
This quilt pattern is very kindly supported by Island Batik, who supplied all the fabrics to me for the sample. The fabrics I used are detailed in the pattern, and are all from their Foundations Basics and Blenders collections. This means that if you wish to use any or all of the same, they are still available through your favourite Island Batik stockist.
Year of the SNAKE download
**** It is really important that you print this pdf at 100%, otherwise your pattern pieces will be the wrong size for the quilt blocks. Turn off any “fit to page” options in your printer dialog and ensure that the printout size is set to 100%. There are check boxes supplied in the document. If your printout is successful, these will measure 1″ square. The document is designed to fit on US Letter and A4 paper. ****
Inside the Year of the Snake pdf you will find the templates for the snake and his lantern, and also an appliqué placement key. The placement of the blossoms is given as a suggestion, but feel free to add as many or as few as you’d like.
The next release will be the Year of the Dragon appliqué. My year 😀
The Lunarcy Quilt measures 75.5″ x 94″ and is designed for a single/twin bed. Part 1 of the pattern lists the fabric requirements and details how to put the quilt top together. It is your choice whether you prefer to do this before or after the appliqués. You can download Lunarcy Quilt Part 1 here. Part Two of the pattern is the Branches and Blossoms motifs used throughout multiple blocks. There will also be 12 animal appliqué files, of which today’s Snake is the eighth. You can still find the Rat pattern, the Pig pattern, the Dog pattern, the Rooster pattern, the Monkey pattern, the Goat pattern and the Horse Pattern at their respective links. The remaining animals will arrive in this order: Dragon, Rabbit, Tiger and Ox.
I hope you will enjoy making something from this pattern and I’d love to see what you’ve made if you do. If there are any problems with the file, please let me know.
And, your weekly dose of Linky Inspiration….
You will want to see this finish by Vasudha at Storied Quilts. It is her last quilt from the 2020 Island Batik Ambassador challenges, and she has cleverly manipulated the kaleidoscope block into a medallion quilt. Isn’t it beautiful?
At Sew Yummy you can see the fruit of persistence in the face of serious doubts. This scrap quilt was not entirely loved from its early stages, but has nevertheless matured into a happy little thing and will soon be pressed into service as a charity quilt. It will no doubt make someone blessed and comfortable – and that’s all a fabric scrap asks, really.
Join Melva at Melva Loves Scraps for a reflection on hosting her first Sew Along in 2020. I hope you read along with Melva as she explored her Pieces from the Past project – the historical letters and research she shared along with the quilt pattern were so interesting. But if you missed this Sew Along you can still explore it through the links Melva provides.
And that’s it for now. Enjoy!
Now, your turn….
Do you have something to share? Tell us – what are you working on, or have recently finished in your sewing room? We want to know so we can visit and be inspired. Link up a blog post, an IG post or simply a photo from your computer. See if you can get the Chameleon to turn quilted with happiness. We’d love to see your quilting colours!
- Link up your latest or recent quilt/sewing excitement. All quilt construction stages welcome – finished quilts, quilt blocks – even fabric pulls! Or inspiration sources!
- You have 50 characters in the link description…. tell us who you are and what your fantastic project is.
- URL links are not necessary to link up…. non-bloggers 100% welcome! If you don’t have a URL, you can link up with just a photo.
- Take a moment to visit some friends who came to the party – leave a little love and make their day. And a link back to Clever Chameleon is always appreciated.
- Do it now……. before you forget!
The Chameleon turns rainbow with pleasure when he hears from you. Now that it’s your turn…. Scroll to the end and tell me what you think. Thanks for connecting!
Would you like to keep in touch with Clever Chameleon and the fun quilty ideas I design as well as find all over the internet? You can follow directly for email updates, or through Bloglovin’, Pinterest, IG or FB. All your follow options can be found here. Don’t forget to link up all your current quilting projects on Tuesdays at our Colour & Inspiration Linky parties!
As ssslithery sssnakes go, this one is reasonably charming, but I admit I am not a fan of snakes either. But he is just as important as the other members of the Chinese Zodiac. Really looking forward to the Dragon, such impressive creatures. Thanks Dione.
You seem to have settled back at home, and have ideas a plenty – haven’t missed a beat. Here’s to a rapid improvement to 2021 – all the very best!
Snakes, yuck. Your block is cute though. I have a baby quilt to make by next month, I’m going to be a grandma and I have no clue what to make. Thank you for the linky party.
Well, you are on a roll with these blogs! Can’t wait to see your new design…maybe by then I will be tempted to sew along. Trying to see what catches my fancy or my attention in the next few months besides a downsize and husband’s cataract surgeries.
Hi Dione, I can’t believe how busy you are. I get tired just reading about all of your wonderful projects! Good to know about how the snake made his way on the zodiac 🙂 Your new project sounds intriguing! Good luck and take care.
I was born in the year of the snake and always thought the description was not accurate for me at all, but your description is a much better fit! I do not like snakes at all, though your fabric version is less panic-inducing.
I am not a fan of snakes either! Call them Satan’s little hand puppets!! Yours does appear less guiling than most, but could be a deception! LOL