The perfection of a lotus blossom is a miracle, emerging from muddy waters as a pure pink bud, then opening into a faceted jewel that takes our breath away. In my travels throughout Asia I saw many lotus buds, lotus flowers, and lotus ponds….but nothing compared to the Lotus Festival which takes place every July at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington DC. You can see my photos on this page, from when I visited a few years ago. Arrive early to beat the heat, then watch as the park slowly fills up with like-minded individuals who are celebrating this miraculous beauty.
Cherry Blossom season is another magical time…in Japan and also in Washington DC. I have traveled to DC in Sakura season a few times over the decades, and next week I will be there again just in time for what’s known as ‘peak blossom’. I highly recommend that you experience this, in Japan or DC, at some point in your life. Strolling among the fragrant trees, dripping heavily with blushing blossoms, a flurry of airborne petals with each passing breeze….it is absolutely enchanting. Everyone strolling through a botanic garden, a lotus park, or cherry blossom grove….has the mostly peaceful look on their face, and the most joyful countenance. Flowers make us happy.
Last June I finally made it to Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I had literally been hearing about these gardens for over 40 years, so finally visiting was the answer to a promise I had made to an elder, decades earlier.
Quilters have a love affair with flowers and floral prints. It has always been so. From the little calico blossoms on vintage feedsacks, to lush paisley blossoms in woodblock prints….to metallic screen-printed Asian florals, to the latest explosions of color in digital flower prints….we embrace every new wave of floral fabrics that new technology brings to us. One of my great joys in this business, is previewing the botanic artwork that I know we make you gasp with delight 4-6 months later when it lands in our warehouse. Welcome to my garden!
Sharing your love of fabric,
Luana and Paul
Travel/Quilt Calendar:
Mar 21-24 – Washington DC
April 18-26 – Pour l’Amour du Fil – Nantes, France
May 27 – Dairy Barn, Athens OH – Quilt National
June 8-10 – Quilt Canada – Halifax, Nova Scotia
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska
Visit eQuilter’s Instagram, Pinterest or TikTok pages for Color and Design ideas.
See Luana’s Flickr Photo Pages for travel images, review our blog, or follow us on Facebook.
Check out our Video pages for interviews and show reviews.
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