Friday, April 4, 2014

Out of This World Quilting!



I missed seeing a major event last year and in case you did, too, I am reporting it here so we can all take part in the Block Challenge part of it.  And maybe, if you can get to Houston in Oct-Nov 2014, you can go see the results.

What I missed was the fact that Quilting has gone out of this world – literally!
No, really ... it has.


Astronaut Karen Nyberg went on a routine 5-month mission to the International Space Station in May of 2013 and, get this …, she took her quilting with her!!


Well, of course, one would need breaks in between studying the human microbiome, nutrition studies as they relate to bone loss in space and maybe how combustion works in zero gravity – oh, and working on that pesky leaky space suit – even if your free time is very limited.  Wouldn’t you want to turn to quilting?!

This is Nyberg’s 9-inch block and her description:


“Now that I’ve tried my hand sewing in space, I can say one thing with certainty: it’s tricky,” Nyberg said in a video sent down from the space station. “This is what I’ve made. It’s far from being a masterpiece, but it was made in space.

And Astronaut Nyberg, a lifelong lover of sewing, has invited us all to join her in stitching together a global community space quilt.

You still have time to participate in the Astronomical Quilts! Block Challenge – entries are due by Aug 1, 2014.   The block is to be any 9.5 inch star-themed (but not embellished) quilt block – one entry per person.  All blocks will be made into a quilt to be displayed at the Quilt Festival in Houston in Oct-Nov, 2014.  Check out details at this link:

For more about Nyberg’s personal hobbies, see:

And for more about the troubles Nyberg encountered cutting, sewing and otherwise handling fabric in space, this write-up by Helen Fields is very interesting:

Congratulations, Astronaut and Quilter Karen Nyberg.  Let’s hope we always shoot for the stars!

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