End of June Fabric Use and Book Recommendations

June's fabric use is disappointing, but indicative of my focus on yarn-made projects.

Outgoing yardage totalling not quite four yards is abysmal, especially when more than 2½ yards of it was weighed as scraps for pet beds! Otherwise, outgoing yardage included only: 1) making another headband, and; 2) piecing ten Modern Maze quilt blocks. 

Oh well. 

Book Recommendations

On the flip side, June was a delightful month for book-listening! I not only listened to nine titles, but all of them earned a 4.0 and higher! 

Start with this one! Without a doubt, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is my favorite read for 2026. 

It's about 86 year-old Theo who has arrived in the city of Golden for an unknown reason. Theo is soft-spoken and uber-polite - agentleman originally from Portugal, who starts making friends by his bestowals. These are in the form of thought gifts of a portait of each individual who has been drawn by local artist Asher Glisten. Each person Theo meets in person has a story that Theo manages to draw out, ponder and consider.  

I adored Theo, and all the characters he befriends. His story is liberally sprinkled with profound wisdom, humor, pieces of Scripture, and sadness. Upon Googling, I discovered that Columbus, Georgia is considered the "Golden" location of this book. Linda's score: 4.8/5.0

My sister gave me a heads-up about The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold, and I'm glad she did. The story may have meant more to me because it takes place in Kansas City (where most of my family lives) but it is also completely Spirit-inspired writing. 

Mrs. Kip is an elderly woman who has just moved into Hospice Care in a nursing home. She has a lifetime of experiences that add up to more than a typical life. A Kansas City Star junior reporter, Aidyn, is assigned to interview Mrs. Kip and get her story of helping refugees in Kansas City. In spite of Aidyn's stick-to-the-facts approach, she is exposed to Mrs. Kip's gift of caring for others, and is unknowingly guided toward greater understanding.

I don't want to give the impression that the book is overly theological or is meant to convert anyone. Rather it's a touching portrayal of how a well-lived, considerate life impacts others. I totally admire Ms. Brunsvold's skill as an author and am looking forward to listening to her other titles: The Atlas of Untold Stories, and The Divine Proverb of Streusel. Linda's score: 4.5/5.0

Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser sounded really familiar as I began listening to it. Then it hit me - it's the story of Cinderella!

However, the author has taken pains to completely turn the tables on the character of the "wicked" stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her two sisters - all of whom are caring and very considerate. It's the stepdaughter, Elin ("Cinderella") who's the problem child and causes angst. I was totally engaged in the story that involves falconry, plotting for an eligible husband, behaviors of the royal court, and subverting male dominance. Linda's score: 4.4/5.0

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick is a great piece for getting a glimpse into life for housewives in the 1950s. While I could understand and relate to some of the social structures of that time (thinking of my own Mother), I also appreciated the determination of this women's club to not allow social norms to dicate what they could and could not do.

Each female protagonist in this book club has her own internal desires to cope with, and it was good to consider how times have changed. I also liked that Ms. Bostwick included an appearance by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0

This book photo represents the four Mary Stone books I listened to in June. I am thoroughly enjoying the FBI Agent "Winter Black series." 

Books 2, 3, 4, and 5 follow Winter and her partner through various killing sprees by psychotic men and women. In each case that's solved, Winter's special ability for identifying important clues is critical, though she strives to keep her gift hidden. In every book there's intrigue among FBI co-workers - the annoying agent; the tempermental agent; and the "could it be love?" relationship Winter has with FBI Agent Noah Dalton.

My only complaint is that the author sometimes - in my opinion - spends too much time on relationship dialoge and internal conversations, rather than just getting on with it. Still, I'm enjoying Winter's experiences. Linda's overall score for the series: 4.3/5.0

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith relates the story of down-and-out Cormoran Strike whose girlfriend has tossed him out (he's living in his office) and his failing detective agency. A temporary secretary arrives, Robin Ellacott, and manages to set him rights. With an affinity for assisting Cormoran, Robin managed to help him with a case - is it suicide or murder? - that has suddenly dropped into his lap. 

This is definitely a who-done-it story that's engaging with an unexpected ending. 

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

I hope you enjoy reading every one of these books! Linda

Twistee Treat

‘Nuff said?

Me with the Twistee Treat COO on Saturday, at their soft opening. All treats were free, so I got a Creamsicle Swirl. 

Happy lady! Whoo-hoo! Linda

Two Crocheted Finishes, and More...

The days since my last post have been full of happy moments.

Last Saturday was spent with a delightful Iowa friend, Rondelle. She and I met through our weekly virtual Women's Bible study at Lutheran Church of Hope. She came to Central Florida to visit nearby relatives so we spent most of Saturday together, meeting for coffee, visiting Ancient Olive to taste and buy yummy combinations of flavored balsamic vinegars and oils, golf-carting to my house for chattime on the lanai, and then visiting 4-H Club. At the Club meeting Rondelle left numerous "little Jesus's" behind. I discovered she left this keepsake for me too 

I sent Rondelle home with two knitted dishcloths and a round loom knitted tiny doll to which she affixed one of my FlourishingPalms pins. We had a wonderful time together.

A new toy tool arrived for me - a Stanwood 7-ounce manual yarn ball winder. I spent some quality time with the winder, turning most of two large bags of stashed yarn into cakes. (Some are already in cakes.)

It's great to have my small yarn stash organized.

I have two crocheted garment finishes to share. This is Lace Summer Top. 

 

This is Summer Cardigan. Both patterns are by KnitCroAddict.

I'm continuing to knit Summer Soul Top by Julia Piro Knits. 

A couple other tidbits... 

Thanks to a recent post by Debbie at A Quilter's Table, I learned about a book she has used as inspiration for improv. Though the book is out of print, I was delighted to find an inexpensive copy through Ebay. 

Bold Expressions is a picture compilation of mostly unidentified-maker quilts collected from Southern states by Corrine Riley

These quilts were displayed May 15 to November 6, 2011 at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego, California.

It was delightful to see where the book came from... Bellevue Arts Museum in Bellevue, Washington. It looks like no one ever checked it out from their docent library. 

I've already thoroughly looked through the book, and can see how these quilts - similar to Gee's Bend quilts - will provide improv inspiration.

A quick drive through Twistee Treat, and...  It's still not open! But signage is up. They're close. Others are as anxious for it to open as I am because two cars followed behind!

Open in "two weeks" according to a paper sign taped on the menu board and drive-up window.

From the day I stopped to ask an employee, "two weeks" is July 4. The rumormill is saying July 1. Either date, I'll be there! 

One more noteworthy mention... Tuesday, June 23 marked the anniversary of our move-in to this house in Florida 14 years ago! It's still incredible how time flies - faster the older I get. Linda

On the Design Wall

I'm doing a little sewing and these items are on my design wall. The large yellow burst represents my efforts thus far to create a quilt for the QuiltCon challenge - Pick a Color Challenge. At least ten different fabrics are to be used in a single-hued quilt. My stash and scrap bins led me to choose yellow because I have it in abundance. 

The design is fairly convoluted. I first created it in EQ8 printing the design into a grid on 8½" X 11" paper which I then printed with different values of yellow.

Then on a gigantic piece of paper I manually drew a grid, and drew each individual triangle shape on the paper. When the life-sized paper was done, I used it as a template for each piece. With transparent paper, I'm in the process of drawing around around each triangle, adding a quarter-inch seam, from which I cut each piece of fabric. A few of the triangles are "made fabric" from print scraps. It's a tedious, slow process. 

On the left side of the design wall is something much easier to work on. Modern Maze was designed as an Along by Debbie of Big Cypress Quilters. These are the small blocks (larger blocks to be revealed later) that measure 6" X 12½" unfinished.

Since we've be given free rein to make this however we wish - from yardage or scraps - I will continue making blocks this size, so as to use-up pieces exclusively from scrap bins. 

The third item on the design wall is this Patchwork Sashiko, made according to instructions in Diane Fitzgerald's book Patchwork Sashiko. I came across the book after reading that Diane will be an instructor at QuiltCon. I don't care for this method of using scraps because they're raw-edged. 

A sewing machine is needed to baste the raw-edge fabric to a muslin background. I used red thread for basting. 

Hand stitching is with crochet thread (I prefer Wonderfil) across lines marked at quarter-inch intervals. I'd prefer to eyeball the distance. Anyway, my least favorite part is leaving exposed loose threads on the surface. 

I'd prefer to make my fabric with turned-under edges because the made fabrics would be more durable. Still, I like several of the projects in the book - those slippers! If I make fabric in more of a Kawandi style, I'm sure I'd be happier with the result. 

                                

Now that the 7" X 9" made fabric is washed (per instructions), I need to decide what to do with it. 

While power walking on Thursday, I stopped because this hawk, perched on a roof, was squawking at me! I sure appreciate seeing that blue sky and pink crape myrtle. 

Last Saturday, at the Central Florida MQG meeting, I was unexpectedly honored when President Betty invited me and my friend Karen to the front of the room to be presented with a gift and thanks for founding Central Florida MQG 13 years ago.

The thoughtful gift was the cute green clock in center of this picture. The swaying pendulum is a pair of scissors. 

On this short wall and shelf in my sewing room are a few of the gifts I've been given by friends - postcard, framed piece, "L" in a hoop, ice cream sundae pin cushion, Lego sewing machine, handmade coaster - and a few special award ribbons.

Post-knee replacement surgery hubs is more mobile, walking with a cane as directed and taking a 10 minute outdoor walk each day. Since our neighborhood doesn't have sidewalks and streets are designed with a curve for water run-off, I golf cart him to a grocery store or nearby postal station so he can walk on flat surfaces. He needs only a little assistance with wound care and putting on a compression stocking, so he's back in the kitchen for limited amounts of times, doing a little cooking. Ah... much better. Linda

Mostly Yarn-y Things

Just as I do with sewing/quilting projects, I've been rotating through three different yarn-y garment projects.

Continuing to work on the crocheted Summer Cardigan following Wan's YouTube video, I quickly realized I made a big mistake. To get gauge, I reduced the number of chains I crocheted for the back. But then when I chained each of the two front sides, I didn't reduce accordingly. I forgot, darn it! I realized my error when I laid out all the parts to begin sewing them together. The neck opening was much too small.

It needs to be more like this. 

I had no other option than to uncrochet the two sides. I'm very disappointed in myself, but I suppose this is part of learning how to crochet (and knit) garments to fit oneself. I can't imagine how much skill is required to crochet (or knit) to make something to fit someone else!

uncrocheted sides, hand wound into balls

I have now re-crocheted one side, and after doing so, sewed together parts - one side to the back and then one sleeve to the side. I've begun to re-crochet the second side. Though the neck opening will still be slightly smaller than Wan's instructions, I'm hoping it fits me. If not, I will take apart what's required to fix it. 

Following another of Wan's YouTube videos (I also bought this pattern on Etsy), I'm making Crochet Summer Lace Top. The design is effective because of dyed color gradations in the yarn.

Unfortunately, the cotton/acrylic fingering weight yarn Wan used is no longer available, so I bought this gradient cake from Okey Dokeys 

Wan's version ends as far as I've crocheted in this picture. I tried it on and found it much too short, so I'll be adding ten more rows. At least the color gradient will be more visible though I'm sure I won't make it to the gray color at the end. I think I'll be happy with this finished. 

I've discovered I really like yarn "cakes" which are meant to be used from the center. The yarn pulls out very easily. 

Since I've spent more time than I'd like winding yarn balls by hand, it would sure be nice to have a manual yarn winder, perhaps like this one. Until then, I'm hand winding yarn. I had to do that today with what's left of a yarn ball I started using in my Summer Soul Top knitting project. Yarn was getting very tangled.

I first wound figure eights around my left-hand thumb and index finger.

Then I placed the yarn ring from my index finger on top of the yarn ring already on my thumb.

Then I begin wrapping yarn around my thumb. After six to eight wraps, I turn the yarn ball and continue wrapping... then turning, then wrapping. 

It turns into a nice yarn ball, but it can be tedious when yarn has gotten tangled and needs to be untangled. Rather than deal with tangles, I'd prefer to wind a ball first, then start knitting (or crocheting). 

This week I've made progress on each of these project because hubs had knee replacement early Monday morning. Being at home with him this week has meant lots of fetching and delivering. Basically being at-the-ready if something is needed. Crocheting has been easy to pick up and put down. 

Helping him has helped me appreciate the seven times he helped me following angioplasties in my legs dut to having peripheral artery disease. Heart-pumping exercise is necessary for me to keep arteries clear of plaque. But even though I didn't exercise Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, so as to be available to him, on Tuesday I logged more than 13,000 steps amounting to 6.01 miles in the house! And our house isn't that big. Wednesday was slightly less demanding as I logged only 3.85 miles in the house. Ha! Today, since getting out to power walk 4 miles (my typical walk distance), I've hit 6 miles again. I am grateful I'm able-bodied enough to exercise and keep pace with whatever hubs needs. 

As we were driving toward Orlando for hub's early Monday morning surgery, we were surprised to see another Falcon 9 rocket launch right out the front car window! It was about 6:15 AM. You couldn't miss it!

This is probably the best view of a launch we've ever seen!

And what we'd never seen before was the massive expanding halo that comes at the end of a rocket launch. It's called the "space jellyfish" effect and is also known as the "SpaceX spiral." It happens when venting rocket propellant in a circular, rotating motion. Cool, isn't it? Linda