Monday, September 30, 2019

What I Did in Six Days

Six days away with nothing to do but sew is the best way to be productive. Except for meal pauses and a couple hours spent power-walking, I sewed to my heart's content, and had my hands on nine of the ten projects I'd taken along.

Here are some of them, beginning with one of two quilt tops I put together.

This is Plaidish, a free scrap quilt pattern from Kitchen Table Quilting. Link to pattern. The top is 64" X 82". Making Plaidish is an opportunity to understand value, as dark, medium, and light scraps need to be sorted, identified, and cut to make the plaid pattern appear. I love how this turned out, and I think others like it too. This picture had had more than 600 likes on my Instagram account.

The other quilt top I finished is a String Diamond arrangement from My Quilt Infatuation. Kelly's tutorial is here. It was a good way to scrap-bust green and blue fabrics to make a 36" X 48" baby quilt.

I pieced six more 8" X 8" charming postage stamp blocks, bringing my total up to 17.

It would have been 18 blocks total, but I was two 1-1/2" X 1-1/2" squares short of lime green solid to finish this one!

I've been asked to make travel trays. It was easy enough to choose stashed fabrics, and piece a dozen of them.

But it's much more time-consuming hand sewing four snaps - eight individual pieces - to each of them! Still, I like this tray design best because it's flat in a suitcase, and without Velcro in the corners (an option in the pattern), it doesn't "stick" to clothing. Here's the free travel tray pattern.

This reversible bucket hat has been on my must-make list for several weeks. The pattern is free (are you noticing a frugal theme here?) on the Brother sewing machine blog. Link to pattern. I used my favorite JoAnn Fabrics print for the "fun side." It's the same print I used to make my ukulele case.

This is the plain side.  

Instructions call for one layer of medium fusible interfacing. I used Pellon 101 Shapeflex. When I make another hat, I'll use two layers to give the brim more stability. I'll be sporting this hat whenever I'm on the golf cart, as I've discovered that it keeps my I'm-letting-it-grow-longer hair out of my eyes. 

While my LindaNova quilt is waiting for me to sandwich and quilt, I started a new English paper piecing project - the Prudence Quilt. This is the EPP kit (pattern, templates, and papers) I won from @LilabelleLane on an Instagram giveaway. The two blocks needed for the quilt are the Bloom block (center left) and Cross Block (center right), of which I need 121 total! I EPPed one of each and know I'm gonna love that black and white striped Cross block. More fussy-cut pieces are ready, so I'll be all set when it's time for another road trip. 

I've been listening to one audiobook after another; 30 so far this year. They're fantastic when I'm power-walking (I'm thinking about getting wireless earbuds rather than use the corded buds that came with my iPhone), and are my escape from bothersome medical concerns (due to my oncologist recently diagnosing anemia, this week I will have the first of two iron infusions), and still missing our dear Hogan.


"Those Who Wish Me Dead" by Michael Koryta is about a teenage boy, Jace, who by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, witnesses a murder. Rather than go into a witness protection program where dirty cops will surely find him, Jace is placed in a troubled teen's wilderness program near Red Lodge, Montana. I enjoyed following this setting, as I have been on the Bear Tooth Highway, and in that mountain area. What follows are a series of scary chase-and-escape events that include forest fires. Honestly, this is one of the most intense books I've ever read, and I soon found that I shouldn't listen right before bed. Disturbing, but so well done! 

Linda's score 4.8/5.0

"Missing Molly" by Natalie Barelli is another well done story that takes place in England. The narrator speaks with a British accent, so I'm extra partial to this book. The story is about 12 year-old Molly Forster who witnesses the murder of her parents and sister, and afterward shows up for help at the local police station. She quickly discovers that she must run. In the present day, Molly is 23 year-old Rachel Holloway, working at a small newspaper. To boost their flagging publication, the boss decides that the team will research, write, and air a podcast on an old missing person case: Molly Forster. This was such an exciting read, I couldn't wait to go walking to listen more.

Linda's score: 4.9/5.0

Gosh, but I've had the good fortune to pick up a string of really excellent books! I hope you're keeping notes, and enjoying them too! Linda

12 comments:

  1. So much fun in this blog post! Thank you for sharing the books you read. I too listen to a lot of audio books because it is a 30 minute drive one way for me to get to work so I get in a good hour of reading every day. Missing Molly sounds great! We seem to have so many things in common. That Plaidish design has been on my bucket list too. I LOVE that design! Yours turned out fantastic! I haven't been on Instagram for a while so I must have missed it. Keep up those book recommendations! I'm excited to read this one.

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  2. I do love the way your Prudence is starting -its going to be great. I checked out your flat tray pattern and have printed it out. I am always looking for neat little gifts to make for friends and family. Thanks for sharing this.

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  3. WOW- over 600 likes on IG! Congratulations on so many people liking your top! I think I'm doing well if i get 200! BTW here in Australia IG have taken away the 'likes' feature from posts. I can see how many of my own posts get, but no one else's. Is that the same there? I'm not sure if it is going to continue....!

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  4. Absolutely love your Plaidish quilt! And gotta say, the travel tray you gave me still gets used every time I travel. Love using it!

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  5. You accomplished an amazing number of projects while on your retreat. I do love how "Plaidish" turned out, and it looks like a great way to use up. Its and pieces of stash and scraps. That's a win-win in my book.

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  6. Congrats on accomplishing so many projects on your retreat. Love your plaid quilt and the postage stamp one too. Both are on my radar for possible future makes next year. I use the tray you gifted me everyday. It sits on my desk and holds post-it note pads and other little things.

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  7. You are amazing!!! So many wonderful projects!! Love love love the plaidish quilt, so much. The colors and I just love plaid period. You know how to have fun! :^)

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  8. I love that Plaidish pattern; I downloaded the pattern too, but have too much on the go already!

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  9. Plaidish is great, but I adore your Postage Stamp Blocks!

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  10. Wow you have been busy! I love Plaidish. I'm tempted to download it but I really don't need to start another project until I've got a few more UFO's moved to the completed pile.

    Oh and I've been the iron infusion route - you'll feel so much better afterwards. So worth it. Feel free to send an email if you have questions about it.

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  11. Thanks for the book recommendations- hubby & I just finished listening to Missing Molly! 😊

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