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Saturday, July 25, 2020

Pandemic Stuff

After the busyness of making my Jiggle-Joggle-Jee quilt (previous post); taking step-by-step pictures; writing a blog tutorial and pattern; and scanning and uploading the pattern and FPP templates to Google Drive, the last few days have felt like a vacation! 

I've continued to sew - mug rugs and and several EPP Prudence blocks. Next up is to finish this too-old EPP into a pillow.

Oh! And I must make quilt labels! These eight quilts all need labels!

Though my intentions for 2020 have been to slow down quilt production, the pandemic has given me time to finished nearly all my WIPs. I still have just two, slow-going quilt WIPs. I'm relieved to feel caught up, and embrace the arrival of a new direction for me - to do more handwork, and make other non-quilt things. When an order of 4/4-weight cotton warp thread arrives, I'll begin another peg loom weaving project. By the way, I ended up buying the peg loom from my friend. 

Recently, Dan golf-carted to Barnes and Noble to come home with new games to learn. After months now of playing gin rummy, we're ready to try something different to change-up our evenings - Rummikub and Backgammon. Notice that he picked up the "large numbers edition" of Rummikub. Perhaps is's no surprise that's the only version our B&N sells!

As many of are doing in our area, we're still staying home, postponing haircuts, and going to the grocery only when necessary. Also, Farmer's Market is on the weekly schedule for buying fresh produce. A trip to the post office was necessary to mail Nana-made face masks to our granddaughter who will return in August to her last semester of college. 

And speaking of her.... Celina and I received the best news on Friday. The quilt she and I made together was accepted for publication in Curated Quilts! 

If you're not familiar with this journal, read more about it here. Curated Quilts is printed quarterly on high quality paper, without advertising. Subscribe here with the code PALMS and you'll receive a 10% discount.

Celina and my quilt, "The Road Between Us" will appear in the October 2020 issue, in the "Youth Challenge" gallery.
The Road Between Us, 10-1/2" X 10-1/2"

Celina improv-pieced the quilt top with me over FaceTime. Then she mailed me the little top and the leftover fabrics. I added the burgundy hand-appliquéd "road" and "roundabout," hand-quilted, and finished it with faced binding. 

It was such a treat to call Celina, put the whole family on speaker phone, and share the happy news that our quilt was accepted into the journal's quilt gallery. We all chuckled that Celina could add this recognition to her job search resumé. Her degree will be in finance.

Have you tried this trendy whipped coffee drink? It's called Dalgona. Lots of pictures/recipes have been showing up on Pinterest.
Dalgona

It's easy to make. Use an electric mixer to whip together equal portions - 1:1:1 - of hot water, instant coffee, and sugar. I used 2 tablespoons of each (decaf instant coffee for me), and spent two minutes with the mixer, whipping it into beautiful peaks. Put ice and milk in a glass, top it with the whipped mixture, and spoon it together for drinking. I like it!

The taste is unusual - somewhat like very strong coffee, but with a tang. Since I didn't use all of the whipped part for this drink, I stored the leftover in an airtight container in the fridge. The next morning I used it as coffee topping. I'll be making it again. 

Book Recommendations








Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison is about the Goode School in Virginia, a prestigious all-girls boarding school where the elite send their daughters before admissions to ivy-league universities. The story follows Ash, a newly-arrived student from the UK, and her introduction to the school, the dean, and some of the students. Ash is bright and capable, but her experiences aren't as positive as she wishes, beginning with the sudden death of a teacher. When a student dies, Ash understands that someone knows what she's been trying to hide. This fast-paced physiological thriller is on the order of The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. I couldn't put it down.

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0


Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker is the (unbelievably) true story of a family, raised in Colorado Springs, near the Air Force Academy, in the 1940s to '60s. Donald, who worked for the Academy and NORAD,  and Mimi Garvin had ten boys and two girls. Their household was turbulent, and when the girls came along, the abuse began. Six of the boys developed schizophrenia, an incurable illness that made them subjects for further study. Schizophrenia research has continued into the 2000s in the form of genome research. Though the story of this family's experiences with schizophrenia is difficult to read, an understanding of the illness - from Sigmund Freud to today- is completely fascinating. If you're familiar with CRISPR (this YouTube video explains CRISPR well), you'll appreciate the way this family has impacted genetic understanding.

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0

Linda

14 comments:

  1. Rumicube is a great game. My mom and I loved to play it.
    I always look forward to your book recommendations. I go straight to my library account and place them on my bookshelf.

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  2. Congratulations to you and Celina on your published quilt. It's a beautiful collaboration with your grandie and looks to have such gorgeous texture. I'll bet it's just lovely when you run your hands over it.
    We hear about the increasing numbers of cases on the news and I often think of you when they mention Florida. Sending you much love xx

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  3. Congratulations to you and Celina on acceptance of your
    little quilt for publication! Have fun with your new love of weaving, though I hope you won't permanently abandon your quilting.

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  4. YES!!! Yes, yes, YES!!! Told you so!!! :P
    Seriously, congratulations on Celina's collaborative quilt's acceptance into the magazine.

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  5. Congratulations on your inclusion in “Curated Quilts”. That will be something to look forward to, in these days when a haircut is as much as we can anticipate with excitement....or is it trepidation!? I think I will reach that stage where other crafts call out to be tried. Even dressmaking seems pointless as my days are spent in track pants.

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  6. Congrats to both you and Celina on acceptance of your little improv quilt for publication! Thanks for the book recommendations, I'm always looking for new avenues to explore with my reading! I must admit, quilt labels seem to have fallen by the wayside with my finished quilts, must make more of an effort!

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  7. I love the colours in your too-old EPP project, good idea to convert it into a pillow. My husband doesn’t like scrabble but he might like Rummikub (I googled it) as numbers are more his thing than words. I look forward to seeing the quilt you and Celina made in Curated Quilts, such an inspirational magazine. Quilt labels are usually the last thing I think about when making a quilt, my last two quilts I've made the labels before doing the binding so I can stitch them on at the same time.

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  8. That's exciting news about the quilt being accepted for publication- congratulations to both of you! Large print board games- who'd 'a thought it? The coffee drink looks inviting, too. Who knew coffee would whip up like that??

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  9. How exciting that your collaboration has been accepted for publication, What a great start for a young quilter and an experienced one, too. The EPP has such pretty colors! Must be difficult to call it finished. I usually make the label when I know where it’s going. That coffee drink looks amazing. I must try it.

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  10. Congratulations on your quilt with Celina being published. How fun! That coffee drink looks like something I need to try. Yum!

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    1. Hi Debbie! Thank you so much for your congratulations! Celina and I both very happy about this recognition. And now I must hurry to get a label made so the quilt can be in Utah by August 5. As for the Dalgona, I hope you like it. I've come across several people who didn't care for it - though it was too sweet. But to me, who never drinks milk, it's a healthy treat that's very filling. Sorry I can't reply to you in person, but you're a "no-reply commenter." It would be great if you could add your email address to your Google profile. (Though if you're using a Yahoo email address, I still won't see your comment.)

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  11. BEST NEWS that your and your granddaughter's mini was accepted!! YAY!

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  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  13. This morning I’ve played catch up on your blog, but am choosing to leave my comment here so I can say congratulations to you and Celina! Such an exciting finale to your joint accomplishment! I am so pleased for you. I’m almost ready to pull out UFOs that have been hidden in the bottom of the bin, too, instead of purchasing more fabric for a new quilt. There are always a few, aren’t there? You’ve done well sticking to your mental list of what must be done to move forward. I’m so impressed with your loom work and can’t wait to see your next project! Glad to hear you’re doing what’s necessary to stay safe and healthy. Thanks for the recipe! I’m looking forward to trying it. I’ll have to put a little jar of instant coffee on my list today! Quilty hugs!

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