Plodding Along

With the climbing number of Corornavirus cases, and hospitalizations in Florida, I'm feeling the weight of tedium. I'm plodding along. While other people are spending time with family again, I'm especially missing being able to travel to see my dad, children and grandchildren.

Last Monday, the Villages emailed residents to announce the latest change in plans - from reopening recreation centers on July 6, to recreation centers that will remain indefinitely closed. Without line dancing, ukulele club, quilting groups, and quilting workshops I was to teach, the days feel relentlessly the same. Initially, when plans were made to reopen, albeit in a new way, there was hope that life would eventually turn around. Now, the necessity of continuing to stay at home is testing my perseverance. 

Hubs and I have begun referring to 2020 as "the lost year."

I'm continuing to make, digging up self-motivation to continue WIPs, and a few new things. 

Like... the quilt I'm making from Kristy Lea's "Create" fabric collection. Using the 27 fat-eighths that were sent to me by Riley Blake, I created a design that's 44" X 44" - meant to be a baby quilt.

For the quilt sandwich, I made myself puzzle together batting scraps, trying to use up. Unlike the last time I joined batting with fusible interfacing strips, this time I slightly overlapped two batting pieces, rotary cut gentle curves, and used the widest zig-zag stitch on my Bernina to piece them together. I'm very pleased with the result.

Quilting this (so far, unnamed project) on my Bernina 770QE, I used a combination of walking foot quilting, ruler quilting with a Sariditty Cinched Arc ruler, and free motion quilting. 

No Tails Binding: Mitered Corners by Machine is how I attach binding. 

I'll take several pictures of the finished quilt, write the foundation paper pieced pattern, and all will be revealed on Tuesday, July 21, the date I've been assigned for sharing on my blog and Instagram. I plan to make the pattern available as a free download.

A few more Prudence Quilt blocks have been pieced, and I'm cutting fabric to make more. I like the challenge of coming up with fussy-cut pieces from my stash, which does not include Tula Pink fabrics, the fabrics that seem to be most-favored by English paper-piecers. 

I'm curious... do you know anything about twining? (Pronounced twine-ing.) I saw Victoria Findlay Wolfe's Instagram picture of her twining loom project, and it captured my attention. 

After watching BluPrint videos about rigid heddle loom weaving - even entertaining the idea of trying it though I'd need to buy a loom AND yarn - now I wonder if twining might be more up my alley. I'd need only a loom (by Lilly Lula), and definitely would not need fabric.

Even though I am able to entertain myself at home, I miss interaction with my modern-making friends. So, when the South Florida MQG (Boca Raton) publicized their July through December schedule of online presenters and workshops, and pro-rated membership dues for anyone to join, I did! I'm now a member of South Florida MQG! The chapter sent a lovely welcome email with information about all their activities, and where to find information about their Beatles challenge and BOM.

I was also welcomed on Instagram!. 😊 

I am looking forward to the next six months of membership that includes program and workshop guests Amy Friend, Timna Tarr, Teresa Duryea Wong, and Malka Dubrawsky! 

Reading audiobooks continues to be my favorite multi-tasking activity when making. 

I'm so glad I picked Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. If you've read Unbroken, the true story of Olympic runner, pilot, and WWII P.O.W. Louis Zamperini, then you'll understand when I say that Boys in the Boat is a similar, true narrative. It's about the University of Washington nine-man rowing team, from 1933-1936 that overcame hardships (dust bowl, depression) to make it to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. I didn't think I'd care to read a sports story, particularly about rowing, since I know nothing about it. But after following the difficult childhood and endurance of rower Joe Rantz, I have much respect for the sport. It takes more than hard work and spirit to participate in such a precise and demanding competitive activity. Details about rowing events and strategies that I expected to be boring were completely captivating. Historical information about these times in the US, and economic challenges, were fascinating.

Linda's score: 4.7/5.0

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd (The Secret Life of Bees) was recommended to me by friend Deb, and I'm so glad she did! The premise is: What story might be told if Jesus had been married? I'd never given the possibility a thought, but the manner in which the author presents Jesus (before his ministry began), Mary, James and Simon... in the times, places, and circumstances he would have been in, and saying what we know from the Bible, makes the answer seem possible. The story follows Ana, a teen with scholarly aspirations not in line with Jewish culture, that dictates an arrange a marriage. Ana, who does not want to marry, then encounters the captivating 18 year-old Jesus. 

If you listen to this book, don't miss the author's own commentary at the end - about the four years she spent doing meticulous research to weave cultural norms into the narrative, including the demeaning of women.

This book is excellently read by Mozhan Marnò - though she pronounces locations and names differently than I learned in church. Examples: I learned: Ca-PER-num; she says: CAP-er-num. I learned: TAB-i-tha; she says Ta-BEE-tha. I remember Pastor Mike saying no one knows for sure how Biblical names were pronounced, so her pronunciation doesn't change the story. It's still great!

Linda's score: 4.8/5.0

Linda