Muddling

It's been relatively quiet in the sewing room. For some inexplicable reason, motivation has taken leave. I've just been muddling. 

I used my Berninas- serger and sewing machine - to make this Morrison Top following a pattern by Blue Dot Patterns that's sale-priced at $8 through the month of April. The pattern includes a dress, but I didn't have enough knit yardage for it. The top sewed together quickly - no sleeves - and I really like the neckline with pleats that help cover the "fluff" I carry in front.

On Sunday I finished hand-stitching this Kawandi - the fourth one I've made using grandma's vintage scraps. My idea of making a round one started well enough, but the closer I got to the center, the more challenging it was to figure out how to cut each successively smaller piece. The center turned out a bit of a mash-up, but it's okay. 

Vintage kawandi #4, 17" diameter

When I make my next Kawandi, it will definitely be square or rectangle-shaped. 

These labels are on the back.

I sewed four more masks to send to our daughter, who requested these colors. Our family's favorite pattern is the free one by Orange Dot Quilts. Isn't it sad that we have a favorite mask pattern? I sure hope the day comes when we won't need to wear them anymore.

Last week two of our 10 year-old grandsons, one in Texas and one in Kansas, were exposed to COVID on the school bus, and in the school cafeteria. I'm praying they don't get it. 

My wonderful box of Benartex prizes arrived! (From a March Instagram giveaway to celebrate National Quilting Month.) Get a load of those 100 Superior Solids fat quarters! I haven't unboxed them yet, but I've been playing with an EQ8 design to use some of them. As they are, the hand feels good, but after washing, I'll be able to make a better assessment. 

Along with the fabric, I received the book A Quilter's Guide to Solids, by Ringle and Kerr. It contains some great modern patterns. 

Book Recommendations

I have two more titles to suggest for contented reading.

The first is The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg. It's a charming story about a lonely teenaged girl, and an elderly man, Arthur. She hangs out in a cemetery to avoid school; he visits the cemetery every day to have lunch at his recently-deceased wife's grave. A rainy encounter one day leads to an unlikely friendship that proves mutually helpful. When a nosy neighbor lady experiences a devastating loss, she joins Arthur and the girl to form an even more improbable arrangement.  It's hard not to adore Arthur, and my heart was warmed by the grace and familial love they show toward one another. 

Start with this book because it's the first in a three-book series. The next one is Night of Miracles. Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell takes place in the 1500s, and is about Hamnet, the son of William Shakespeare. Though the author never refers to Shakespeare by name, the story is about him as a young Latin tutor, living under the abusive hand of his father, a glover (person who makes gloves). Shakespeare falls in love with Agnes who has a healing touch using herbs and flowers, and an unnatural ability to see what the future holds. After giving birth to a daughter, Agnes delivers twins - Judith and Hamnet - who experience the horror of bubonic plague transmitted by fleas. Though that part of the book rang too-familiarly, and in a couple places the story moved slowly, it was interesting enough to keep my attention, and feel like I had a look into Shakespeare's life.

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0 

By the way, for those who are interested, the fabric postcard I mailed to my dad with only a 36-cent stamp (see last blog post)... arrived safely! It wasn't in an envelope, and didn't have any bends or creases. What a happy surprise! I bought more stamps for future birthday postcards. 

Linda