Future Projects

Two new projects are on my horizon for this fall. The first is one you can join too.

On Instagram, one of hundreds of quilters I follow is Coloradoan Laura Loewen. She used to be @loewensewen, but a few months ago she changed her online name to @quiltfortco

Anyway, Laura is hosting the "Finger Paints Quilt Along" starting the end of August. Finger Paints is a quilt Laura designed and made, and that appeared in QuiltCon Together, earlier this year.

More than a half-dozen quilter-friends in Central Florida MQG are participating in the quilt along, so I'm joining too - mostly for the camaraderie, but I also like the design. I'm thinking to change-up the colors, of course 😄.

In case you'd like to know, the PDF pattern, with Florida taxes, cost me $13.02.

I'll also be making a mini quilt because I've been invited to participate in the introduction of Kelly Young's new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, published by Landauer, an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishing. Friends will note that Landauer is the company that published my book in 2006: First Time Quiltmaking.

According to Kelly, the book "contains 22 fun mini quilts that use an improv technique to create texture and interest. Not only does this book give an alternate method for constructing the improv pieces, it is also perfect for beginners because it contains full instructions for finishing your quilt, as well as tips for displaying them."

Starting in mid-September and into October, Kelly is hosting a blog hop. You'll see the mini quilt I make, here and on Instagram on Monday, October 18.

Find Kelly on Instagram as @myquiltinfatuation, and her blog by the same name is here.

Currently, I'm working on the quilt I intend to enter in the 2022 QuiltCon Artisan Cotton Fabric Challenge being sponsored by Windham Fabrics. Artisan fabric is one of those two-toned woven collections (similar to Oakshott) that so many quilters like. I've never used it before.

Though the bundle of four fat eighths still hasn't yet arrived, I jumped in a few weeks ago. That's because this is one of only a few times I've had design inspiration! After seeing the 1950s artwork of Frenchman Auguste Herbin, I knew I wanted to translate his concepts from paint to fabric.

I used EQ8 to create a rough design and calculate yardage so as to purchase fabric.

In three days I cut and pieced a 52" X 57" quilt top, made a backing, basted, and started quilting! It's an incredible feeling, knowing exactly what I wanted to do! Such a change from my usual hemming and hawing.

The Artisan fabric colors seen in my photo as teal, rose, purple, and gray are the four challenge fabrics - three of which are required in the quilt design. I chose to add dark gray and light beige from a list of allowable neutrals. All fabrics are from the Artisan collection. The yellow and orange blocks on the right side of my design wall are Glitter blocks I've recently hand-pieced.

From Artisan fabric leftovers, and two other quilting cottons (a backing may be from any fabric), I pieced a backing... 

...pin-basted, and started stabilizing walking foot quilting. 

Now that all shapes are stabilized, I'm going back in to quilt more, but intentionally leaving open areas for big stitch hand quilting. 

I'm having so much fun with this project! It's an amazing feeling, and makes me feel grateful that I get to enjoy this novel experience - knowing where a project is heading! So much joy!

By contrast, both my Central Florida MQG "Chips and Charms Challenge" and South Florida MQG "Curve Around Challenge" projects are stalled, and have no clear direction. I'm hoping inspiration will strike, and my vision for each of them will become clear!

Book Recommendations

Because I love all things related to Scotland (I really want to visit someday), I thought reading stories that take place there would be enjoyable. These historical romances are a bit of Scotland and lots of romance.

Romancing the Scot, and It Happened in the Highlands are the first two books in 

"The Pennington Family" series of six books, written by a husband/wife team using the pen name May McGoldrick. I was immediately drawn into each story because of the exceptional acting and voice skills of Saskia Maarleveld. You already know about her talent if you've listened to The Rose Code, or The Alice Network. Saskia makes characters come to life!

Romancing the Scot, centers on Grace who has walked into a scene of murder and must run from men who want her dead too. She hides, stowing away in a crate that's loaded on a ship bound for who-knows-where. Hugh Pennington, a viscount in Scotland, has ordered a new basket for his hot air balloon, but unpacks a crate to find much more than he expected. Grace, who is near death, still fears for her life, and feigns knowing who she is. But the handsome and ever-patient Hugh breaks down her defenses, helps her come to understand that not all people have evil intentions, and protects her as she uncovers the truth of the murders. 

It Happened in the Highlands is the second book in this series. Though I've reviewed books #1 and #2, since reading them, I learned there's a book #1.5. Who knew authors do that?!

Lady Josephine is the younger, adopted sister of sister of Hugh Pennington. Years ago, Jo was jilted by Captain Wynne Melfort a week before the wedding. Though she has put Wynne out of her mind, and has also given up trying to find her birth mother, the arrival of a pencil drawing of a young woman who looks remarkably like Jo, leads Jo to visit an asylum to meet the man who drew the picture. An unexpected encounter with Wynne and his eight year-old son, causes Jo to stay longer than she intended. Together, they begin to uncover clues that could lead to Jo learning who she really is, where she comes from, and the realization that love never goes away.

Just a heads up... both of these books have steamy romance scenes!

Linda's score for both books: 3.8/5.0 Linda