Handwork and Quilting

Handwork is something I always have at the ready. It's what I pick up whenever I'm on a phone call, or just need a break from sitting at the sewing machine. It's surprising how much can be accomplished in a little down time... if your handwork is ready to pick up. 

A couple months ago, I prepped a whole bunch of Glitter blocks. Since I'm making them with a combo of machine-piecing and hand-piecing, a pile of blocks have been ready for hand-stitching at the four corners.

I keep a Zappy Dots Needle Nanny handy, with a a pretty Zappy Dots Scissors Fob on my snips. Lots of cute Zappy Dots designs are available, including leggings, if you're into that sort of thing. I would be if the weather in Florida was a bit cooler! My matching notions set is "O Happy Day" by Timna Tarr. 

Since I'm caught up on all the blocks I prepped, I thought it was a good time to count and reassess. These are 52 blocks of the 152 needed for the quilt. I'm 34 percent done.  

I'm lovin' the color! In the next batch of prepped blocks, I think I'll make enough to replace those two blocks that have a little aqua color. 

Mostly I've been focusing on quilting my QuiltCon Artisan Cotton Challenge quilt. Lots of walking foot quilting in several different colors. Though I haven't been able to find quilting thread to match that dark teal. 

For the circle in the diamond, I used polyester sewing thread. I don't like it, but can't find a matching cotton thread. Straight quilting lines are irregular so I can go back in a fill spaces with big stitch quilting. Even with the big stitch, I'm gonna have a problem with dark teal thread - I can't find a matching color of #8 perle cotton. 

😟

Book Recommendations Today I've got two more books to suggest. 

The Feathered Bone by Julia Cantrell is a little bit unsettling. It's about several issues: the unimaginable fears experienced by parents whose child is abducted; understanding a spouse who devalues his wife; suicide; and the unexpected challenges of living through Hurricane Katrina. 

Best friends Amanda and Beth, whose daughters Ellie and Sarah are also best friends are all on a sixth grade Halloween field trip to New Orleans when the unthinkable happens. It takes years for family and friends to come to grips with and understand the loss of someone dear. While the story is about many negative events, its underlying message is spiritually uplifting. Though sad, outcomes are also affirming. Lives continue, and do so with positivity and hope. 

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0

A Cry From the Dust by Carrie Stuart Parks is the first book in the Gwen Marcey series. 

Gwen is a forensic artist - a gifted woman who can sculpt a face with only the bones as clues, and skillfully draw a likeness from memory. While reconstructing three faces of Mountain Meadow Massacre victims at a new Interpretive Center - where the massacre took place in 1857 - Gwen becomes entangled with several disgruntled visitors. When one of those visitors is found brutally murdered, and Gwen realizes that one of the faces she has restored looks like Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, she finds herself involved in a police investigation. The Avenging Angels have targeted Gwen because they believe she has something they need. She must protect herself, her daughter, and her best friend - the friend who helps Gwen uncover the truth of the massacre and Mormon history. Learning the truth in time may not prevent another massacre.

After I'd finished the book, I read that the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre really happened. I'm looking forward to reading another book in the Gwen Marcey series. Linda's score: 3.8/5.0

Linda