Wednesday, July 28, 2021

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

11 comments:

  1. I just love the colors of your Glitter blocks. It's so juicy and summery. Yellow, pink, orange have long been a favorite color combo but I've only really made one quilt with these colors. This inspires me to make another. Good luck with quilting your challenge quilt. Looks like lots of thread changes but I'm sure it will be worth it to show off your wonderful machine quilting skills.

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  2. Your glitter blocks are gorgeous. I'm looking forward to seeing your challenge quilt. (Interestingly, your post dropped into my email inbox - just like it used to!)

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  3. I'm a big fan of a "hot" quilt, Linda. Your blocks look amazing up on the design wall!!

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  4. I’m impressed by your stamina for the Glitter blocks Linda! It’s going to look amazing!

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  5. Love your yellow pink & orange colour combo for your 'glitter' blocks, very striking! Glad you are able to do some machine piecing with these, it could take some time but so worth it. How long until the challenge quilt needs to be finished?

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  6. The Glitter blocks are wonderful! I actually like the touch of aqua in the one block that is predominately orange. The one that perhaps stands out too much is the one with the white/orange dot. What would it look like if you laid triangles of the tone-on-tone orange over the dots- it might change it in a good way. I think it's more the white dot that doesn't work rather than the aqua. Just thinking out loud- I love studying designs and what works and what doesn't. Trivia history related to your second book- Joseph Smith was born in a very small town (Smyrna, or sometimes Sherburne is mentioned) in upstate New York not too far from where we lived.

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  7. Your quilting is looking wonderful! I am hunting for a ruler foot for my Janome. I can't find one that says specifically it will work on my machine and, so far, the calls into my local Janome dealer haven't been helpful.

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  8. Loving all the colour in your Glitter quilt and I agree that it might be better off without the aqua bits (much as I love aqua...).

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  9. Oh those blocks are wonderful. I'd hold on to those aqua blocks for awhile, they have attitude and I love attitude. Your quilting, as always is looking terrific. Good luck with the thread search.

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  10. I'm enjoying your Glitter blocks, and I'm glad it's YOU doing them :D

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  11. Your glitter blocks are amazing. If I was into hand stitching, I'd be tempted.

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