Preparations

Hi Friends! My thanks to you for leaving congratulatory and good wishes comments on my last blog post. It's been humbling, and very exciting to realize my quilts will be hung at QuiltCon. Attending the show next February will be the event-of-the-year for me.

Gotta get my last quilt, Playin' Around shipped, so I'm making and hand-sewing a sleeve to the back. It's a tedious but necessary task to prepare a quilt for a show. This 61"-long sleeve is made from leftover backing fabric.  

Preparations and activities have defined this week. While I no longer write Christmas letters or send cards, and we don't put up a Christmas tree, I do spend time preparing my heart for Jesus's arrival, and trying to share the love by making special gifts, and doing some baking. 

For gift-giving I've been making zipper pouches. They required a special trip to JoAnn Fabrics for Pellon SF101 fusible interfacing, but I got enough for these seven pouches and then some. 

I'm making three Boxy Clear Pouches, and four Inside-Outside Pouches (patterns by Aneela Hoey) to gift to line dancing instructors, hair and nail stylists, and family members. 

The slowest part of each one is hand-stitching binding to both ends of the bag.

 

As I've been creating, I've frequently been using Clover Wonderclips. However, I'm disappointed in their performance. I've thrown away at least a dozen of them because the clear plastic tab at the nose bend (note clip on the far right) and in some cases have broken off. 

That's been surprising. Is it because they're old? Eight years or so is too old? Or, might it have something to do with our Florida climate? The plastic doesn't stand up to humidity? Though, we're in a climate-controlled home. But, I've had a similar thing happen with vinyl shoe soles crumbling.    

Something I've added to the bags I've been making is this new label. I don't mind making EQ Printables quilt labels to create a custom design with buckets of information, but until these arrived, I haven't had a way to label small sewn items. Now I do, from Ever Emblem.

The label design I picked is "Sparkle Emoji - Satin - 1.5" wide." My name (including my surname) is on the front, and my handle is on the back. When the label is folded, it tucks nicely into a sewn seam with info reading in the right direction on both sides. 

Book Recommendations

While channel-surfing a couple months ago, I came across a British detective show called Vera. After watching it, I knew hubs would like it too. Ever since we've been recording programs to continue watching. Vera is based on a series of books written by Ann Cleeves, so I found the first book and listened.

The Crow Trap is about three women - Rachael, Anne, and Grace - who share a remote cabin while they conduct an environmental study on behalf of a company that wants to build a reservoir in the area. The story opens with team leader Rachael driving into the area. As she walks to nearby Baikie's Cottage to visit her friend Bella, in the dusky light she finds Bella dead, hanging from a rafter. 

Rachael cannot believe that Bella, who loved her life on the farm, took her own life. When another woman on their environmental team is found murdered, Inspector Detective Vera Stanhope arrives at Baikie's Cottage to solve the crime.

Rachael desparately wants to forget a bad relationship; Anne is using her time to engage in a liaison; Grace isn't eating, sharing anything about herself, or even acting normal. 

The book is written in three parts, each from a character's perspectives. With lots of details to the story, it required some intense listening, but I loved it! 

Apparently this particular story is the third episode of the Vera TV series, but as we missed the first five seasons, it's unlikely we'll see it. Though I wish I could!

Linda's score: 3.9/5.0

The Moonlight Child by Karen McQuestion is poignant and satisfying story that takes place in Wisconsin.  One evening, Sharon, a 60-something woman who lives alone (Through chapter 2 I smiled through her take on technology.) steps outside at 11 pm to view a blood moon. While watching it, through an uncovered window in the house behind her she notices a small girl washing dishes. Since the residents are a couple and their teenage son, she wonders who she's seeing. The next day, former foster child Niki, must move from a bad living situation, so Sharon welcomes her. From her upstairs bedroom window overlooking the neighbor's backyard, Niki also sees some unusual activity. Between them, they decide they must do something. If a little girl is living there, why doesn't anyone know about her?

Linda's score: 3.8/5.0

Sunday was the second Sunday of Advent. As usual, I worshipped virtually at Lutheran Church of Hope, West Des Moines, Iowa. Pastor Mike's message "Is the End Near?" referenced Revelation, and Jesus's second coming. Pastor Mike wrapped up his message with this list of distractions that keep us from loving more. Several of them resonated with me.

This is the week for Christmas get-togethers, that started Tuesday afternoon with a box lunch with Big Cypress Quilters.

This evening is my last Zoom "Sip and Sew" with members of South Florida MQG. I've decided not to renew my membership with SFMQG in 2022 because I simply can't keep up with activities in three guilds. Though I've made some great friends in the chapter, and I'll very much miss our Sip and Sew chit-chats, two guild memberships will be plenty. 

Saturday morning is our Central Florida MQG annual holiday party. We'll share holiday treats and have a Chinese gift swap.

Saturday evening is our neighbor's holiday party - pizza, and more holiday treats!

Then, the partying is over! I've never quite understood why celebrations here are so early in the month, and that nothing happens after December 15 or thereabouts. But, that's how it is. On the positive side, that's just more time for new projects! Linda