Patchwork Pony Prep

This is the schedule for the Patchwork Pony Sew Along being led by Jo Avery in the UK.

This week we're to prepare two outer panels that will become the two-sided pony. I dug into a bin of leftover patches and blocks to come up with these two panels and the long strip that will join the two sections. 

I quilted each piece onto batting and then cut the pony shapes.

I made a second pony using denim (jeans) and canvas/home dec fabric. Next week we'll be sewing ponies together with the long fabric strips.

Several of you mentioned that in the past you'd made a Scotty Dog or a similar type of pony. So did I! This is one I made for a grandson, in December 2014. Jo's pony isn't quite like this dog. 

I've returned to rug-braiding since cutting more strips from a thrift shop bed sheet, and two of hub's shirts. I'm braiding with eight strands. Now I'm taking a pause again because I think this rug needs a darker blue. Time for a thrift shop visit.

Book Recommendation

Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves is book #4 in the Vera Stanhope series. Unfortunately, as so often is the case, after reading book #1 (The Crow Trap), I could not find book #2 and #3 in audiobook format through my listening apps: Hoopla and Axis 360. So book #4 is my second Vera Stanhope listen.

Detective Investigator Vera Stanhope has joined a health club, ostensibly to show that she's making an effort to be fit. When she finds the body of a woman in the sauna, she's on the case. Assisted by her crack team of investigators - diversely different personalities yet oddly suited to the work- including loyal Joe Ashworth, her right-hand assistant, they begin interviewing everyone who knew the woman. When they discover she's a social worker who was involved in a high profile case where a young mother drowned her son, old assumptions are revisited. Of course, Vera brings more information to light to catch the murderer. 

I enjoyed this book as much as I enjoy watching old episodes of Vera on TV (on the Ovation channel. I have no access to the newest episodes.) If you like a good who-done-it, this is one to read. 

Linda's score: 4.0/5.0

While outdoors Thursday afternoon, taking a four mile power walk, I returned home just as another rocket was being launched from Cape Canaveral. These two pictures are of Falcom 9: Starlink 4-F, carrying another load of communications satellites. 

From our house, which is 110 miles from the launch site, we've seen a half dozen launches now, but it never gets old. It's still a marvel of engineering and science. Linda