Stitching, Piecing, and More Books

I've got a pretty good summertime rhythm going. It's sort of a Groundhog Day existence that's a combo of devotion time, exercise, machine piecing, hand stitching, and book-listening. It's quietly routine and peaceful.

All I have for pretty pictures is more of what I've had my hands on, including these scissors that can be found laying everywhere in the sewing room. I use each one, but am especially fond of the kangaroo scissors (center right), gifted to me by Di J. when I was in Sydney, Australia teaching beginner quiltmaking. I also like those (top) won in an Instagram giveaway from @warmcrochet that's now Warm Heart Scissors. 

They're arranged on a piece of one of Painter's Palette 42 new solid colors: Topaz. 

My Alison Glass Stitch Club Kantha Sew Along project continues. The end still isn't in sight. 

I've hand-stitched the 75" length of the quilt 137 times, using approximately 285 yards of Eleganza #8 perle cotton thread... so far. The ripply texture is becoming apparent.

At the sewing machine, I'm making more improv log cabin blocks. One type of log cabin is made with four values of three colors around an orange hearth.

The second type of block is pieced from Painter's Palette neutrals in the colors white, oyster, and rice paper. Every block has a skinny black and white striped insert. 

Playing around with layouts, I think I'm leaning toward something like this, with one large centered diamond. Still working out how to join them, preferably without cutting each one into a precise square.

Book Recommendations

If you read The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - and if you haven't, you must! - then you'll know that The Diamond Eye, also by Kate Quinn is another must-read. 

This book is based on the life of female Soviet sniper Mila Pavlichenko. Mila learns to shoot, becomes a skilled rifle marksman, and after receiving certification, enlists in the army when Russia is invaded. Though she has a difficult time convincing male officers of her abilities, over time she proves herself, and earns the respect of men in her command. When Hitlerites invade Russia, Mila's skills and cunning become renown; she's known as "Lady Death." After being wounded again, instead of being returned to the front, she's sent with a Russian delegation to the US to garner help for her country from President Roosevelt. She and Eleanor Roosevelt become friends, and Mila becomes embroiled in an attempt on the president's life. 

This is such an intriguing bit of history! Don't miss the author's message at the end, explaining where she obtained factual material, how she used it, and how she wove it into a truthful and partially-fictitious story.

Linda's score: 4.5/5.0

Take Your Breath Away by Linwood Barclay is one of those stories that will echo in your head for several days after reading it. I believe it's because the author does such a good job of entwining fictional personality traits into the reasons for what's happened. 

Brie and Andrew Mason (a building contractor) live in an older home that they intend to either fix-up or tear down to start anew. When Andy goes away for a weekend stay at their lake home, and to spend time with his friend and business partner, Brie goes missing. No one thinks Andy is innocent, including his outspoken sister-in-law, and the lead female detective on the case. It's now six years later and a series of sightings lead Brie's husband and family to think she may be back in town. But by now, Andy has a new girlfriend whose brother is living with them, Brie's mother is dying of cancer, and there's been a recent murder.  

The male narrator, George Newbern, who plays Andrew Mason, is fantastic! If you listened to Goodnight Beautiful, also by Linwood Barclay, you'll recognize his voice. 

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0

A Room Full of Bones by Elly Griffiths is book #4 in the Ruth Galloway series, and I think is better than the third book. Ruth is now somewhat more settled into her role as Kate's mother, and Kate has begun calling all men "Dada." An Australian rents the house next door to Ruth, intending to repatriate Aboriginal bones from the local Smith museum. When the Smith museum director is found dead next to a coffin, holding the bones of a medieval bishop, detective Nelson heads to the horse ranch of the museum's owner to begin searching for answers. Mysteries surround bones, skulls, drug-smuggling, and The Dreaming.

Linda's score 4.0/5.0 

Intending to read book 5 in this series which is A Dying Fall, I learned that there's actually a book numbered 4.5: Ruth's First Christmas Tree. It's described as a novella, and I was dismayed to find it's not available through my library apps. However, it was a happy surprise to find it's a FREE download from Google Books. So, I'll next be reading Ruth's First Christmas Tree. Then, A Dying Fall.

In a show of support for my modern quilt making friends in Central Florida MQG, I'm joining another QAL (quilt along) that I came across through Instagram. It's being co-coordinated by Shannon Fraser @shannonfraserdesigns and Amanda @broadclothstudio and is called #30DaysOfImprovQAL

Once you sign-up for their weekly email - go here to do that - each Sunday you'll receive information and instructions about making five 5"improv blocks in the upcoming week. By the end of August you'll have 25 blocks to put together into an improv quilt. 

The first email arrived Sunday with guidance for selecting five fabrics. I'm going with all solids. Painter's Palette colors from L-R are:

Daisy, Yarrow, Topaz (new color), Poseidon, and Limelight.

If you're an EQ8 user, you might like to know that Paintbrush Studios offers a swatch download of all Painter's Palette solid colors, including the new ones! I imported the swatches (they're loaded by name!) into EQ8 to use when designing a quilt. This is my QAL color mock-up created in EQ8.

I'm following the Instagram hashtag #30DaysOfImprovQAL so I hope you see you on it too! Linda