Working on WIPs

The past week found me picking up a few WIPs.

First was piecing more Diamond in the Sky 3½" X 3½" foundation paper pieced blocks. This was one of the free FPP blocks in Cassandra Beaver's 2023 Quilt Concert series.

I printed a stack of this design onto freezer paper, and now I've got about 40 blocks pieced. Each one has a scrappy center with a solid or solid-looking background.

As you can see in the bottom row, I tried putting a few blocks together using 1½" X 1½" patches from my leaders-enders basket. 

Ick. Not happy with how they look. Much too busy! I'll try alternating a Diamond in the Sky block with a single 3½" X 3½" patch - a print? a solid? I'll keep experimenting. 

I've gotten hooked on Suits on Netflix. As I watch I've been EPPing my Prudence Quilt. This is the pattern, templates, and papers that were an Instagram giveaway win in June 2019 - yep, almost five years ago! - from Lilabelle Lane Creations. I used stashed fabrics to make medallions, fussy-cutting many of them.

These seven rows are joined...

...and papers have been removed, except for those around the perimeter. Progress! 

I have four more rows to join to the seven, and the quilt center will be done. 

Lastly, I've been working on my latest improv quilt, one that was started in a December 6 "Fearless Curved Piecing" workshop with Cindy Grisdella. She invited us to experiment as we wished, so rather than make square blocks in a symmetrical layout, I cut and pieced curves into rectangles. Sort of. As I ran out of fabric colors, the design morphed.

Except for the littlest bits, I've used up all the colors except Painter's Palette Oyster, and Kona Crush, the latter of which was gifted to me by Candi @candipursuits. As you can see, I'm trying to work out how to use the last pieces of Crush to pull color into the outside perimeter. 

A friend suggested that I maintain the piecing in the center, and join various hues and values of Oyster into a low volume background. With that in mind, I've been "making fabric" with offcuts and scraps.

I'll try to cut and piece the dashed "tentacles" into an improv border - a technical piecing challenge that I hope I can work out! I'm even dreaming about how to do it!

I have to say that these past couple weeks have been pleasant with no challenges or specific must-do projects to work on. Choosing to play with whatever I wish - with an eye on WIPs - I expect to see a few of these finished in 2024. 

Book Recommendations

The Girl in the Picture by Melissa Wiesner is the story of Tegan, a young woman who's alone. She and her brother have shared a tough life, but now she's left him behind to go on a long-planned-for trip to find the perfect small town where the two of them can put down roots and belong to a community. 

But Tegan's journey hits a rough patch when she encounters problems with her vehicle, and deals with a lecherous truck driver. When she's in a diner reassessing her situation, she meets a man who's unable to pay his restaurant tab. She steps in to help, and then finds herself on the road again, with Jack. He's obviously well-off, but very close-mouthed. Tegan tries to learn more about him, but his gruffness is off-putting. Nor does she want to share anything about herself. 

Their trip begins out of desperation, but the more they get to know one another, the more they find in common, and that their feelings are changing. The problem is that they come from disparate backgrounds, and each of them have personal situations they need to face

This story is sweet enough, but I think I could have written it. Think "Hallmark movie," and you've got the picture. Linda's score: 3.8/5.0

Taking place in 1813 along the rocky Southwest coast of England, A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen follows the life of Laura Callaway. Because ships frequently wreck in the area, she often walks the seashore looking for treasures the tide brings in. 

One night, a ship is dashed to pieces in front of a crowd. They watch, helpless, as nearly everyone drowns. Laura rushes to help a man on the beach who has been given up for dead. With the help of her neighbor, and a new doctor in the area, she brings the man back to health. He tells Laura he's Alexander Lucas, however when word goes around that two escaped French prisoners were on board the ship, and are missing, Laura is drawn into Alexander's confidences. He's Captain Alexander Carnell and wants to escape before he brings unwanted attention to Laura and her family. Laura comes to recognize that she too wants to get away, though for different reasons. 

I like historical fiction that's based on a particular locale. Such is the case with A Castaway in Cornwall. The epigraph of each chapter is a bit of historical information - a newspaper quote or fact - relevant to the story. Ms. Klassen gives Laura and Alexander faith too, so Scripture and prayers are woven into the story. 

As I listened to names of villages and sites, I paused the book to look them up on Google Maps. I learned so much, and appreciate what that part of England is like. The church at St. Enoduc in Trebethwith was especially interesting - a church that through decades was literally buried in sand (has now been restored). The author's note includes information about her Cornwall research during the pandemic, and what parts are real (Tom Parson was a real wrecker). I thoroughly enjoyed learning about French prisoners in Britain, shipwrecks, the geography of Cornwall, and a little about the channel island of Jersey, a British Crown Dependency. This was a good one!

Linda's score: 4.3/5.0

Linda