End of March

With Easter on the last day of the month, this end of March review sort of snuck up on me.

This month was moderately productive, with no new fabric purchases. Outgoing yardage was 7.14 yards  (yay!) and that number includes a completely finished, albeit small, quilt I have yet to share. I'll do so after it's gifted.

Other than the finished quilt, all other outgoing fabrics were used to make blocks. Some people who fabric track don't count yardage as "out" until a quilt top is finished. But that's not me. I consider the fabric "out"  or used when it's cut and pieced into its intended purpose, even if that's just a block. For example, my Glitter quilt blocks (not yet pieced into a quilt top) are in my March count.

However, the exception is if I'm making an improv quilt. I do not count ANY yardage until an improv quilt top is assembled. That's because with improv, it's all about making changes as you go. My friend Debbie at A Quilter's Table has been fabric-tracking for several years, and she suggested how to calculate yardage used in an improv quilt: Multiply the quilt top dimensions by 25 percent (to allow fabric for seams). So that's what I've been doing. 

As I've been anxiously waiting for a few remaining blocks to arrive from quilters who are participating in my Modern Potholder Group quilt project (due date is April 12), I've passed time by working on a project begun in a QuiltCon workshop: Large Scale Minimal Improv. I've simply been cutting and piecing more components, and arranging - rearranging and rearranging - them on my design wall. None of this fabric has yet been counted as outgoing. By the way, components are made not only with quilting cotton, but denim (from hub's blue jeans), and linen.

Being the circle/round-shape-lover that I am, I used my Classic Curves ruler to make several inset circle blocks. The light blue fabric at the bottom left, and beige fabric top left, are both linen. 

As is the nature of improv, I find it brain-taxing to work out what to do next. But I will persevere! 

Book Recommendations

Somehow or another, I managed to listen to 11 audiobooks in March. More surprising was that only two of them had a score of less than 4.0. So, what follows are two more book reviews, and a recap of the best of March. 

The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger is his newest book, released last fall. Mr. Krueger has a penchant for setting his stories in Minnesota and Iowa, which I appreciate. It's very easy to envision the fictional places - rural countryside and small towns - his characters inhabit.

This story begins on Decoration Day (Memorial Day) weekend. A body has been found, snagged on driftwood in the Alabaster River. At first, it seems like a suicide. But when the victim is identified as a landholding bully who most people despised, Sheriff Brody Dern and his deputies have to investigate further. 

As the plot unfolds, prejudices against the Japanese (WWII is fresh in everyone's minds), and native Americans who once owned the land become apparent. Townspeople are divided, and while laws are meant to bring justice, there are always those who want to take justice and retribution into their own hands. 

This thought-provoking book is about coming of age, and recalling old-fashioned beliefs and attitudes.

Linda's score: 4.4/5.0

Everyone is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf is a new book (released in March) I've been anticipating. I was on a wait list for it's release, and was the first person to check it out though my Boundless library app. Heather is an Iowa author I follow on Instagram @heathergudenkauf (and she follows me back!) because I've enjoyed every book she has ever written. If you haven't read any of her books, I highly recommend The Overnight Guest.

The premise of Everyone is Watching is that five contestants (one is from Calico, Iowa) are flown to California to live for two weeks in a posh, wine country home and appear on the program "One Lucky Winner." During a series of live-streamed challenges, participants find clues, and win/lose competitions, with the viewing public voting people out, until the last person wins $10 million. 

Behind the scenes, Cat is orchestrating the show, deciding what and when the challenges will be. Fern, Cat's assistant is the show's host, keeping everyone on schedule and monitoring social media attention. "One Lucky Winner" doesn't happen quite as planned, and becomes reality-viewing when contestants get hurt. Yet when Fern learns that 16 million people have been watching, the show has to go on. 

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

March Reading Recap - I gave these nine titles a score of 4.0 or better.

1. The Irish Boarding House, Sandy Taylor - 4.5
2. The River We Remember, William Kent Krueger - 4.4
3. The Secret Book of Flora Lea, Patti Callahan Henry - 4.3
4. The Teacher, Frieda McFadden - 4.2
5. Only the Beautiful, Susan Meissner - 4.2
6. The Fury, Alex Michaelides - 4.2
7. Everyone is Watching, Heather Gudenkauf - 4.2
8. The House Keeper, Valerie Keogh - 4.0
9. Kookaburra Cottage, Maya Linnell - 4.0

Happy book-listening!

And I hope your Easter was lovely. I celebrated the Holy day with worship, and time spent in devotional reflections about Jesus' sacrifice for us. Often, it seems more easy to abide in the heaviness of Good Friday, feeling sad and unworthy. So it washes over me anew on Easter, when I am reminded that Jesus conquered death, for us all. For me! My otherwise eternal condemnation now has the promise of a new life and eternity with Him. Amen. Linda