October Catch-up

October is already proving to be the busiest month I've had this year.

Hurricane Milton

He passed over us last night, between about 8 pm and 2:30 am with blowing rain and gusts up to 50 mph. Rain blew into the lanai and the tracks of our sliding glass doors where we'd stuffed towels, but no water got in the house. We never lost power either, so that's a big "whew." A few roof shingles flew off though, and some of them we picked up from our yard didn't belong on our house! My heart hurts for those along the Gulf coast who were ravaged by wind and tidal surges, and those hit by 19 tornadoes, spawned by Milton, that went through Florida. So much devastation.  

Otherwise, October has been about multiple medical appointments; commitments to fill-in, lead, share, and teach (twining, and domestic machine quilting); keeping up with regular activities, (exercise and three Bible study groups); and making just one more quilt for a QuiltCon entry. Overload has set in. In a weird way, it helps to "dump" by writing a blog post.

In January, Central Florida MQG announced the "Household Inspiration Challenge" where we we told to use one of several modern design characteristics to make a quilt inspired by: 1) gift wrap; 2) napkin; 3) product packaging; or 4) a logo. The finished quilt is due at our November 9 meeting. I put off making it because I couldn't find anything inspiring. 

I chose transparency for my modern characteristic because the 2025 QuiltCon American Patchwork and Quilting Challenge is transparency. I'd be making a double-purposed quilt, you see?

I attempted a design several weeks ago using screen shots of the Siri button that I thought could become a transparency design. Unusual, yes? After drawing the design on graph paper, I cut huge pieces of freezer paper into these shapes, added seam allowances, and sewed. Ugh.

I may have translated the design okay, but I struggled to see that I'd effectively created transparency. By the way, the piece I made is 60" wide.

I've shared this so you know how I struggle with trying to create original designs. That ability just isn't in my nature. And it's why I admire - and am often jealous - of those who do it well, and make it seem easy. 

Last week, determined to "get it right," I started anew. This time I used the Adidas logo, mostly for its utter simplicity.

Instead of drawing, this time I used Pages software in my MacBook to make the three angled rectangles (the angle is 60°), and began playing from there.

You might ask, why didn't you use EQ8 to design? Well, I've found that for custom-designs, and generally playing around, EQ8 software doesn't give me the easy shape options I'm looking for. 

On Saturday I completed the 53" X 74" quilt top. Here's a bit of it.

On Sunday I pieced a backing using-up nearly all the leftover from the front.

On Sunday, I also submitted two quilts into QuiltCon. 

On Monday I pin-basted.

On Tuesday, I taught twining to 15 quilters in Big Cypress Quilters. 

These are the different fabric twines everyone created. If you want a tutorial, start with this one on YouTube. I prefer to use the cut-a-slit method of joining fabric strips to one another. 

On Wednesday I began quilting the transparency quilt. Thus far I've ruler-quilted two sections. 

Book Recommendations

Of course! I started with book #4 of the Max Rupert detective series. Gosh, I wish libraries would do a better job of informing patrons about series books and numbers.

Anyway, The Deep Dark Descending by Allen Eskers is more of a guy-type book. I say that because Max Rupert is a cop who's out for revenge on the man who murdered his wife and unborn baby. The whole book follows two paths: 1) Max's investigations into his wife's murder as he circumvents his boss and partner to get information on the case; and 2) Max along the Minnesota/Canada border, catching up to the man who orchestrated his wife's death. Max determines how to make the man talk, and how he'll slowly kill him.

Linda's score: 3.9/5.0

Breathe and Count Back from Ten by Natalia Sylvester follows Verónica, an American-Peruvian teen living in Central Florida, not far from Mermaid Cove, a tourist place where young women don tails and perform underwater dances.

Verónica has been swimming for years, begun as therapy following numerous surgeries for hip dysplasia. Her domineering parents control her life, so when there's an unexpected opening for a mermaid, Verónica knows that though her parents will disapprove, she must try-out. She then follows a path of deception in her work, and a relationship with a boy, as she grows in greater self-awareness. 

Listening to the author's note at the end, I learned that this story is based on the author's personal experiences with hip dysplasia, and a real-life location: Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida, a state-owned park where mermaids regularly perform. 

 

Linda's score: 4.2/5.0

A came across this little bit of "potato love" inside a bag of russets. We all need a sign of love, don't we? 

Linda