Into December

My absence for the past 11 days was due mostly to being away... driving to and from Texas to visit our Austin family. As always, it was nice to see them in person, and spend time just catching up. I was able to read aloud to 10 year-old Luke the book  The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. It's a wonderful Christmas story for children ages 8 and up.

We took along a few of our unused Christmas decorations to help make their home festive.

Always, a must-stop was Salt Lick in Driftwood, my favorite place for Texas barbecue. Pulled pork and banana bread pudding for me. Surprisingly, it was quite chilly (and rainy) in Austin, so this open pit provided welcome warmth.

En route, we passed numerous Buc-ee's, the most amazing and largest gas stations in the world.

If you're in the US and haven't yet visited a Buc-ee's, it's a must-not-be-missed place! Of course, we came home with Buc-ee's Pecan Pralines, and Praline Pecans - yes, there IS a difference.

Knowing we'd be on the road for at least 36 hours - our travel time ended up being much longer, due to an Interstate 10 accident had us "parked" for more than an hour - I needed a hand project. I looked through my few hand work WIPs and determined they were too large or cumbersome, or too tedious for working on in the car. My almost last-minute decision was to begin a new project!

Digging through a box of notions, I came across this template -a Half Hexagon to make "Inner City" units. 

I remember making this purchase in the late 1990s, while at an American Quilter's Society spring show in Paducah. I'm glad I hung onto it. 

From scrap bins of solids, I cut out half hexagons - three values of one color. Then I grabbed a ring of Superior thread bobbins won in a giveaway, a needle, and scissors, and I had a delightful hand piecing project for passenger time. When I got home, I was anxious to press the 23 blocks I'd pieced, to see how they looked together. I'm gonna love this!

It's the precision that makes this a satisfying hand piecing project. On the back, just look at that pretty Y-seam twirl!

I have a question... do you have a suggestion for the "perfect" marking tool to use with this template?

The template slots are very narrow and very deep, so it was difficult to make a number two pencil work. The lead kept breaking. (You can see the pencil lead rubbings along the slots.) 

The same thing happened with a mechanical pencil. I had to extend the lead so far - for the depth of the slot - that the skinny lead tip repeatedly broke. I need something with a long, skinny end. Ideas? 

Book Recommendations

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez is about Josh, a ruggedly handsome firefighter who's just relocated to town because his Marine Corps buddy, Brandon, is getting married; Josh is his best man. Brandon is marrying Sloane who's best friend is Kristen; Kristen is maid of honor. 

Josh and Kristen meet, and their attraction is undeniable. But Kristen won't allow herself to fall for Josh. Kristen, who runs an online pet supply business, needs someone to build custom dog stairs, so Josh begins working for her, out of her garage. She does everything to resist him, including wearing hair curlers. Her longterm boyfriend will soon be returning home from military duty, so she and Josh must remain friends. But when things change with Kristen's boyfriend, she lets herself go. Friends with benefits is their reality. 

When Josh recognizes the depth of his feelings, Kristen withdraws, refusing to let him get close, nor explain why she's resisting. (I thought this part was repetitively frustrating.)

 

I really wanted to like this book because: 1) several friends liked it; and 2) the plot isn't too bad. But I just couldn't handle the language and casual sex. I guess that's what younger authors and younger readers (than me) are looking for in books. This is book #1 in The Friend Zone series that I will not continue to read.

Linda's score: 3.8/5.0

More than two decades ago, Prom Mom (by Laura Lippman) was Amber Glass, a Baltimore high-schooler who gave birth on prom night, and was convicted of killing her baby, though she had no recollection of it. She's now a successful New Orleans art dealer. The prom night "Cad Dad" was Joe Simpson who is now a successful commercial real estate married to a beautiful and skilled plastic surgeon, Meredith.

Amber returns to Baltimore to sell her step-father's tacky house. With her inheritance, she decides to open an art gallery. It's inevitable that she and Joe meet again. Even though they've been able to move past their prom, an attraction remains. Amber is sympathetic towards Joe, and determines to help him any way she can. When the pandemic plays havoc with Joe's investments, and he's dug himself into a corner, relationship-wise, will Amber be able to help in out, as she did with they were in high school?

Linda's score: 4.1/5.0

QuiltCon Quilt Submissions

As many of you already know, last Wednesday, December 4, QuiltCon sent congratulations/rejection emails for every quilt that had been submitted to QuiltCon 2025 - Phoenix. My three emails arrived while we were on the road to Texas.

I received two "congratulations!" for which I am extremely grateful.

Acceptances were Benched, my entry in the Transparency Challenge, and Pot Luck the group/bee quilt I put together using blocks made by 15 improv-making/hand-quilting friends, five of whom are local makers. 

My one "we're sorry" email was for Infrastructure, a quilt I started in a minimalism workshop at QuiltCon 2024, and finished in a NOT minimalism style. 

QuiltCon received 2,269 entries, and accepted 460 quilt for the show - a 20% acceptance rate. I let out a big "whew!" when I learned two got in. I'm looking forward to going to my eighth QuiltCon, and meeting-up with quilter-friends. I'm registered for one all day workshop with Libs Elliott of Canada. I plan to get together as many Pot Luck makers as possible. for a group picture. 

In other last week's new was the announcement of the Pantone Color of the Year (COTY), for 2025. Mocha Mousse. All I can say is "ICK!" Friends who know me aren't surprised by my "ick."

I've heard a couple people mention how much the color is like the coffee-colored pantyhose we used to wear. Anyone else besides me remember L'Eggs? 

You will not find me participating in any quilt challenges that use Moche Mousse. No ifs, ands, or buts.

I have felt this way about brown in quilts since I made Bars in 2017. I began Bars in a QuiltCon color workshop with Tara Faughnan who told us, "It's okay to have an 'ick' color." 

This is the back of Bars.

Thankfully, the Kaufman Kona COTY, Nocturn, is more tolerable. 

Linda