March to April Reading

Today I attended the Germantown UMC book club.

I was pleased to hear that the April book is very short-

Because I'm reading Louise Penny mysteries and don't want to stop.

Just finished The Cruelest Month yesterday.

I like to read books in order but I have read some of these out of order.

This photo is from my sewing blog.

My last post here was intended for Sing.Read.Sew.Travel.Teach.

So this is for Vicki and other Wannabereading blog readers.

This basket was super fast to make.

Now my smocked eggs have a holiday place to be displayed.

I'm posting this photo to remember a funny statement from this little boy.

Joey reported that Ava's little brother said, "I'm not a Bubby, I'm a Kenton."

One of his nicknames has been 'Bubby' at home.

Not any more, I guess!

Why this photo?

We are looking forward to seeing these guys soon.

This photo was taken on Liam's recital day.

Wish I had that Star Trek transporter and could be beamed up to NYC for recitals and such.

What are you reading?

 

Wool Appliqué-Embroidery Sampler

This sampler started on February 1st with 30 circles of wool felt.

I whipped them to a fat quarter of quilting cotton because I did not have a large piece of wool.

I used all kinds of thread for the embroidery including pearl cotton from DMC.

After the embroidery was done I used the pearl cotton to quilt the backing and batting to the sample.

I bought variegated Elaganza pearl cotton from a local vendor.

I love using variegated thread!

The quilting was finished yesterday.

I basted the quilt sandwich along the top, bottom, sides and across the middle.

Then I made big stitches vertically from basting threads to basting threads.

I trimmed the backing and batting 1/4 inch beyond the big stitches.

Below is how I trimmed the back by flipping the edges of the top out of the way.

I used this needle for the big stitches.

The large eye was easy to thread.

The sharp point helped me stitch through all the layers  

I put triangles on the corners to use later when hanging the sampler.

Mini clips are holding everything in place.

The front fabric was trimmed to 7/8 inch all around.

The corner triangles are made from 5 inch squares of solid cotton 

that sort of match the wool circles on the front.

For me it is not a finish until it has a label.

Yes, the stitches show on the back.

I don't care since this will be hanging on the wall and won't show.

I folded the front around to the back and whipped it down like quilt binding.

I made sure to stitch through all the layers except the front.

Ta-Da! It is finished!

So much fun.

Now it will live on the wall in my sewing room to remind me of stitches I can do.

Each circle is one day of the stitch along.

Day #1 is on the top right.

The numbers go right to left until the last day on the far left at the bottom.

 

Reading recently

Martin and I really enjoy the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.

I laugh out loud while reading them.

This one was so funny.

Checked out from the local library.

The Germantown UMC book club is reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

in the month of March. The list of books we read is varied and not what I would have predicted.

Last month I led the discussion of The Sweetness of Water. I used the questions suggested by

professors Beers & Probst in Disrupted Thinking. The questions are perfect for discussing any book.

I am currently hooked on Louise Penny with Inspector Gamache and the quirky town of Three Pines.

The library has most of the recent books. I may have to buy the older titles.

In other news, Emily's painting is on the cover of the magazine Witness below.

It is the deflated beach ball. Her paintings are getting more recognition and exposure.

The six year old grands are busy with after school activities.

David has advanced in violin and is playing different pieces these days.

Ava is learning to post as her pony canters.

Liam sent a short video of his group's commercial for friendship bracelets.

They are working on projects to learn how businesses work.

I love that they do hands-on activities in his school.

It is spring break here.

Martin and I have a break as Joey & family travel to Atlanta.

What are you reading today?

 

Reading and Spending Time with Kids

 Ava spent the day with us yesterday. A cold front came through earlier in the week and school has been out since Tuesday. We loved having Miss Ava stay and play. We did some sewing that I have posted on my other blog. She discovered this chalkboard in my sewing room and had fun drawing a picture.

Ava loves nature shows and asked to watch some National Geographic animal vet videos. I made cookies while she ate her lunch and learned about animals. 

Later Mr. M picked up her brother Kenton from preschool that Kenton calls 'camp'. Ava and I played Guess Who. Of course, brother wanted to play, too. He helped me ;-) lose. He likes dressing up and playing with little cars.

Jessie sent this photo of him dressed up in the super hero outfit I made him.

I finished the book I bought a couple of weeks ago at Square Books in Oxford.

I am hooked on this author. The books have been made into a series that is streaming online.

It is called "Three Pines". Check it out.

That's it for now.

Have a good week.

January Books and Outings

These are the books I have read this month.

All of these are by authors I enjoy. 

The Darling Dahlia stories are fun mysteries set in south Alabama in the 1930's.

Time trip to small town America.

Where the Crawdads Sing

I watched the movie and then read the book. 

The movie was good but the book was better.

Below is a favorite book from my childhood.

It is falling apart. I know it needs to be recycled but it is so hard to part with it.

I can remember mom reading it to us.

When I learned to read I enjoyed reading the stories by myself.

Mr. M and I took a Friday field trip to the Dixon Galleries and Gardens.

It was too cold to wander the gardens.

We had fun viewing this show.

The black and white cat reminds me of Liam and David's cats.

This is the entry area of the gallery.

Wow!  A famous sculpture right here in Memphis.

Last Saturday we headed to Oxford, MS for the Fiber Festival.

I took a class in how to crochet a sunflower block.

After my class we ate yummy Greek salads at Opa!

It was a lovely sunny day.

Then after lunch we walked up to Square Books.

We both found books that needed to come home with us.

It was Mr. M's first visit to Oxford.

Quick trip - only 70 miles away from home.

2022 Quilt Review

After reading Wendy's quilt review of 2022 on Wendy's Quilts and more, I decided to look through my posts and review the quilts I finished this year.

It is easy to focus on the unfinished projects and feel unproductive.

Here are my finishes in the quilt category.

In January I took a class with Gyleen and finished this pineapple quilt. 

I made this mini quilt to honor my mom who taught me to sew and encouraged me to quilt.

It was entered in an exhibit at the Cotton Exchange Museum in Memphis, our new home.

I finished Sally, Dick, and Jane/Primer quilt.

I made it for my teacher friend who retired this year.

Hey, June quilt along was finished. 

I called it Which Way Up.

Machine and hand quilted.

A quilted project bag.

Some charity quilting - placemats for a senior center.

This one was an impulse project.

Celebrate! The plan is to hang it for celebrations.

Machine quilted with beads embellishing the candles and cupcake tops.

I tried paper piecing and finally understood the process.

Made a little mug rug.

Flannel rag quilt - another detour quilt.

I was gifted the flannel and saw a rag quilt hanging in a quilt shop.

My brain wouldn't stop thinking about it.

Here it is.

My new exhibit space.

I use C clamps to hang the quilts from the upstair railing.

Ready to celebrate the new year.

Have a great week.

 

December Books

December has been busy with concerts, sewing projects, super cold weather, and Covid for Mr. M & me.

After I finished The Cloisters I read All the Broken Places recommended by Mr. M.

It was written by the author who wrote The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Interesting, disturbing, sad but I had to see how it ended.

As soon as I could get to the library I found this new book about the Darling Dahlias.

It takes me back to the time of my mother's childhood. A very comforting read.

I hope to get to these two before the year ends.

I have a new sewing book.

I successfully made two blocks.

More about sewing on my sewing blog.

Two new sewing books.

I'm trying a new technique that I thought I would never try.

One final book.

I made this cloth book for Kenton for Christmas.

That is it for 2022.

Looking forward to a great new year.