Reading #1

1.  Rules of Civility by Amor Towles takes place in New York City in 1938 very good.
2. To Die but Once by Jacqueline Winspear book 14 of Maisie Dobbs series.
3. Paris for One by Jojo Moyes short stories.
4. Aged for Murder by Fiona Grace  Murder mystery takes place at a winery in Tuscany 
5. The Book of Hygge by Louisa Thomsen Brits pronounced Hoo gah a short book but a lot of words explaining finding comfort and contentment in simple everyday things and activities and appreciating family and friends.
6. The Horse Dancer by Jojo Moyes another great book by this writer 
7. Roaring Liberty by Jeane Grainger book 4 of Harp and Rose series.
8. Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber takes place in a small town in Alabama, about family secrets, mothers and daughters, forgiveness and healing. A bit of a modern day fairytale. Delightful story and characters.
9. Three Words for Good Bye by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb two sisters travel to Europe in 1937. Family secrets, forgiveness, understanding, using talents 
10. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie a who done it with lots of twists and turns. 
11. Still Life by Louise Penny Murder mystery 

Book number 500 that I have read on my kindle since I got it just over 10 years ago.  The snow is melting again and warmer temps!!  Its fun to walk outside again.  Thinking about the next book.  --Ann--

Pairing #1

Beach balls or beach umbrellas.... light, refreshing, cool like a sea breeze and bubbly. Paired with multicolored understated  stripes and bold starbursts. Does that sound as pretentious as some wine tastings?!?  Like a prosecco with cheese and ritz crackers.  In actuality I had 3 or 4 yards of the stripes more than enough for the back but the width was just a couple inches too narrow and I didn't want to cut a second length and  only use a few inches of it so dig in the stash for something else.....some leftover doublewide backing remnants. Two seams and I was done with the backing.   Its a great day to quilt.        —Ann—

Pop quiz

 

Three quilts are basted. Can you remember the last three quilts I pieced and guess how I paired them?  Ann

What a Pair

 Small finish after everyone went home from the weekend and all the dog hair was swept clean.  I even used the lint roller on my slippers. Five different stitch patterns because I just felt like changing it up.

The babies were here!! They are so busy and never stopped moving. They are walking!! one more than the other but she is climbing!!  They never stopped moving.

--Ann--

Bow ties

When I quit trying to cut strips for three different quilts and gave the bow ties my full attention it started coming together and I wished I hadn’t cut all of some fabrics into strips and segments because I could have used a couple of those fabrics in the border. Then I had to make do just like grandma would have done.  

The wind is blowing here today, strong and cold out of the northwest. Some little house finches are struggling to keep ahold of the branches of the spruce tree, they always sit at the very top. Seems to me it might be easier to hang with onto a branch a couple feet further down where the branches are thicker and a little less wind. And then they are gone. And for me to go to my sewing room it’s a great day to quilt —Ann—

Little joys

 No this isn’t a post about the grand babies…..While the rest of the country has been in a winter storm the plains of Dakota has enjoyed sunny warm days. I went for a walk a couple of those days. The sun felt so good in my face, I could feel the warmth on my jeans and even the toes of my boots. The neighbors were out walking too, everyone stopped for a little chat. 

My cloudberry sweater is finished and blocked.  The gauge swatch shrank a half inch so I knit extra length and it shrank just right. I got carried away on the sleeves, they didn’t shrink as much as I thought but just right to turn the cuff up. I have learned that it is easier to rip and make shorter than to knit extra after it is blocked. Cozy warm —Ann—

on the needles

 I always have socks on the needles, the dark pair I keep changing patterns just because I can.  The other pair is a mock cable and I only work on those when I go to appointments with hubby.  Before Christmas I helped my daughter make a couple snap bags for Christmas gifts.  I can't believe I didn't take pictures of her bags.  I had to make one to refresh my memory to help her then I made another for a  knitting bag.  The directions  called for 3/4 inch wide metal tape measure for the snap closure,  all she could find was 1/2 inch or 1 inch so we used the 1/2 inch.  It is just right for a knitting bag the yarn pulls out so smooth and is easy to open and shove the socks in and no zipper to catch the yarn.  Warm feet and wool socks make winter so much more tolerable.  --Ann--

sweater knitting

 

Yippee January is gone!! There is more daylight every day!!  Lots of knitting in the evening when I'm not reading.  There has been very little on television that earns my full attention.  James Herriot on Sunday night is about it.  Hubby is changing channels everytime I look up so I knit.  Knitting this pattern again Fall River by Jennifer Wood.  The yarn is Misty Wool from Elsebeth Lavold it is 75% wool and 25% hemp  the color is Cloudberry.  Cloudberries are like a raspberry except they are yellowish orange when ripe they grow wild in the northern regions I had my first cloudberry jam in Sweden.  --Ann--