Watching football this afternoon. Had such a busy day yesterday that I vowed to take it easy today. But I’m going to start a new baby quilt and thought that maybe some of you might be interested in making one, too.
Darla says “hi” from the barn.
I am making 3″ pinwheel blocks in turquoise and yellow.
I cut strips 3-7/8″ wide and laid two strips together, one of color A and one of color B, right sides together. Cut the two strips into 3-7/8″ squares and cut once diagonally.
Sew triangles into triangle squares. You will need 4 triangle squares for each pinwheel block.
Voila! One pinwheel done! You should be able to get 5 blocks per two-strip unit.
If you don’t want to make a whole quilt, just cut and sew a couple pinwheel blocks and pin your measurements to the block for future use. It’s a quick and easy block to make without much planning and with most any fabric. It’s one of my favorites.
And here are some books I’m reading. This book came from the library so I have to read it now – I was on a waiting list. It’s about Gander, Newfoundland on 9-11 when planes were rerouted to their city. I’ll report back when I’ve finished it.
I recently finished this book, Girl in Translation, and I loved it! I looked forward to bedtime when I could read it — about a young Chinese girl who came to America with her mother and the hardships they survived in their new country. Excellent story!
The next book I started was Sea Glass which I’m in the middle of right now. Also very good — takes place during the depression and follows the characters during a union strike at the mill where everyone worked. I will report on this one when I finish as well.
Guess I’m still tired after all my work pulling vines last week. I’m also mentally tired because my friend Gayle, the one who has MS at Concord Care Center, is declining and yet I never hear her complain. I pray she will be released from her disabled body soon. Oh, how I will miss her! I don’t know how she can lay there with her mind sharp, her body in ruins and not complain! I am quite sure I could not do it. This is our picture from August 2017.
Were all hoping for good farming weather next week! My goal is to clean my sewing room! It’s way past due.
Closing, clicking on the X, an ad or two is a thank you from you to us to keep this blog afloat. My sincere appreciation!
Tell me what good books you’ve read lately – let’s get a big discussion going – our own online book club!
Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
An American Quilt by Rachel May
Reading your blog each day is like a message from a good friend! I always look forward to reading and seeing what you are doing! I need to make a baby quilt soon and love pinwheels! Guess I know what I will be making. Can’t wait to see yours. Also love the red & white table topper. Can’t wait for that pattern. I think I will make two or three for Christmas Gifts. Should be able to get them done in time!
Sorry to hear about your friend Gayle. I know you will greatly miss her, but what an incredible role model for all of us! Have a wonderful Sunday! Love to you from Jan in TN.
Mary, I’ve read about the town of Gander and how the citizens opened their doors to all the stranded air travelers that day but did not know there was book written about it. Thanks for sharing.
I feel for you and your friend, Gayle. MS is such a cruel disease and I’m sorry your friend is suffering. She looks like a delightful person who enjoys life.
The book was made into a Broadway Play, too. Can you imagine 3000 people coming for supper?
Teresa – she has declined drastically lately – I see her every day and sometimes I can see a decline from one day to the next. It breaks my heart.
Reading one now from one of my favorite authors “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan”by Lisa See. I’m not chinese but their old traditions fascinate me. In fact all older traditions have always fascinated me.
I wonder if you have read anything by her. Thank you for all the joy you spread by your blog. I enjoy reading it.
Carolyn
Carolyn Knott – I’ve read Snow Flower and one other by her but can’t think of the title. I,too, like reading about other cultures and traditions in the form of a novel.
I have read that and loved it. I found Memoires of a Geisha at the Good will and look forward to reading it.
It was a big deal ten years ago. Anyone read it?
Lee
Lee Bowers – loved Memoirs of a Geisha!
Mary, on the ads do you need to answer the question of why do you want to stop seeing this ad?
Went to What Cheer flea market yesterday-fun but muddy
Are you watching the PBS series on Tues eve @ 7- The Great American Read? I love it! It’d be fun to read all the top 100 books.
Mary Hawk – I don’t think you have to answer any questions – just click on the x. I’d love to get back to What Cheer sometime! I missed the PBS program but I know about it. Yes, I’d love to say I’d read all 100! What’s Ginny reading?
the show is a series so there are a few left. Also available on PBS.
Gin has read a couple things by Ruth Ware- lastly the Death of Mrs Westaway which she really liked. The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash. the 9th hour by Alice McDermott. Some Ian McEwan. Those are what I can think of. She listens to books while she works so she gets through things faster than I. I think maybe this winter I will give myself a “reading hour” during the day, as I usually just read before bed, and that is not a quick way to read a book, for me. Speaking of my sis, she spent a week in ICU this summer and was so sick. Thank goodness her health has been restored. Sorry to hear of your friend’s illness and decline.
Mary – so sorry to hear Ginny went through a rough patch. Connie listens all the time, too, it I don’t anymore because I have too many interruptions. The last book I read by Ruth Ware was awful and I’ve banned her from my list.
My go to baby quilt is yours from 1996. It’s the one with a yd of focus fabric in the middle. Love it!
Just finished Education: A Memoir. Very good.
Reading Hillbilly Elergy now.
Jane – I have sorta forgotten that one and it’s a good idea. I should put that on the blog sometime. Just loved yourDelilah quilt – looks so hard but so so wonderful!
One of my favorite books is Watership Down.
Margie, It is one of mine, too. I taught it for several years to HS students and my granddaughters read it, too. Good choice😺. Diane
I love to see what you are reading. I was able to check out
Sea Glass ebook from our library from the comfort of my recliner.
I’m sorry that your friend is suffering. May God grant her relief
From her pain.
Mary, my prayers go out not only for your friend Gayle but also for you.
What a great idea to have an online book club, Mary. Actually, I have copied your lists before and put them in my purse to take to the used bookstore in our town.
I think I would love Girl in Translation. Something fascinating about the Asian cultures. Here are two excellent choices. I loved them both.
Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama—-This one takes place around 1913 in China. I remember that because that was when my mother was born, so I kind of compared what went on there to here.
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is a story of a young Chinese boy and a young Japanese girl growing up in Seattle, WA….and then the war started. Really, really good.
Canning 6 pints of tomatoes right now in my steam canner. I have used a steam canner versus a water bath canner for about 25 years. I would never go back to the water bath way. Grape jelly tomorrow and that will be the end of canning for me in 2018.
Love your pinwheel block. Colors will make a darling baby quilt.
I
Sue in Oregon – I’ve read both books you mentioned and loved both of them so I know you’ll like Girl in Translation.
Sue and Mary have you read The Joy Luck Club. It’s on the big list of 100. They are talking about it on the
PBs show tonight.
Ladies, have we just fallen into a book club? I love it! Be prepared….the facebook group for the PBS special gets hundreds of replies…LOL
I listened to books on CD or Playaways that I get at the library so I can stitch while listening to them. Two that I have enjoyed recently are “By Invitation Only” by Dorothea Benton Frank and “Before We Were Yours” by Lisa Wingate.
Maureen – both Connie and I have read Before We Were Yours -I thought it was so very sad that people could treat kids so badly and to think it was based on true events is almost unbelievable.
I finally read A Man Called Ove. It was funny & touching at the same time. I liked it.
I’m in the middle of reading Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It too is funny at times. Since I’m only about 1/2 thru the book, her childhood history is still being revealed.
One of my daughter’s friend’s sister is an author so I’ve read 2 of her books – Don’t You Cry & Every Last Lie — author, Mary Kubica. She has more books & they need not be read in any order. I think The Good Girl was her first book but I haven’t read it yet. I LOVE to read & probably have in my possession now at least 20 books I can’t wait to read but it’s tough to find time to read & quilt — especially since I have so many other commitments outside of my house. Ain’t retirement grand! LOL!!
My current favorites:
Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
The Maggie Hope series by Susan MacNeal beginning with Mr Churchill’s Secretary
Isaac’s Storm by Eric Larsen
Lost in Shangra-La by Mitchell Zuckoff
Happy reading!
Kathy Hummel – wow, now that’s a list! Thank you!
There was a tv documentary about the 9/11 generosity of Gander, Newfoundland. Very interesting and heartwarming, when you lose faith in humanity, these kinds of stories bring you back.
I read a book a while back, The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. I think you might enjoy it, Mary. I read so much, I will have to go back and see what I’ve read that I can pass the titles…I love historical fiction. I’ve read most of Anita Shreve and have not been disappointed.
I hope your friend passes peacefully, sooner rather than later, with family and/or friends at her side. I have difficulty understanding the point of suffering… what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger, suffering brings us closer to God, blah, blah blah, I just don’t get that.
I have a young friend, age 37, who has triple negative breast cancer, which is a very aggressive form of breast cancer. She has a 1, 3 and 5 year old. I feel so sad for her and her family. She is suffering greatly physically from the treatments, and emotionally…no words to describe a mother’s heart when she thinks maybe this is the last Halloween she will share with her babies, the last time to express thankfulness at Thanksgiving, the last time to wrap gifts for her children in December. She has more bad days than good days. I just don’t understand what the value of taking a young mother away from her children. Please pray for her.
Sorry to be Debbie Downer, I guess I’m saying I sympathize with your concern for your friend. To have her mind so sharp, and her body so weak, what a heartache.
I recently made a very ugly half square triangle baby quilt. The little guy (well, he’s two, so technically ,not a baby) loves Curious George, and that fabric is close to out-of-print. Generally, copyrighted cartoon fabric is very cheaply made, very thin, the colors don’t always “stay in the lines” of the designs…Curioous George was no exception. So cheaply produced you could basically see through it. And the colors, oh my. I made the half squares out of George and a teal blue polka dot that was in his beach ball and bike. The backing, grass green, which was used on the George fabric as grass. It was so ugly I took a shortcut quilting it. I did a very large stipple/meander and called it a day. Honestly, the ugliest quilt, a real prize winner in that category!
Now, had I been able to use some sweet little foxes or bunnies or birds….it would have been so much more fun. But he lives it, drags it around everywhere. Anticipating it will not survive long with that cheaply made licensed fabric! Saved all the scraps, just in case.
Carol – Gayle has two wonderful sons who both live about 4 hours away and make the drive as often as possible. I can’t imagine a young mother knowing she’s going to lose this battle and leave her little children. Just tragic. And I also do not understand why Gayle has to die inch by inch. She’s always been a great conversationalist but now she can hardly talk. It’s so hard to die sometimes and then there’s a young woman who has heart problems and one day just dies at home.
So many people offering prayers on your page, so nice. We’re all touched by cruel diseases, but just have to have faith, I guess, that a reason for all of it.
So many good book suggestions, Mary, see what you’ve started!
It is sad to lose a dear friend as we think of our own mortality and the years we have known one another to suddenly become a memory. I pray for comfort and peace in her end of life. And I will say a prayer for Carols young friend as she endures a dreadful time.
I took out of the library yesterday a book by Willie Nelson called Pretty Paper. It’s a Christmas tale and seems like a “ feel good” quick book to read. Some days I need them. I am finishing Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter which has taken me a long time to read but now I need to know the ending so it will be a late night for me. I bought the 9-11 book so I can pass it on to my family once I read it. I am glad you are taking it easy Mary to refuel for next week.
There’s a children’s book, I’m thinking Gloria Houston wrote it (?)… it’s called “Silver Packages”, and I read it to my kids before Christmas week every year… a reminder of how much they had and how Little others have… with preaching or sounding like a lecture.
I read A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles this summer and loved it. I can’t wait for it to come out on film.
I love your blog and reading about life on the farm. Thank you for your posts and pictures.
So sweet to see Darla “saying Hi” in the barn! She is a pretty thing. So sorry for the sad stories of your friend, Gayle, and the young woman who won’t see her children grow up – helps us all to realize that our aches and pains are nothing next to what someone else is dealing with! We need to remember. I will keep Gayle, and you as well, (it is so hard to watch a good friend go through all of this,) in my prayers as well as Carol’s 37 year old friend.
Reading is such a good thing – I enjoy it so much as well. I love the J.D. Robb “in death” series and also Marie Bostwick’s Cobbled Court series and her other books as well. Both easy reading but I also read things that are deeper. Depends on my mood I guess. It is fun to hear what others are reading.
I am a listening reader I get my books via YouTube and “read” in the car. I can say being stuck in traffic does not bother me at all.
I haven’t had friends close to me on deaths door, although I know my time is closer today than yesterday as the bands and musicians and actors of my day are passing on.
I have always thought of the physical pain but now I realize that the emotional pain of passing on must be terrible.
Seeing your friend as often as you do has got to be so wonderful for her, knowing you will be with her and after each visit knowing you will come again. Tough on you but so great for her
That is being a very good friend you are the best
Colleen – I am paying it forward. I have no kids so I hope when I’m alone someone will visit me.
love your pinwheels. i picked up a copy of quirky little quilts from temecula quilt company. i think the largest is 20 x 30″, most are in the 13 x 13 up to 20×20 range. great table topper, doll quilt, drag around by a toddler, a way to use up some of my dear jane civil war reproductions. also something to while away time until your’s and connie’s book comes out next year. with the breathing issues i have, i’m having to work on smaller, less heavy items.
i read The Great Alone after you recommended it (by Kristin Hannah), loved it. also read ‘the nightingale’ by kristin hannah, really loved it. i read alot of mysteriess and steven king, tom clancy, clive cussler. plus almost anything i get my hands on. i usually only read just before bed and i’ve got to start reading more often. sorry to run on so much. another good book is ‘the good daughter’ by karin slaughter and also ‘pretty girls dancing’ by the same author. recently finished reading the second and third books by robert galbraith. in the middle of book 4 now “lethal white’- just wonderful. patti in florida
Patti Leal – funny you should mention Quirky Little Quilts – my copy came last week, too, and I can’t wait to start! Thanks for all the book titles!
I love your idea of an online book club! I looked over the comments and have read several of the books the others have mentioned. I too, loved A Gentleman in Moscow. One of my favorite book series is featuring “Inspector Gamache” by Louise Penny. It is set in Canada and is quite wonderful. The book I am reading now is” A House Among the Trees” by Julia Glass, also “The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend” by Katarina Bivald. It brings up all sorts of books that I really should read! It was the latest pick of my sister’s book club.
Highly recommend “We Were the Lucky Ones” by Georgia Hunter and
“The Death of Mrs Westaway” by Ruth Ware.
I just finished reading “The Whistling Season” by Ivan Doig. Took place in Montana around 1910 and I loved it. Anyone who ever attended a one room country schoolhouse will definitely identify with the characters. He was also the author of one of my favorite books of all times – “The Last Bus to Wisdom” – really a heartwarming story!
So sorry about your friend, Gayle. I lost my best friend Penny to cancer almost 21 years ago – it was hard to see her suffer through that horrible disease and I still think about her every single day. She visited Country Threads with me several times and started a longarm business after seeing the longarm machine in your shop. We were visiting my Mom who lived in Thompson.
Kay C – I’m happy we could help Penny on her way to a longarm business. Isn’t cancer just terrible? Progressive MS has become my other hated malady because of Gayle. It’s funny – I knew her older brother first, about 50 years ago and then her sister Phyllis who died a couple years ago and that’s when I became Gayle’s most frequent visitor because our church had a handicap van.
This Darla says “hi” back to your Darla. She has such a sweet face and she looks like she is fluffing up with her winter coat.
Memoirs and true life stories are my favorite books.
I am reading “Rosemary,the Hidden Kennedy Daughter” by Kate Clifford Larson. I have a fascination with the Kennedys but this is such a tragedy.
On Hoopla, I am listening to Rob Lowe read his memoir, “Stories I Only Tell My Friends”. It’s much different that I thought it would be. He is deeper than I thought and has had a lot of adversity in his life.
I started to tell you I thought you’d already read “Sea Glass” but now I believe it was one called “Beach Glass”… about a widowed father living in Italy with his young daughter?…a mystery?
Thank you for the reminder to hit the “X”!! Not all ads have them any more! Praying for your friend Gayle to have an easy, swift journey to the other side. I had a friend pass from MS when she was in her 30s…horrible disease!
Susan the Farm Quilter – MS is a disease that never touched my life until Gayle and yes, it is very cruel. Thanks for your prayers!…..would you tell me about your title – the Farm Quilter? What does it refer to? Just curious and interested.
Hi Mary,
Thinking of you and your friend.
On the book front, I have recently finished An American Quilt by Rachel May, which I found fascinating. It is also avaliable as a audio book: very well done. I have just started on Darwin comes to town by Menno Schilthuizen which is about how wild animals and brids are adapting to the challenges of new urban environments.
Recently I read “Beneath A Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan. It’s a true story about a 17 year old youth during WWII and the German invasion in Italy who joined the resistance and ultimately became a spy. It was riveting!!!
Synthia Noble – this is one of my very favorite books!
Glad to see the book on Gander. I lived in St. John’s, NF for a year and a half and loved the people there. On the way home we drove through Gander and stopped at the memorial for the plane with soldiers going home to the US. The plane went down in Gander lake. It was a touching memorial and at Christmas, there were light strings lit around the men in the Statue. I will be getting the book.
Thank you to all for the recommended books. I’m currently reading “The Outsider” by Stephen King on Mary’s recommendation. Recently finished & enjoyed “Bear Town” by Fredrik Backman, also on Mary’s recommendation. I also read & enjoyed “Open” by Andre Agassi and all the Will Trent books by Karin Slaughter. Looking forward to reading Robert Galbraith’s newest “Lethal White” and “The Woman in the Window” by A. J. Finn.
Sue H – I loved Woman in the Window!
Thank you – for the pin wheel pattern and the book recommendations! Here’s the book that I just finished: The New Farm by Brent Preston. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
A few people mentioned the musical Come from Away – loved it. I will look forward to the book on the same subject: The Day the World Came to Town.
Gail in Toronto
Question….Do you girls keep a journal on which books you read? My husband gave me a journal in
2001 for Christmas and I write my book lists. Over the past years I read more books each year.
Blessings and prayers….I know these women are feeling our prayers and hope they will find grace and peace. Lee
Lee Bowers – my sister gave me a book list journal in 2005 and I faithfully keep track of all the books I’ve read! Who else keeps track?
Hi Mary! I started keeping track – mainly because last spring I started listening to books on Overdrive (Libby) – the app to download ebooks and audio books from our library. I am a turtle while reading books (mainly because I fall asleep if I am not up and moving around lol) but with the audio books – it isn’t unusual for me to listen to a book in a day, it is nice to listen while walking, it makes cooking and cleaning and yard work much more pleasant. I can listen and sew, nothing to watch. So – I had to start a spread sheet just so I could see and remember what I had read at a glance. Some of the books I have listened to – Hillbilly Elegy, Nightingale, Girl on a Train, Gone Girl and the Century Trilogy by Ken Follett. I have read in book form several by Julie Kramer and listen to Julie’s 2 latest on audio Delivering Death and Shunning Sarah. I liked these because Julie is apparently from the area and writes about places in the Minnesota and Iowa area. Previously, my book journal ‘list’ was my personal library – my books are shelved in a read or unread area. Ebooks and audio books have thrown a monkey wrench in that filing system lol.
I am sorry to hear about your friends health struggles. MS is a nasty disease. Sherry
Oh ya, also reading on my Nook – Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker. I’ve decided that I have read it before, but it is interesting history. Sherry
.Do you girls keep a journal on which books you read? My husband gave me a journal in
2001 for Christmas and I write my book lists. Over the past years I read more books each year.
Blessings and prayers….I know these women are feeling our prayers and hope they will find grace and peace. Lee
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher is one of my favorite books. Anything by her and Maeve Binchy… sadly they are both gone. Anyone suggest any other authors similar?? MS is a very cruel disease… known too many with this. How Gayle must look forward to your visits as I’m sure you’re bringing the outside in with you. I’m clicking and closing all the ads i see!!!!
Joyce C – thanks for your support clicking the ads. Took Gayle a piece of pizza tonight for supper and she ate all of it!
I know these girls are feeling the prayers for grace and peace from so many people. That’s all God promises, “my peace I give to you”. Lee
I am reading Miss Julia Raises the Roof bt Ann B. Ross. Sometimes I laugh out loud at the problems she encounters and creates. Best to read the first books first. I LOVE to read and also listen to boojs while sewing.
Gloria, I used to read those Miss Julia books. They were so funny! I haven’t read one in years so I’m probably pretty far behind. I think my last Miss Julia was back in 2014 but I don’t recall the title right now. Sad — I really enjoyed those stories.
Thanks for doing this! I’m an avid reader and always love to hear from other like-minded persons and their recommendations. My favorite right now, though several years old, is “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Bowers. It’s now a movie on Netflix; though highly enjoyable, (as usual for film-from-book) didn’t exactly follow the book’s story line. I love Dean Koontz and most Stephen King, James Rollins, Looking forward to more to read. Sadly, I’ve only read half of what’s on PBS’ list of 100; by taste seems to run in other directions. =)
Thank you Mary! This is a wonderful idea!
-Jean
Fredrick Backman, author of “A Man Called Ove” and “Beartown” has a new book out called “Us Against You” … it’s a continuation to the “ Beartown” story. My husband and I have enjoyed all of his books, including “Britt-Marie Was Here”.
Also, I’ve read most all of the books by Jodi Picoult. She does such great research & while all are fiction, they are all based on current events. I have her latest (I think) called Small Great Things & can’t wait to read it. But, I only read one book at a time & like someone else said only at bedtime, so I don’t get nearly as much read as I used to. So many books & quilts & while I am retired, I seem to have so little time to read or quilt!
I am in 2 book clubs and read constantly. My favorite book from this past year is ” News of the World” by Paulette Jiles. It’s a wonderful saga about Texas right after the civil war, with protagonists an old soldier and a girl who was captured by Indians. Reminds me of a combination of ” Lonesome Dove” and “True Grit”!
This has been so fun reading everyone’s book titles that are favorites. Many I have read and have added many to put on my books to read list. I have to add my favorite author is Jan Karon. I have loved every book in the Mitford series.
just a quick note– I did not know that Gayle was in such bad health. She was ahead of me by several years in High School and was an excellent basketball player. Her and her sister Phyllis were on the girls basketball team that went to the State tournaments in the sixties. They were excellent players and fun to watch. A prayer goes for her to make her life easier to bear. I can’t wait to see the quilt you are starting, you have quilts that give inspiration for us to try. Keep up the good work!!!
Historical fiction is what I lean towards. Just completed An Irish Family Sage series by Jean Reinhardt
1. A pocket full of shells
2. A year of broken promises
3. A turning of the tide
4. A legacy of secrets
5. A prodigal return
6. A time to make amend s
7. A lock of silver hair
I have Irish ancestors, so reading this gave me a glimpse of what my ancestors may have gone through.
One of my all time favorites because I love to cook is The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Flinn. Such a fun read and a true story.
Another great memoir is A Year by the Sea by Joan Anderson.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of the Gander book!