Welcome to a New Year of Sew & Tell... a place where inspiration can be found, creativity flows, progress is shared and encouragement abounds! There were a lot of summaries and goals shared this week. The randomly selected feature happens to be a year-end summary from Diann at Little Penguin Quilts. Diann showed off her top 5 quilt finishes of 2025. I'm happy to say that her Pieces of My Life quilt made the list, along with two rainbow scrap challenge quilts. All of the quilts are lovely. Head over to her blog to learn a few more details of each quilt.
While there, take a peek at what she has planned for this year's Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt. The secondary pattern that is revealed when the blocks are placed together is a bonus!
The pieces are 2-1/2" and will make a 6" finished block. They fit perfectly into the small bags that I had left over from an OCC sewing kit project a few years ago.
I'll sew them together when we travel or have daytrips, referring to the pictures on my phone for the proper layout.
I liked the story - it was somewhat predictable; I didn't care for the occasional foul language (F-word).
The question on the book cover - "How far would you go to keep a secret?" I would have to say it depends on the subject of the secret. And the consequences of letting the secret out. How 'bout you?
I was caught up in this story as I worked on my Arches National Park block for my shirt... so much so that I sewed in my block upside down. Dang it!
No worries... I was able to save the shirt and will be writing the step-by-step tutorial soon.
After the mess up I grabbed my sketch pad and pencil and started designing a logo idea for the Little House Sew Along. It will include a log cabin block as a foundation for it... I need to try to get the idea I have in my mind into a computer graphic. Sadly, I have shared all that I can for now. I have a good portion of desk work scheduled for my week... beyond my quilting/blogging I have all of the year-end financial stuff that needs my attention.
Rest assured, I will be treating myself with a few minutes here and there in the studio... You know... work a little and then reward yourself with something fun. Maybe I'll dig out my blue scraps and start the RSC!
Time to party! But before you go...
I'm looking for some book recommendations.
I enjoy wholesome stories, historical fiction, and Christian fiction... Romance is okay, open door sex scenes are not. I really enjoyed the book Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate and have read several of her books. WWII stories interest me. I've enjoyed several "classics", and I've tried Jane Austen several times... I simply cannot make it through. I'm currently listening to Eat, Pray, Love... again, not a fan of the occasional bad language, but have seen the movie.
Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!
Keep Piecing,
Melva
Linking with:
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I like your Arches block, Melva. I'm interested in seeing how you saved it. I wrote about my favorite author on my linked blog--Gabrielle Meyer. Here first book in the Timeless series is "When the Day Comes." I highly recommend the series.
ReplyDeleteMelva, thank you for featuring my 2025 quilt summary in your post today. That's so kind of you! I love your book block idea - the first one you made is so pretty, and goes perfectly with the book, too. I recently read Christmas with the Queen, by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb - you might enjoy that one. It is historical fiction, but takes place starting in 1952 when Elizabeth first became queen. I enjoyed it a lot!
ReplyDeleteI got tickled reading about how involved you were with the story while sewing in a block upside down.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Saucita Creek Blues: An Inspirational Novel by Nancy Caron! She is someone I became "friends" with on Instagram, and I was shocked when she announced her first book being published. I read it, first as a favor, then I really got into it. It was free on Kindle unlimited, but I'd buy it to read again. You can read the review by "natgas" (that is my husband's moniker since the account is in his name, but I wrote the review) and get an idea what it's about and how much I liked it. It's really good.
For a light hearted read, the Chet and Bernie series by Spencer Quinn and the country doctor series by Patrick Taylor.--TerryK@OnGoingProjects
ReplyDeleteThanks Terry!
DeleteThat's going to be such a cool shirt, your Arches block turned out beautifully. Glad you were able to salvage it. You and I have very different reading preferences, I'm more into current events, science/medicine and science fiction/fantasy for my reading. So I'm not sure I can make any recommendations. My daughter recently read "Becoming Madam Secretary" by Stephanie Dray a fictional account of Frances Perkins, Labor Secretary under FDR as part of her book club. She enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteAs far as reading goes, I gave up trying to find modern books that felt worth the time to read. I just can't get into books with forgettable characters and fluffy story lines, or books with much bad language. I grew up with the classics; Charles Dickens has always been a favorite. The humor of Mark Twain and Jerome Jerome always made me laugh. So many classic books of literature have a moral fitting for our time. Little Britches, by Ralph Moody was the first in a series of biographies set in the depression times. I like books with rich stories that I could read again years later and still enjoy and which are uplifting. Just look up lists of classic books, especially those recommended for a good education. I read aloud to my kids, until they were 16 years old, books that were a little above their own reading level. It not only expanded their vocabularies and gave them a taste for really good literature, but I got to read great books, too!
ReplyDeleteI just finished Call of the Camino - Its pretty cool - makes me want to go do it!!
ReplyDeleteI've got three good books in this week's post! (And the "reading" label on my blog sidebar will take you to all my mini-reviews.) I'm an omnivorous reader, for sure. The categories I don't enjoy are chick lit and ultra-cozy mysteries.
ReplyDeleteww2 history- Elephant Company. ww2 fiction? anything by the Kristin(s) - Harmel and Hannah!. otherwise, Peace like a River (undertones of faith), The Poisonwood Bible (faith) , and Unselected Journals of Emma m Lion (1800s. fun.)
ReplyDeletefor those readers not opposed to lgbtq undertones, wonderful reads include Legends and Lattes series, Under the Whispering Door(death spirits)and House by the Cerulean Sea (fantasy characters including a loveable demon), and the Assistant to the Villan series. give one a try. you might fall in love with these warm reads.
Thanks! I appreciate the suggestions. :)
Deleteps, the writer of "sister's choice quilts" blog frequently posts book reviews by herself and her daughter. i have found many a good read here. her reviews hit pretty spot on
ReplyDeleteI will give it a look. Thanks!
DeleteI'm intrigued by the national park block and look forward to seeing how it all turned out.
ReplyDeleteI assume you've read Jennifer Chiaverini's books - good quilting stories. Also, have you read the Mitford and Father Tim books by Jan Karon? Good, character-driven stories. I enjoy L.M.Montgomery and would say that the "Anne" books are not my favorite of hers. I also enjoy George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, Tolkein, and most of MacDonald's translator's novels {Michael Phillips}. Of course, there are Wendell Barry's novels, too, especially good as read by Paul Michaels for audiobooks. I could go on, but I'll stop for now because I need to explore your book blocks idea.
ReplyDeleteSo many good books I have read. :) I adore the Elm Creek Quilters series. And Father Timothy often accompanies us on cross-country trips. I have enjoyed Anne, I need to take a look at some of her other writings.
DeleteGlad you were able to save your arches block, Melva. Have fun with your projects. Thanks for sharing with us at Monday Musings. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteOn my blog there is a list of my favorite books from 2025. Just click the title and it takes you to the review. All clean fiction.
ReplyDeletehttps://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/2026/01/favorite-books-from-2025.html
hi! received your blog post and just picked up "light on horn island". thank you for your suggestions
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