The last DWM of 2014

My post-Christmas gift to myself was a cold which kept me sneezing and sniffling most of the weekend. Saturday was the worst and I stayed inside all day Sunday, I'm feeling much better today.

On Friday we went to Evanston to see "Mr. Turner."  It was excellent, though it took a while to get into the story, set in mid-19th century England (great costumes and scenery).  Though we knew who Turner was and we have seen his paintings, we didn't know much about him.  We were not the only people to leave the theater saying, "We need to look him up."  Fortunately for us J. M. W. Turner: Painting Set Free was among the university press books sent to me this month. The book is the catalog for an exhibit curated by the Tate, now at the Getty, which covers the exact period of the movie. (And the exhibit will be at the DeYoung in San Francisco in June when I am in SF for the ALA Annual Conference.)

 Cost Plus World Market was next door to the movie theater.  The Magpies (my online quilting group) had been talking about Violet Crumble, an Australian candy bar. Cost Plus carried them ($3.99 each!). The Marmite will be put to a taste test with the Vegemite we brought back from Australia. I got the Aero bars because I'd never heard of them.  Candy verdict: Violet Crumble is very good though the import price is outrageous. Aeros were also tasty and at $1.79 more reasonably priced.

Quilting update:
The Block Swappers exchanged CW churn dashes in early 2013. I assembled the flimsy right after I got the blocks.  This week I got it quilted and bound.  I'm not thrilled with the quilting (loopy flowers in the churns and meandering in the hourglasses) but it is finished!  54 x 72; back and binding took 2-7/8 yards.







A few years ago I made a "kitchen sink" quilt from leftover units. I entered it in the Chicago Librarians' Quilt Show and to my surprise (and delight) it was purchased!   The buyer said it was "very enthusiastic." I'm trying the design concept again.  The units seem to have two different colorways, warmer and cooler. Maybe I will end up with two kitchen sinks.

(Left: The green/black/neutral pieces began with leftovers from Grand Illusion blocks. Below: the purple/gold/green 9-patches are leftovers from Carolina Crossroads -- after 7 years it's time to use them.)

Forecast: Scrappy With a Chance of Nine-Patches

 I'm linking up with other quiltmakers at Judy's Patchwork Times.

I will post the Annual Reckoning on January 1. Stay tuned!