Monday, June 16, 2025

Weekly update: wildflowers, blocks and scraps + reading

 I joined the nationwide protest marches in spirit only.  I fulfilled a prior commitment to staff the Rotary booth at the Zion Juneteenth celebration at Illinois Beach State Park.   


After my shift was over I walked along the trail at the south end of the park. 

 



Lupine, Ohio Spiderwort, puccoon, sulfur cinquefoil, prickly pear, a hillside (actually a duneside) of lupine.

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In the studio:   I made 24 blocks for Cynthia's current block drive.   3 yards used.   And now I have an idea for next year's RSC.









I saw a photo of a quilt with this design on a FB group.  I'm using 2.5" squares and 2.5" x 6.5" rectangles.   If I make 121 blocks it will be 66 x 72.


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In 2023 I thoroughly enjoyed Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.  Last week I listened to Vera's second case in which she gives advice for "snooping on a dead man."  The narration by Eunice Wong is perfect.   Vera is in turn infuriating, inspiring, and very determined -- and she's right (most of the time).  

I highly recommend both books (and the audio if you can get them).





Food writer Anya von Bremzen traveled in search of the dishes that define cultures.  Despite shifting national boundaries and melting-pot cities there are deep local roots.  Pot-au-feu in Paris; pizza and pasta in Naples; ramen and rice in Tokyo; tapas in Seville; mole and maize in Oaxaca; meze (dishes with many roots) in Istanbul; borsch in Ukraine and Russia.   I learned a lot, and now I want to read von Bremzen's other books.

Linking up with Design Wall Monday Sew and Tell Monday Musings (thanks for the shout out, Kathleen), Oh Scrap!





13 comments:

  1. oh lovely lupines....my aunt just loved them...nothing like a field full of purple pink blooms...thanks for the book recommendations! i too am scrap sewing...

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  2. The Juneteenth celebration sounds like a good way to support people in our country, and a pretty walk afterward, too! Your blocks for Cynthia look great - I have it on my list to make a few today. But I love the blue rectangles and squares quilt! Are those blocks made like 2/3 of a nine patch with a rectangle sewn on one side? Thanks for the book recommendations, too!

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  3. I have seen that style of quilt on Pinterest using 2.5" squares, pinned it for later. It's a good scrapbuster!

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  4. My 1.5", 2", and 2.5" scrap drawers/bins are overflowing, as are the "chunk" drawers (pieces too small to fold and store with the FQs, but still too big yet to cut down), and I've saved both of these as ideas for whipping together something with all my little pieces. Yeah, like we churn 'em out in just an hour or two....

    Bird 'Pie

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  5. You get so much done, Nann. All your block collections look very inspiring for the rest of us to sew faster.

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  6. Thanks for the book recommendations! I like to listen while I sew.

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  7. Love your Cynthia blocks. I made some a few weeks ago but didn't even recognize the pattern!! After a minute or so, I thought to myself, "those are so lovely." My brain froze but your beautiful blocks caught my eye!!

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  8. Thanks for reminding me about Cynthia's block drive. I'm not sure I have enough plain white fabric for the squares, though. I've read the first Vera Wong book and have the 2nd on my TBR list. I'm just finishing listening to The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier.
    Pat

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  9. Surely a Juneteenth celebration counts - it would for me! And lupines! I've only ever seen them in New England, the perfect colors with all greens.

    Cheers, Ceci

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  10. We were driving home on No Kings so I was only there in spirit, too. Your new quilt looks good and uses lots of scraps. That’s one of my projects. I’ll add both books to my reading list. Ann at FretNot

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  11. You've got some fun projects in the works. The wildflowers are just lovely. Cool books too. My Guy would like the second one, an idea for his birthday.

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  12. You stay very busy, Nann! I like both your projects!

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