What a weekend

Journal

Monday, January 20, 2020

I had such a good time sewing all weekend long. And I ended up with a couple of finishes and good progress on my UFO Challenge for the month.

Best Friends

Since it was a “retreat” I thought I was justified in starting something new. When I looked at the list of projects I wanted to get a start on it was my Guild Challenge that came to the top of the list. I think I bought the pattern at the Saskatoon Quilt Show this fall. The blocks went together very quickly but the appliqué work took more than a day. It still needs to be quilted before the June deadline.

I finished the February Block of the Month for the Guild – it had been started at the last bee I attended but I still had one corner to finish. It required some stitching around the appliqué and getting it done was a good warm-up to the Challenge.

Even finishing all of the above, I still had a day left so I worked on my January UFO Challenge – my Quilt As You Go project. I had two blocks quilted so I when I finished two more blocks I put them together. This is a new technique for me where you quilt each block separately and stitch them together after they are quilted. For this project I’ve decided to use the method without a sashing between the blocks. The more common way is to have sashing between; I have another project started that will use the same quilt as you go method but it will have sashing.

And to top all of that off, I finished a book, went to a movie, and finished a scarf!

So after all that fun, is it any surprise that I’ve spent all day at my computer catching up. I still have a few more bills to take care of and then I’ll get packed up for tomorrow’s bee.

Little Women

Movies

I don’t know what year it was that I first read the book Little Women. I know that for many years as an adult I reread it at Christmas. At some point in the distant past I purchased the full set of Louisa May Alcott books, along with these figurines from the Franklin Mint.

As I watched the movie I kept thinking I liked the 1994 version better. I came home from the movie and watched the previous version on Netflix. There are things I like better about this newer version, and things I liked better about the older version.

I loved Winona Ryder as Jo in the older version, but Saoirse Ronan was equally as good. I preferred Emma Watson as the new Meg, although that may be because she is more familiar. I didn’t particularly like Amy or Beth in either version; maybe the next one will be more to my liking.

I liked Laurie better in the newer version but Mr. Brooke and Mr. Laurence were equal in my mind in both versions. Although Marmee was good in both versions I preferred Susan Sarandon in the older version. I liked Friedrich Bhaer much better in the older version.

One other thing I noticed between the two versions – in the older version Aunt March was Mr. March’s Aunt while in the newer version Aunt March (played very well by Meryl Streep) was Mr. March’s sister. That would account for the age differences in the two actresses.

The Last Romantics

Books

Author: Tara Conklin

This is another book that came to me through Kathryn and Regan – who needs Amazon!

The story takes place in the future (2079) when the narrator is 102 years old. All this on the first page so I was skeptical regarding the rest of the book. Although each section has a prologue taking place in that time period, the story she is telling is told in a linear manner.

There are three sisters and a brother left to fend for themselves after their father dies and their mother retreats into her own world for about three years. Growing up, each of the sisters adored their one brother and as he spiralled out of control they each reacted in a different manner. At the heart of the matter is a search for Luna, their brother’s girlfriend who they believe he intended to propose to.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

The Princess and the Pea

Needlework

It’s finally done. I’ll send the piece as-is to Kathryn and she will have it framed in Saskatoon. It makes it much easier (and safer) than sending a framed piece.

Ready to hang
It’s found a home

I can’t say for sure which Christmas I received this kit as a gift. But you can see from the note Kathryn enclosed this isn’t the printing of an adult. I expect it was either Christmas 1986 or 1987.

December 2017

The earliest photo I can find was taken in December, 2017 – about the time I started concentrating on getting it done. I’ll do the math for you – that’s about 30 years after I received the gift!

And I really have worked hard at it ever since, but there are a lot of stitches in this piece – and a lot of colour changes.

So right back at you Kathryn – “I hope you like it!! I really do”