I tell you, this lounging around can be addictive! We slept late yesterday and then just puttered around all morning. In the afternoon, we went to the movies and saw "Hidden Figures." Wow! What a terrific movie! If you haven't seen it yet, please do. The accomplishments of the women portrayed in the movie was to say the least, amazing! In addition to performing gigantic feats in math for the space program, they also broke down racial barriers in 1960's Virginia. Great acting by all the lead actors--I totally forgot other roles these actors had played, they were that good.
So, instead of sewing yesterday, I went to the movies, but in the evening, I took up my embroidery again. I've learned the hard way that I can't embroider while riding in the car as the roads are so bumpy that I can't get the needle in the spot I want to, so it's hopeless to keep picking it out. I can knit, however, and I did begin a knitting project that I'll work on periodically while here on the Gulf.
Back to embroidery. Last night, I finished the 4th block of Among the Pines, shown below.
Today, I'll soak it a bit in cool water to get the sticky film washed out and then put it aside with the other 3 I've completed.
Before we left WI, I made up the additional blocks for the wall hanging, so I was able to take out number 5 and begin on it as well. This one has a lot of trees and rocks in the background, very delicate stitching with only one strand of floss, and very tedious work. But it looks fantastic when it's finished, so I guess it's worth it.
In April, my guild is having a quilt exhibit at our library to spotlight both National Library Week and National Quilting Week. We want to display quilts that have some association with a book, poem, or author. When we began planning this, we thought we could display throw and bed sized quilts but now we find that the floor space isn't generous enough and we're limited to nothing larger than a baby quilt. Well, that changes my plans considerably! I had planned on displaying my Bee-utiful embroidered quilt, but it's a little too large. I started this quilt before we thought of the library display, but I realized it could easily be associated with one of my favorite books, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk.
So now, I have to figure out something else, and it occurred to me while traveling, the embroidered Among the Pines is not only the perfect size, but it can be associated with another book I enjoyed very much, Return to Wake Robin. I first listened to this book on "Chapter a Day" on WI public radio several years ago, and then I found it in the library and read it for myself. This is a memoir of Marnie Mamminga of summers at her family's cabin on the shores of a lake near Hayward WI, an area in Northern Wisconsin where I and my family spent much time while my kids were younger. While my family never had our own cabin, we spent many weeks at the resorts in the area as well as in Northern MN, and I instantly returned to those days in my mind as I read Marnie's book.
Among the Pines is perfect for the library exhibit. The embroidered blocks depict canoeing, sailing, campfires, fireplaces and so many other things that are mentioned in the book. As well as preparing the embroidery blocks before I left, I also picked out fabrics to use to finish the wall hanging, and my plan is to have the top finished and ready to sandwich and quilt when I get home in March. Plenty of time to complete it before the April 1 opening of the show. So, I have to work on the embroidery as well as the other projects I brought along for sewing.
And, now it's time for me to get a move on and unpack my sewing machine and other tools.Lounging time is done for the day.
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