Summer Read: The Poisonwood Bible
Jun 6, 2006 Books
I started to read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver when I first joined my bookclub 5+ years ago. I didn’t finish it, and I quickly replaced it with the next bookclub book. Last night, I finished reading it. I highly recommend this book. Why? Without giving a full review which I’m not very good at, let me summon up a few things that I like.
The book is well written without being over the top with excessive prose. Each character develops into a human being that could be a real person. I dislike books with flawless or unrealistic characters.
I liked the length, 576 pages, of the book. Most of the books I read are around 300 pages. While there is nothing wrong with a short book, sometime the story ends before I’m ready to let go of the characters.
For me a good book sticks in my mind, well after the last has been read. Now my mind in Africa, thinking about the difference in culture. This book and the movie Out of Africa, make me think I need to explore Africa. If you want to know more about the book, check out the reviews on Amazon.com.
My quilting memories
Jun 4, 2006 Quilting
Many of my finished creations become gifts. I get to enjoy the fabric while I create, cultivating memories as I go. Then the creation finds a new home. Many of my memories are all tied up in fabric that isn’t a part of my life. Well, I’m about to change that.
I fell in love with the Charm Quilts featured in the March/April issue of Fons & Porter. I loved the idea of creating a quilt using each fabric just once. I should mention that I’m a little surprised that I like this concept so much. Under normal circumstances, I’m not fond of scappy quilts.
I decided to make my own charm quilt, using scraps from all the quilts that I’ve made. I’m using the half hexagon shape. I actually like the apple core shape more, but I already have an apple core quilt. It is time to expand my horizons.
I went through all my quilt scraps. The scrap needs to be about 2″x5″. I decided I could only use fabric if I’ve already used it in a project. The project doesn’t necessarily need to be done. Unfinished objects count. I have about 150 scraps. I cut them into half hexagons. Not the best picture, but you get the idea.
Next I started to piece the hexagons into triangles. Each triangle contains 1 light, 1 medium, and 1 dark fabric. I think making designs with value is the only way to make a scrap quilt look good.
Eventually, I’ll join the triangles into hexagons to make the pinwheel like shape with the light fabrics.
So far the value is working. Some of the mediums and darks a little close in value. The mediums and darks form alternate to form their own pinwheel. It will be interesting to see how it all turns out in the end.
The finished hexagons will be stored in this lovely box waiting to become a quilt.
