What I have been up to lately....

I have been reading and studying for this.....

it is a jammed packed class as it is only six weeks instead of the normal sixteen. So what is one to do with a 20-30 minute break between a four hour class to relax?

Hand piecing of course! Here are two pictures of a 1930's tumbler table runner I am making. I have since gotten a lot more completed, but just haven't taken more pictures.

I also want to make a civil war quilt, of my own design as it will be in memoriam of an ancestor, and have been putting together triangles. I think perhaps I might use the triangles for a border, but not sure yet. I have gotten a little more done, that are not in the pictures.

While walking around campus, the lake always have a few geese, but I have never seen them outside of it. Last week, I saw a few of them have decided to venture out and about as they have gotten curious.

Dear Jane Cross Stitch Pattern

Ever since I saw the Dear Jane (Jane A. Stickley) quilt over a year ago I have been a fan. I have known one person in my guild to make the quilt by hand, and watched them working on it. Some of the pieces were extremely tiny. Even though I loved the quilt, I knew right then and there I would never attempt to make one. However, I happened to see a sampler version of it in cross stitch. I was so happy! The designer is Linda Myers. There are several other patterns of her's that I want to make. I don't think I have ever seen anything by her before or if I have, I was unaware of it at the time. I can't wait to start this pattern, but know I have to complete several others first.

Union Quilters Review....

I really liked the beginning of this book, but by the middle not so much. I thought it was really odd that the author kept on switching from one character's viewpoint and then stayed with one for a really long time (almost until you believed it was just them in thebook) and then to someone else's viewpoint. Some characters only had their viewpoint known one or two times, and it just seemed odd and out of place. Plus when one of them lose their husband, you would think that the character would say what their emotions were but nothing, and the character isn't mentoned until approximately four months later. It was as if halfway through that the author gave up or something. I did think it was good, and I have read a few of her other books, but this one just seemed really choppy. I rank this a 3 out of 5. One thing I was surprised that the raiders didn't come before they did, as I figured there would have been a lot of pressure and resentment for Hans not fighting at all on either side. Of course that isn't right, and each person should be able to make their own decisions. One of my relatives lived in TN but ended up fighting for the Union, needless to say it wasn't popular with the neighbors, and while he was out fighting his wife and children were kicked off their land. The family ended up leaving TN, while the husband was still fighting and he ended up dying during the war in 1864. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetary.