Needlework Tuesday -Updating your Toys

Every so often, it`s important to update your toys, oops, I mean tools of your trade.

Usually, it`s little stuff such as marking pencils and temporary markers.  yippee, Clover now makes a pink maker, great for when working on a blue quilt.

I still get excited by new circular knitting needles with supple wires instead of those old ones that you had to soak in boiling water to attempt to get them to uncurl.

Occasionally, it`s the big stuff.  I`ve reached that expensive point, new machines.  This was my first major purchase when I started working again in August.  I put it on layaway the same day, and picked it up at the beginning of the month.  I`ve been so busy at work, i haven`t even taken it out of the box.  Once things calm down, I have lots of plans for it starting with some turbans for chemo patients who have lost their hair due to treatment.

Now to start saving for a new sewing machine with the giant opening to facilitate machine quilting.  I have a huge backlog of quilt tops that need some loving and finishing.   I keep saying that I need to dedicate an entire year solely to machine quilting...

I am still stitching away on the blue quilt shown as a background to the marking instruments.  I am almost finished quilting the blocks, then on to the sashing and borders.  So far i have been following templates for the quilting, though for the sashing, I am planning to go free form with some nice loops to compliment the template, I think.  Though I might change my mind.  I don`t think it will show too much anyway since I am using a variegated blue thread on a medium and dark blue sashing fabrics.

Back to the equipment or toy upgrades, have you planned any for yourself as a Christmas gift or for the new year.

 Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

Needlework Tuesday - An Advent Calendar for my Godson

 Advent, or count down, calendars were present every December 1 in my house growing up.  I kept up the tradition with my children.  This year I decided to send one to my godson for his daughters.  Sure, the youngest is too small to understand, though I'm sure her big sister will explain it to her.

I found this colourful panel titled "Dear Santa" by Sarah Frederking from Studio E Fabrics.

 My local shop had kits cut and ready to go.  Instead of following the instructions to cut apart all the pockets, I left them intact, layers them right sides together with backing fabric and sewed around three sides, leaving the bottoms open for turning.  I sewed 1/4 inch seams, then cut them apart and sewed more seams until they were all done. It would have been better for the turning, if I had pivoted at each corner instead of sewing straight across.  Oh well, live and learn.

 Twenty-five pockets ready to go.

 I drew a line 1/4 inch away from the bottom of the pocket and lined that up with the bottom of the image on the panel piece, then sewed a seam across, back stitching at the beginning and end.

 All twenty-five pocket flaps attached and ready for the flip up.  I decided to change the thread colours to match the pockets.  A bit more work that using one colour such as beige, but it made more sense to me.  Less change of seeming an mis-placed stitches.

Finally, I added binding and a hanging sleeve and it's ready to go in the mail for my nephew.  It's a wee bit late, but I'm sure they'll forgive me.

For more images of Advent Calendars, visit my post from 2014, The Great Advent Calendar Hunt.

Sorry to have missed you all last week.  My work schedule has gotten more hectic as we move closer to December 25.  I was so exhausted last week that Tuesday slipped right on past me.  Feel free to add links for any needlework posts that you've made in the past two weeks.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

Neil Flambe and the Marco Polo Murders by Kevin Sylvester

The premise of a child prodigy chef who solves mysteries in his spare time sounded good and by the time I finished the first chapter I was hooked.  Author Kevin Sylvester has created a complex, yet easily likable character in Neil Flambe. 

From his earliest years, young Neil showed an affinity for food and for it preparations.  Now, at the age of fourteen, he owns a renown restaurant that is in high demand.  On a contingency basis, he also helps the local police to solve various crimes where an acute sense of smell is an asset. 

When someone starts killing the top chefs in Vancouver, Detective Nakamura calls in Neil to sniff out the murderer.  Not only does he sniff out a seemingly new scent at the scenes of the crimes, but the notes left on the victims lead him to research the Italian explorer Marco Polo.

Neil is a complex character.  At times he is definitely a fourteen year old, with limited social skills  and big on self worth.  Admittedly, he is a great chef and he doesn't let anyone forget it. 

I would recommend this book for any young reader who has an interest in food preparation.  It would be a good selection for parents to read with their children.  The author has a good sense of humour and has included lots of details to amuse adults such as the food related names of most of the characters.  Yes, several people are murdered in this book, but the story does not linger on the bodies, rather it moves quickly to the food and spice scents that linger behind.

I listened to the audio book as read by the author.  6 hours 17 minutes.

Also by Kevin Sylvester:

Splinters - a very cool hockey story

Cover image courtesy Simon & Schuster Canada

#IndigoEmployee

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

I loved this story from the first page.  It caught my imagination and didn't let go.  At present, the game playing sophistication of the book is fantasy, though it is verging on becoming reality, and before it does we should heed author Ernest Cline's implied warnings. 

By the year 2044, most members of society have become so caught up in the virtual world, that many people never leave their houses, they conduct their day to day life in OASIS, the online world.  When James Halliday,one of the founders of OASIS dies with no heirs, he starts in motion the ultimate game, which will leave the winner wealthy beyond imagination.  Wade Watts, and many others see this as a way out of the grinding poverty that affects far too many.

Wade may still be a student, but he knows OASIS and he understands games.  For years he immerses himself in the genre of the 80's that Mr. Halliday enjoyed.  He hopes that this knowledge will help him solve the clues and win the game.  Also competing to win the prize is a corporate group who with their winnings would turn OASIS from a free access world to one of fees making it inaccessible for many.

It was interesting to see Mr. Cline's view of what life could become as computers and virtual reality  technology advances.  We are already seeing less person to person communication and people use their cell phones to text instead of talk. 

Having lived through the 80's, I enjoyed reminiscing while Wade worked though the clues and followed the leads of Mr. Halliday's life.  Thanks to author Ernest Cline for writing this enjoyable and thought provoking book. 

Also by Ernest Cline:  Armada

Cover image courtesy Penguin RandomHouse Canada

Win Sock Yarn for Life (or so)

Our stitching friends at Yarn Canada have invited me to extend and invitation to enter their new contest.  You can win sock yarn for life, depending on how fast you knit.  I am pasting in the details that they sent.  Open to entrants from Canada and the United States.  Follow the link to enter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Win Socks for Life! Well the yarn, you’re on your own after that.
(Vancouver, BC) “To be fair, it’s actually only a 25 year supply, so we can only hope the winner dies early to keep me an honest woman.” - Nikki Smith, VP YarnCanada.ca
After extensive research YarnCanada.ca discovered two key issues which continue to plague the world which we’d like to help bring to an end.

1. Some people have hobbies other than knitting (idiots)
2. Other (marginally insane) people buy socks at Costco 

“With one final blow we’ll give someone years of knitting and make it so they never need to succumb to Fruit of the Loom again.” - Robert Matherson, YarnCanada.ca
Don’t want to use all the yarn to make socks? That’s okay, no hard feelings.
Yes, some marriages may end as the winner ignores her husband in a multi-year knitting frenzy. But that’s simply a risk we must take. On the other hand, maybe getting non-terrible socks for Christmas could bring families closer together.
The prize will go to whomever can show how their life will most be changed by winning and what you will do with the prize.
Anything could happen:
“I’ll use the yarn to start a knitting business on Etsy!” - Beth C, Winnipeg
“My friends always get together to watch The Bachelor, but goodness it’s boring, now I’ll have something to do to keep me distracted.” - Janet G, Toronto
“Honestly I have no self control. With all that yarn I’ll knit non-stop, stay up for days and miss work. I’ll get fired, not be able to pay rent and get kicked out of my apartment. But… I’d have so many socks!” - Samantha T, Vancouver
“I’ll knit them all up as fast as I can and give them to charity.” – Nicole

Whatever the reason, let us know why knitting is important to you and how a lifetime supply of sock yarn would change your life.

Enter to Win a Lifetime Supply of Socks

Good luck to all who enter, both male and female and I hope the winner lives a long and happy life and out lives his or her stash. Contest closes December 7, 2016.

I don't have much to share this week, between extra work hours and working on a secret project, my time is pretty much consumed.  I do have a few pics of the secret project that don't give anything away.

 A large quilt requires lots of bobbins to be wound, this is just a few.  I like to use the same thread both in the top and in the bobbin, seems to work out better.  I am using King Tut because that's what my local shop carries.

 All layered up, this quilt is a bit of a monster to keep moving around.  It's 80x100 inches I need a new machine with a much bigger opening (it's on my wish list).

 This shows the layout of the quilt and the sashing.  I drew this up so i could plan out the stitch in the ditch for the sashing and keep the bulk of the fabrics to the left of the machine.  the blue lines show what was already stitched at that point, and for the final passes, I started at the dots in the upper left and stitched in a continuous line to the end near the 4 in the bottom left.

I'll try to have more photos next week, though my work schedule is getting crazy with extra hours due to Christmas shopping.  To all who have shopping yet to complete, please remain calm and peaceful when you are out and remember that the store clerks are human and deserve to be treated with respect.To enhance your shopping experience where ever you may be, please leave your children at home, they will be much happier and so will you and every one else.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

Needlework Tuesday - Finished Aghan

 Finally, I have finished the giant granny square afghan.  Well, it was supposed to be giant, but my crochet tension is off and it was getting a bit too wonky. it just won't lay flat without a lot of manipulation so there was no chance I could make it larger.  Lots good when it is all push and prodded to look flat.  Daughter says it is comfy regardless of shaping.

 It is certainly bright and cheerful and the black adds some definition.

 All twelve squares are complete for the BOM that my guild is following.  Now each month I will be ready and will just have to grab the appropriate blocks off the wall.  Not sure about the sashing, though I have metre of strip fabric that matches perfectly.  I will have to play with it and see if it will work.

 This is the block that I substituted for the cake stand one that was part of the pattern.

The pattern is by Jill Majers of Apple Avenue Quilts.

Seeing some good progress on the socks. Still a bit of a struggle with the colour changes.  It's hard to keep the tension nice in the join area, not that my sister will ever see that when she is walking around while wearing the socks, but it still bothers me.  The top of the sock turned out nice.  not sure if it was worth the extra effort, but I won't really know until my sister puts them on and wears them for a while.

In case you missed my earlier posts about the socks, my sister gave me the wool for them, that's why I will be giving them back to her.  I had started this class and didn't want to shop for the wool for this pair.  Knowing that she has a far too healthy wool stash, I shopped in it instead of a store.  Kind sister that she is, she put a large basket of sock yarn on her bed and let me take my choice.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

A Sunday Walk

 I was out walking today in Waterloo Park, collecting Pokeballs, and saw some lovely sites that I wanted to share.

There aren't peacocks roaming around here freely, so this would be unusual if it weren't for the zoo enclosure (which isn't visible).

 This handsome llama would not put his ears back up.  Seemed as though he realized I was waiting for the perfect photo op.

 There are brass plaques near several trees and I like the inscription on this one the best.

 Obviously this has been here for many years, but honestly, it's the first year I have ventured to this particular area of the park and I have found this.

This is the oldest school house in Waterloo Region . It was built in 1820 and is also the oldest log school house in the province of Ontario.

Needlework Tuesday - Darning in those yarn ends

I made some progress on the socks.  Before I can go any further, I have to bury all those ends.  Arg, I hate patterns that continually instruct you to cut the yarn when you pick up the new colour.  Then I realized that i started with the wrong side facing, so when I try to unzip the provisional cast on, that starts from the end of the row.  A second arg.  Once I get through these annoyances, I know that I'll breeze on down to the heel, which uses a new-to-me technique.

Keeping my head to the grindstone, i managed to finish four more blocks for my quilt.  That's eight if you are keeping track.  I have the next three blocks cut and read to stitch.  The twelfth I have to select a different pattern.

All the individual cutting for this quilt is driving me crazy.  I am so done with traditional sampler quilts.   Prior to this week's stitching,  I decided to cut all the pieces I would need to the back ground of all the blocks.  That worked well.  Then I did the same for all the brown.  That left only cutting the various blues/teals for each block as it was started.  So much less frustrating.

now to start thinking about fabric for the sashing and the borders.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you. I hope that you are having fun and making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment. 

Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts

This is a sweet story about a young, pregnant woman girl who is abandoned  in  a Walmart parking lot by her nar-do-well  boyfriend.  She ends up secretly living in the store until the birth of her baby two months later.  Novalee seems like an earnest person, who just wants to make a better life for herself and her baby.

During those two months, she becomes acquainted with several residents who help to reassure her that life can be better.  Sister Husband offers her unconditional friendship, Ben gives her a small tree and Moses gives her a photo album.  Shortly after that, she meets Forney, the librarian who opens her to a world in knowledge.  All of these people willingly help Novalee with no expectation of her being able to help them in return.  It's the first time in a long time that she has felt herself to be at home.

While I think it is unlikely that anyone could secretly live in a department store for two months, I didn't let that deter me from enjoying the story.  I liked how Novalee went from being a stranger in town, to finding friends and people she could care for as she would family.  A heart warming story.

Cover image courtesy Hachette Book Group.

#IndigoEmployof

Needlework Tuesday - Getting started

 Last week I told you that I was going to start on a pair of socks for my sister.  Before I could start on today's post, I had to cast on one of those socks.  Since a cast on only doesn't look good in a photo, I had to knit several rows.  This pair is not knit with ribbing at the top, but instead, a lining that gets folded to the inside and it then looks like and I-cord around the top.  So far I have six or seven rows complete.   The orange wool at the bottom is a provisional crochet cast-on.  The yarn I'm using isn't really as pink/purple as it appears.  Now that I have started, I can't wait to get back to them.

I will be knitting two at a time, but have started with just the one for the moment.  the pattern says to use a slightly smaller needle for the lining part, and the one I have is too short to do both pairs.  Guess I need a new needle.

Progress on the colourful afghan is going great.  I am about half way around on the final scalloped border.  I had a left over ball of variegated that looks great with the rest.  I am winging it on the scallops. Some are a bit narrower to accommodate the random number of stitches along each side. No one is really ever going to notice right.

 It's full steam ahead on the new quilt, at least for the moment.  I finished blocks three and four.  I love the back ground material and hope that I can find it in some other colours as I'd like to use it again.   For the flying geese, I used the stitch and flip method for the corners.  They are turning out quite well.

This block was a bit challenging as it required pinning to bet the points of the blades to match with the corners of the centre.  The pattern indicated that the dark blue should have been brown, but as I told you last time, I don't have enough brown, so am making some substitutions.

I'm not adverse to making changes to patterns, in fact, I do it quite often.  One of the blocks for this pattern is the cake stand. It's a pretty block but it just doesn't fit with all the others.  out it goes and I'll find another I like better.  As long as I keep the colours co-ordinated  it will work.

I've also embarked on a secret mission project for a  friend.  She was over last week and we looked through the quilt tops I have tucked away.  She found one she liked and now I'll be working at getting that one quilted before the holidays.   A quick trip to the quilt shop for batting and thread and they also had a lovely template for quilting, now I'm ready to go.   I'll sneak in some close-ups as I work along, but the unveil will be in the new year.  I'm sure you don't mind waiting.

Any one else working on secret projects?  oh wait, you can't answer that...

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

I hope that you are having fun and  making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment.  Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

I had no expectation when I started reading this book, but within pages, I knew I had something very special in my hands.

Adam Spencer Ross is a young man with issues, he counts everything obsessively.  One week, while attending his OCD group therapy session, a new member walks in and almost immediately Adam knows that their fates are linked, that he could love her.  This prompts him to work harder at making changes in his life that have far reaching impacts he couldn't have imagined.  His personal changes starts ripples throughout the members of his group.

I love this book. I love Adam, there is something about him that calls out to me.  He seems so earnest in wanting to improve himself.  I particularly like how he helps his little step-brother deal with his anxiety.    Even though I am not a boy and no longer a teen, his behaviour seems right on.

I find Adam to be an inspiring character.  He shows that personal growth is quite possible even through small, seemingly inconsequential improvements.  And the super hero angle, it shows that each of us is capable of huge acts if only we can shed the baggage we carry around that is stopping us.

Author Teresa Toten won the Governor General Award for Children's Literature for this book in 2013 along with a number of other important awards.

Cover image courtesy Penguin RandomHouse Canada.

#IndigoEmployee

Murder in a Cold Climate by Scott Young

This is a well written and devised plot. I loved the remote northern setting on Inuit, Dene and First Nations lands.  While the book was written by a southerner, I felt it gave a fair depiction of life and relationaships in the north.  It felt both like a Canadian community as well as like a first Nations and Inuit community. 

I loved the character of Matteesie.  Inspector Matthew "Matteesie" Kitologitak is the first Inuk inspector with the RMCP when he is asked to search for a missing plane and it passengers.  He is smart and thorough, yet down to earth.  He knows the people he is dealing with and uses and approach that will work with them.  Of course, the search is not as simple as it seems at the onset when outside interests and motivations come into play.

This was a refreshing read that took me away from the hustle and bustle of the big city and gave me the space to  ponder the story and  it's characters.

The story of Matteesie continues in The Shaman's Knife. Scott Young passed way in 2005 after a long career in journalism.  He wrote more than forty-five books, both fiction and non-fiction.

#IndigoEmployee

Cover image courtesy Indigo Books and Music

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas by Jonathan W. Stokes

This is an awesome story.  What to do when your aunt and uncle, who are your legal guardians, are abducted.  If you're Addison Cooke, you call in your sister and your best friends and you plan a rescue.

As museum curators, his aunt and uncle don't lead the boring life you might expect, instead, they are often travelling to far off, exotic sounding places hunting for lost treasures.  Unfortunately for all of them, this time they have found a clue that has put them in peril.  With the help of his sister Molly, and with his best friends Eddie and Raj, the four are set to venture forth across the globe to follow the remaining clues and find the treasure and their family.

I loved this book.  It was fun and exciting;  I could hardly put it down.  Not only was it full of adventure, I was also introduced to the the history of the Incas.  Along the way, the group faces physical as well as moral challenges.  Young readers should find the resolution to each encouraging.

Author Jonathan W. Stokes has signed a multi-book deal with his publisher, leading me to expect that Addison and his fellow explorers have at least a few missions ahead of them.

Cover image courtesy Penguin RandomHouse Canada.

*I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Indigo Books & Music Inc. in exchange for an honest review*

#IndigoEmployee
 

Needlework Tuesday - Time out for Paint Nite

Last week I attended a Paint Nite event with a friend.  I haven't painted in years and my friend didn't recall picking up a paint brush since grade school.  We had a lot of fun and came home with new paintings for our walls.

#PaintNite

The class plan called for making blue scenes, but nothing in my house calls for blue.  I dug out my colour wheel and selected the complimentary colour to my front room sofa, which is an olive green.  This pink/purple looks great with it.  Good to know that some of my needlework knowledge crosses crafts.

I also found some time to get in a bit more stitching.  And just in time as my local guild meeting was last evening.  We were to bring in the first two completed blocks for our BOM program.   I'm liking how my colours work together.  I have several of the teals and will probably need to get another brown piece as I am short by a 1/2 yard.

My plan is to jump right in and work ahead on the blocks.  Of the twelve in the pattern, I like 11 of them, but the cake stand block has to go, it's just too different from the others.  That's one great thing about making your own items, you can change and adapt them to your own desires.  Just like changing the colour in the painting, I can change any of the block patterns and make it something I can love.

As I get closer to the finish of my afghan, I am getting itchy fingers.  I have one final pair of socks to make for my Craftsy class.  I borrowed these wools from my sister and will use them to make the third pair.  Lucky sister, she gets the socks when I am done and my bonus, I didn't have to purchase any more supplies.  I think we are both winners.  Did I mention that my sister has a massive yarn/wool stash.  She was more than happy to share with me.   My mom is the same way with quilting fabric.   Unless we each have bought for a specific project,  we all share with each other.  Make for some very happy crafting exchanges.

I leave you with two questions today: first, have you attended a painting event? what did you think about it.  Second, do you share and trade your craft supplies with family and friends?

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

I hope that you are having fun and  making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment.  Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.

The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues #1) by Rick Riordan

I loved this book.  It was a fun, fast paced action story with lots of surprises.

Minutes after their grandmother's funeral, siblings Amy and Dan are invited to the reading of her will, where they learn that to inherit her fortune they must undertake a difficult challenge.  They will be competing with a number of their relatives to find the secret that will make him or her the most powerful person in the world.  They are given  just one clue to start them on their way.

Amy and Dan seem fairly normal, but some of their far flung cousins and aunts and uncles appear rather extreme.  I rather like their older uncle Alistair Oh.  Time will tell whether he is genuine about wanting to help the siblings and if he really does have information to share about their deceased parents.  Their au pair Nellie promises to be an asset throughout this search as she has untold skills that she sparingly reveals.

Not only is this book entertaining, it is educational.  I enjoyed learning about an important American historical figure.  I hope that this angle continues in the future books in this series.  This book is recommended for ages 8-12.

For more fun, visit the 39 Clues website where you can embark on your own quest.

Cover image courtesy Scholastic Books.

#IndigoEmployee

Seizure (Virals #2) by Kathy Reichs and Brendan Reichs

The kids seem to have recovered from their parvovirus exposure and are ready for a fun summer when they learn that Loggerhead Island Research Institute is set to close.  They are desperate to find a way to save their institute and keep their pack together.  They can't be separated just when they are learning how to deal with their new found abilities.

While attending a cotillion event, Tory learns of the legend of pirate Anne Bonney and her long lost treasure.  If only they could find the loot and use it to save the Institute.  What follows is a fast paced adventure that will challenge their bonds as friends as well as their controls of their canine talents.  I think this book is even better than the first in the series.

Authors Kathy Reichs and her son Brendan have created an exciting and possible tale.  After all, treasures do get found  even in the real world.  They have also added balance to the story by including some regular events outside of their pack activities such as Tory's social events for Cotillion and the inclusion of bad boy Chance, who I loved in the opening book of the series.  They have left a number of situations open for future books to resolve.

I listened to the unabridged audio book as read by Cristin Milioti.   10 hours 48 minutes.  Cristin does a great job of making the listeners believe that they are listening to a group of teens.  It's wonderful how she puts a whine in Hiram's voice and yet manages to add swagger to Chance.  The tale of the pack continues in the short story Shift and then in the novel Code. 

Virals Series
1   Virals
2   Seizure
2.5 Shift
3   Code

#IndigoEmployee

Cover image courtesy Penguin Random House Audio.

Needlework Tuesday - I Finally started Stitching

Last week I spent some time talking about prepping for a new project.  Well, that effort paid off.  I worked extra hours last week and I didn't think I would get any stitching done, then today, I had a bit of time before an appointment and figured I might get a couple of seams done.  Then later in the day, I have a bit more time while dinner was in the oven, a few more seams and some pressing.  Then after my walk, I fit in a bit more and before I knew it, I had those seams done and pressed and ready for more cutting.

 Each block in this quilt has two pieced borders, and since the pattern was written as a BOM - Block of the Month, the author had you cut and sew each border individually each month.  I decided instead to strip piece and cut them all this month.  So far I have 8 sets complete and will work on the next four.  I wasn't sure how many pieces I would be able to cut from the width of fabric strips.

This will form the outer border of each block.  I debated switching the blue and brown, but like it better with the emphasis of the brown toward the middle.  Now if I had pieced a block to show in the centre.  The first block has lots of flying geese.  They will be fun.

I got a wee bit of the black done on the afghan, but not enough to share a photo.  I'm looking forward to finishing and then daughter plans to take it to university for her room.  It will certainly be a colourful addition.

It was a glorious fall day today with temperatures more like early September.  I was out walking and didn't want to come back in.  I hope that you are have enjoyable weather where ever you find yourself.

Needlework Tuesday is a regular weekly post where I share the progress of my various needlework projects over the past week. I enjoy the encouragement that I receive from my readers and in return visit their blogs and cheer them on with theirs. You are welcome to grab the cute little mouse and create your own Needlework Tuesday post. Leave a comment with a link and I'll be sure to visit with you.

I hope that you are having fun and  making progress on whatever project is dear to your heart at this moment.  Mister Linky is waiting below for a link to your needlework post.