Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Book Reviews

In case you think I'm not really a quilter because I haven't produced anything in months, here's a FF - (finally finished!) doll quilt, made with leftovers from Judys Hour a Day. Half of which is still on my design wall, the other half lying on the floor where the wind blew it.


Instead of whining about how pathetic I am, what with a raging ear infection and all, I thought I'd share some of my best August reading material. (BTW - having never had an ear infection before, I have a whole new HUGE respect for these poor kids who get them repeatedly. It's awful!!)
OK - hopefully I've re-established my credentials, so I can show you these:

HILARIOUS!!! I loved every word of this one, but I have to tell you - DH kept asking me what was so funny. He agreed with every word, but his opinion was that the world shouldn't laugh at this poor, afflicted man. Which only made me laugh harder. And it has a great o henry ending that I'm not going to tell you about - it's a must read!

Elaine showed this one a couple of weeks ago, and I immediately clicked over to Amazon and got my hands on it. I told you she inspires me, right? It's plain old fabulous. It's small, it is a Readers Digest publication, and they only have one size printer I guess, but packs a a jillion patterns. No wait, it's 1000. 1000 good ones too, not just re-hashing old ones, plus they really teach how to adjust for shaped blocks, how to make a square peg fit into a diamond shaped patch. Terrific, well worth the bucks.
Finally, Mark Lipinski's Ode to himself; Quilter's Home. The first couple of issues I was a bit annoyed that it's all about him, but hey - it's his magazine, and he's witty and informative so why not?

Great article in this one about black fabrics/threads and batts, and a very interesting one about quilt show judges.

Last year at this time I was scrambling to get my quilts together for our guilds annual show, and here I am again. When am I going to get it? Maybe I'm not supposed to show quilts; it makes me crazy anyway. Maybe I'll sit this one out. Of course, a very petite, 70-something ball of fire named Jane will hunt me down and kick my lazy butt if I try that, so I better get inspired here pretty quick. I have lakadaisical syndrome, LS for short. I spend all evening reading blogs and surfing my favorite websites and watching Alex and Ricky, but the light is still off in my poor sewing machine. Packages come in the mail with fantastic fabrics found in fairyland, but they're languishing in their wrappers. What the heck???? What gives?? I tried a new sharp rotary blade, and it's still sharp and new 2 weeks later. Am I the only one rolling around in the doldrums? What gets you out, any suggestions?

Hunny just brought me in some great BBQ ribs for my pitiful dinner party - LOL! I'd wash them down with champagne but I'm on 2 antibiotics so what's the point? Geeesh ..... I need a cure, fast!

9 comments:

May Britt said...

You are showing two books that I now have signed on my "want-to-have-list" They both looks great.

~Bren~ said...

I want both of those books! I had been looking for a good book on quilting designs. Your mini is adorable. Ear infections are extremely painful.

Fabricfaire said...

Books are always a inspriation to me when I need some!!! But,you better get some inspiration quick!!!Remember....I know where you live..;0) and I can bring that "ball of fire" Jane there in 26 minutes!!! You don't want the "committee" to pay you a visit now...do you???? LOL Hmm...do I hear that Janome humming??? xoxo

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Great post... I have tried different spark-plugs to snap me out of the quilting doldrums but I think it's different for everyone. Cleaning (as odd as that sounds) seems to work, because I can find everything afterwards and I delight in getting the space all messy again! Ha!! Maybe I should give 'Quilter's Home' another try, I abandoned it for the same reason you described. Love that quilt design reference book!

Leigh said...

Sorry to hear you are flat at the moment Su. Maybe it's the antibiotics. Just rest and take it easy :-)

Elaine Adair said...

Leaving on a jet plane ... but, first I had to glance at your blog. Read your post about Marc Lipinski magazine, and being a good, red-blooded woman that I am, had to pipe it my opinion. I bought it one time - that was enough ... let's see magazine full of ads and same ole' same ole' for $5.99 or .... a practically new book of 120 color pages, many patterns, with no advertising, for $3.99 from various books sellers on the net ... uh, hard decision? nope. I think I'm 'over' magazines -- I'm officially a senior citizen, and we're now allowed to be critical! LOL

Started a new string quilt last few days -- from REAL 30's fabric someone has given me. Doing a Rocky Road to Kansas.

Stay cool.

His Office, My Studio said...

I do not remember if I had any ear infections when I was a kid but sure do remember the one I had as an adult and I hated it.

Great books and I will have to add to my bookshelf. I love Mark and his magazine. I have been lucky to have met Mark and other pickles and spend some time with them.

Leslie said...

Love the doll quilt! The binding especially. Looks like a Laura Birch, am I close?

Kim said...

I've only read Quilter's Home once--it was kindly given to me by a quilt shop owner who raved about it. I felt the same as you. The only "voice" in the mag is his, and it gets tedious after a bit. Maybe I'll give it another try though. Good to hear your review on the I Married a Quilter book--I'll have to get that one. Oh, and I had to chuckle at your quilt show woes--been there, done that. I haven't shown any quilts for two years now but will need to do it again one of these days. In the meantime, the State Fair just started yesterday, and everyone keeps asking me if I have any quilts in it this year. Sheesh! Pressure! LOL!