A Thread So Thin

Reading and quilting are both passions of mine. Put the two together  and I'm one happy camper. Marie Bostwick has again given us a wonderful story in her newest addition to her Cobbed Court series. I anxiously waited for this novel to hit the bookstores. The date was marked on my calendar and immediately I  purchased a copy at a local bookstore. A Thread So Thin was a book to be savored. I took my time reading it, enjoying every word. It's a rare book of fiction that I find myself grabbing a pad and pencil to write down quotes from the story. This novel was one that I did just that. Here are just a few of the lines that resonated with me:


from page 7: "They're also members of my quilt circle. I know, it's weird to think of a twenty-two-year-old sitting around with a bunch of older women, making quilts, but what can I say? They're my girls." This line just resonated with me. That's how I feel about my quilting friends, my Thimble group. We're all very different in our ages, backgrounds, family situations, but we connect. They're my girls!


from page 48: "We're all women and we all like to quilt. Other than that, we're about as different as we could possibly be. All you have to do is take a look at our quilts to know that." My quilt girls are cat people, some like me are dog people, one is a bird lady, one even wanted to bring a goat home for a pet. We're nurses, math teachers, librarians, accountants, stay at home moms, computer experts, etc. etc.


from page 118: "... many students had purchased fat quarters of fabric, the first of what would become their 'stash,' the quilter's addiction and most prized possession, that collection of impulsively purchased fabrics we have no specific plans for but simply must have, our hoarded cache of inspiration."  This is so good! Can anyone else relate to this definition of their stash?


and finally from page 250: "She's my dear, cherished and forever friend, and no matter how badly she behaves, she always will be." That is indeed the kind of friend we want in our lives - one who will cherish us no matter how we badly we behave. They are our forever friend.


Dear quilting friends, do yourself a favor and read the books in the Cobbled Court series - A Single Thread, A Thread of Truth and A Thread So Thin. 


Jackie of Canton Village Quiltworks interviewed Marie Bostwick on her podcast, Jackie' Quilting Chronicles,  available on iTunes and her website. Jackie does a super job in her podcast introducing us to Marie as a quilter and a novelist. Thank you Jackie and Marie!

Pat Sloan's Radio Show

I first began to read and follow blogs after hearing designer Pat Sloan speak at a Gwinnett Quilt Guild meeting several years ago. At first there were just four blogs that I read daily. Pat's blog was one of those four blogs. Her Yahoo groups provided much inspiration and motivation. In the past couple of weeks, Pat has begun a new endeavor, her radio show or podcast. I enjoy listening to podcasts while driving home from school. Pat's radio show is a fabulous addition to the radio shows/podcasts that are available for us quilters. I download it from ITunes, but you can listen to it directly from her website. Pat is doing a tremendous job in interviewing her guests. Her questions about creativity with each guest has been insightful. The next show is one in which Pat herself will be interviewed.

Pat encourages listeners to post questions or comments on her blog. Imagine my surprise to discover that I had won a give-away after posting a comment on the show with Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company. It was like winning the Grand Prize Sweepstakes.

A photo of three layer cakes for three winners was posted on both Pat's blog and Carrie's blog. When my box arrived, I expected to find one layer cake. I was very excited to receive one layer cake. To my surprise there were two layer cakes in the box. I love Moda pre-cuts, but have to purchase them sparingly. The priority mail box was stuffed full of quilting goodness.

Here are the two layer cakes. One is Sorbet by Moda. The other is BasicGrey Blush from Moda. Both layer cakes have great potential. My brain is plotting new projects using these new to me fabric lines.

Carrie shares on the radio show about her Schnibbles patterns. I have exactly one Schnibbles pattern in my pattern collection. Look at the 8 patterns that are now part of my collection! I'm anxious to take one of the layer cakes and create a quilt or two with these new to me Schnibbles.

But that's not all the box contained. A new Olfa rotary cutter has a new home at my place. Thanks Pat and Carrie! What a win! Thanks Pat for an awesome radio show, the newest addition to our quilting community!

Quilting Podcast

What is a podcast you might ask? A podcast is rather like a radio talk show. It is broadcasted through the internet. You listen to the programs  using an Ipod/MP3 player or a computer. I've been downloading podcasts for a couple of years. I listen to them while sewing, driving, or walking. My favorite podcast is Annie Smith's Quilting Stash. Annie began the first podcast for quilters in April of 2005. She has continued to podcast a wonderful program that is entertaining as well as informative.

 Annie's latest podcast is with author Marie Bostwick. Marie is the author of the new quilting series that began with the book A Single Thread. The podcast is a wonderful interview with Marie about her writing career and her quilting. Yes, Marie is a quilter not just an author writing about quilting. I was thrilled to hear that the second book in the Cobbled Court series will be released on May26th. The books's title is  A Thread of Truth.

If you don't have an Ipod or MP3 player, you still can listen to the podcast. Go to Annie's website , look for Program 166, click on the pink button with the headphones and the word Podcast. You can listen to it on your computer. This interview is about 40 minutes. I think I'll re-read A Single Thread while waiting for the new book to hit the bookstore. Enjoy!