Labor Day--Summer's End!

Here comes the end of summer----no more wearing white pants or shoes or carrying a white purse (The Rule 'No White After Labor Day' Has Historical Roots. One of the most time-honored fashion traditions is to retire your white clothes after Labor Day. Historians think this maxim stems from class divisions at the turn of the century when lightweight clothes were a symbol of the leisure classes.)  Heaven forbid, that I think I'm elite--no white after Labor Day is sure a Southern thing!  Anyway, let's celebrate the last days of summer--certainly fall is just around the corner--let's BBQ, swim, do picnics, be with family, just enjoy this last hurray for end of those hot, humid, dreary days of summer!

Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. In the United States, Labor Day is a federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September.

In the United States, Labor Day is customarily viewed as the end of the summer vacation season, although school starting times now may vary.

Labor Day has its origins in the labor union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. In the United States the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on February 21, 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.

To Do List

My To Do List just gets longer and longer!

Here comes some fun things though!

If you like to do some wool work--jump on this bandwagon!

This is block #1--join "The Little Red Hen's Wooly Mystery" 

group on Facebook--this one is called "The Case of the Battered

Snowman"-

Love Blues?  Here is another adventure into the world of quilts.

My Quilty World is hosting this Blue mystery--

Introduction is on the website--pull out those blue fabrics!

first clue goes live September 1 

And while working on these projects, listen to podcast

Craftlit--great literature read to you by Heather Ordover--

"Treasure Island" is the book for now--you can also

find past episodes if this one doesn't interest you!

Used Bookstores and LIbrary Finds

For many years, I would browse through used bookstores--

I could lose myself in the aisles of musty old paperbacks.

You could always find a bargain in those racks or

an author that is hard to find anyway else.

Now days, it's hard to find a used bookstore--

For a time, I used Paperback Swap--

it was a way to trade books with other readers--

lately, there are more "post" than "order" books

that I would like to read; still an option to begin there

on occasion. It's free to join and the sender pays the postage.

Recently, I walked into a local bookshop to look--just look.

I came across more from Mike Blakely.  My husband snatched

the latest from Mike

"A Sinister Splendor" out of my hands after we met the author;

he finished the book quickly--and recently spoke with Mike

about this book--I'm anxious to begin the journey through

the Mexican-America War-Mike does extensive research and

has won Spur Award several times.  He is also an excellent

songwriter and musician 

These three books I found at a library used book sale--

I enjoy John Sandford's characters; don't know anything

about "The Dress Lodger" but sounds interesting 

And one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Evans with

"The Divide"--maybe, it's a tear jerker? 

Happy reading!

My August Reading List...........

It's time to give you my August reading list--little late

Reading takes me places I'll never travel too;

it also gives me time to reflect on those places I've visited before

I've decided to read an oldie but goodie author--Robert B. Parker

I've read "Resolution"--western theme by Robert also--fast paced

and entertaining so I picked up two of his first Spenser books--

"Godwulf Manuscript" and "God Save The Child"--we'll see

how Spenser solves his cases--of course, I'm quite familiar with the

televised mysteries with Jesse Stone.

"The Shepherd's Life" by James Rebanks, a memoir, as well as family

portrait of his family and their lives as shepherds--interesting read

about Lake District of England--one place we loved to visit.

I've finished reading Alexander McCall Smith--"My Italian Bulldozer"

"The Department of Sensitive Crimes"--both delightful reads

Another visit to Big Bend, Texas through third book in series by Elizabeth

A Garcia's "Darker Than Black"--love, love this read!  

Two new books that were recommended:  "The Escape Room" by

Megan Goldin and "Girls Like Us" by Cristina Alger--both

are reported as page turners--can't wait to indulge it that fancy!

Tartans

I've been pursuing my book stash--do I keep or give away? There are many quilt books; knitting books; dyeing books; some sewing books; many weaving books and stitching books. I love my books!

 Sorting through them, I might place one on the give away pile and 15 minutes later,
 I'll put it back on the shelf.  The books I treasure the most are my tartan books--

These are books I researched when I was working on the family tartan--

I poured over every one I could get my hands on--

How does a tartan look?  What is the right tartan for the clan name?

How to weave a tartan?

I loved loved this book!  So warm and interesting to read!

I was weaving our family tartan for gifts--after some research,

I decided on Gunn Clan to weave--after all our name doesn't have

a specific tartan for their name--

that was--20 years ago--

this is now--just plug in Tartan authority for Handweavers and you get

all the information you want at your fingertips--you can even get

a full copy of Mary Black's tartan book online---too bad I'm not

weaving tartans anymore!

But, such a joy to look at the books and all the history available

now.  I could write a 'book' about my tartan adventures!

Enjoy a brief look at tartans!

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Crochet A Rinske Square.........................

Felted Button is offering this free crochet pattern for

Rinske Square-- Susan Carlson is outstanding colorist when it

comes to crocheting--just take a look at this

This is pattern you can purchase on her Etsy site.

Each week, Julie Yeager offers a different pattern from

unique designers--with instructions to complete a crochet

square--what a great learning experience.

Pool Noodle Sandwich

Pool Noodle Sandwiches--sounds interesting, doesn't it? No, I'm not eating those pool noodles but using them to sandwich my quilt tops with the backing and batting-- Never would have thought of this on my own--thank goodness, for youtube!! You can find everything on youtube--next, I'm looking up how to machine quilt my tops--not just stitch in the ditch either!!

There are several other videos that offer the same technique--each one is little different in how they use the noodles--one uses spray adhesive while the above one uses pins--straight and curved safety pins--give this a try and see how you like it!