Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Great story in my favorite genre, historical fiction. This is a tale of two girls who's lifetime friendship is tested by social class and misunderstandings in 19th century China.

I found the descriptions of foot-binding fascinating and horrifying. The story itself was endearing and I found myself constantly wanting to read more to see what happened next. I read this over just a few days.

Three Cups of Tea by Grag Mortenson and David Oliver Renin

Incredibly inspiring and yet difficult to get through. This is the true story of one man's mission to promote peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan by providing a new generation a balanced education. Greg Mortenson truly understands what will provide lasting peace in this area and provide long-term security to the US, and it is not military action, it is education.

Despite the endearing story, I found the writing style at times difficult to read and this took me awhile to finish, as I had to be in the right mood to sit down and plod though.

Sneak Peak

Here is a sneak peak at a secret project....

I love working with this soft cotton yarn.

Something's Blocking

Haven't had a finished object in awhile but......something's blocking!



And tommorrow onto seaming. This is my least favorite part of a project, but I do find it satisfying to watch the crude panels of a project seam up into a beautiful finished item.....

Patchwork tote

This past week, I decided that because I could not find the exact sundresses that I wanted for my upcoming trip to Hawaii this fall, I would make some.

I order to free myself up to work on sundresses (and my sewing machine) this got finished this week.


Pattern: The City Bag by Fabric Central

This lined bag was a project for which all the patchwork squares came pre-cut, allowing me to focus solely on my sewing skills. I sewed when I was younger, but like knitting, never had the patience for it to stick.


By the time I got to the end of the bag, even my top stitching looked even and impressive if I do say so myself. (There are a lot of inside seams that were less than stellar, but luckily they are hidden).


Overall, I am pleased with this project, although I may choose a heavier interfacing next time for a sturdier bag. However, it is a perfect knitting bag!