Weather aside, though I could spend pages and pages discussing it, I really do want you to step inside with me at Stitch Lab in Austin. As some of you might remember, they hosted a terrific launch party for my book and I mentioned that I was scheduled to teach some classes there. Well, tomorrow is today, though not exactly, but my classes are listed and available on their site. Some are even sold out, so in hopes of sounding like I just sprang forth from Tudor England, " do not tarry."
Brief aside to discuss my obsession with that particular historical era. I just finished listening to Margaret George's historical novel, The Autobiography of Henry VIII. 41 hours. That's how long the book was. You can't get better book listening value than that. Margaret George's book came on the heels of Alison Weir's The Lady in the Tower. Of course with Henry, it's hard to pin down exactly which lady was in the tower, but, in this case, it was Anne Boleyn. That was preceded by Alison Weir's The Lady Elizabeth which was recommended to me by a fabulous reader/librarian. I'm also currently reading Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Add to that I recently read that Hilary Mantel who wrote the Booker prize winning Wolf Hall all about Thomas Cromwell, the much maligned councilor to King Henry who she attempts to rehabilitate by pointing out that he liked little dogs, is writing a follow-up novel focusing on the last years of Cromwell's life. Thank goodness there are dye baths to make and quilts to sew because I've got to do something while listening to my stories.
Whew! I'm ready to get back to my point. If you've clicked through to the Stitch Lab link then you already know that I'm teaching a variety of classes, both quilt and project classes. Want to learn how to make this, this, and this? How about a pair of these or something like this, this, or these?
Or maybe you want to make your own version of this:
11 comments:
Thanks for all the Henry VIII book recommendations! I'm almost done watching the Tudors season 4 and will now follow up with some books! Your classes look so great! I wish I still lived in Austin to take a few... I just finished your stripes and stripes quilt and LOVE it! Hope you stay warm!
Anything by Margaret George is well worth reading. My favorite fiction book of all time is her Memoirs of Cleopatra. Just. so. incredible.
Wowza, you do listen fast! The audio version of Philippa Gregory's The Boleyn Inheritance can't be beat--I love Davina Porter, and she narrates about 1/3 of the book, taking the voice of Jane Boleyn, George's sister. Really well done.
If you're looking for a break from the historical, though, I'd also recommend The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass. Beautifully read, and such a well-told story.
Happy listening (and sewing!!).
I love novels about the wives of Henry VIII, but Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall has all of them beat. Can't wait to read the sequel she's working on.
And I'm with Meg, don't forget about Philippa Gregory, who wrote The Other Boleyn Girl, plus an engrossing if unlikely story about Catherine of Aragon.
That version of the quilt is incredible. I'm in awe of your ability to see and feel colour so well.
colours are great!
I'm a huge fan of Margaret George; also like Edward Rutherford-large, sweeping novels, that tell the story of a particular place over time. Love those books that you can just get lost in!
I love the combination of warm-cold colors and solid-prints of your Strips and Bricks quilt. Fantastic!
I too have an obsession with the Tudors - I've read several books from that era over the years, the most recent being Philippa Gregory's "The Virgin's Lover" (about Elisabeth I) - it was great. I'll look into those you mention as well, thank you!
I love your brick quilt!
Love it!
Loving the Strips and Bricks! Do tell where you got that nifty metal/wire quilt hanger? I remember seeing a post about it awhile back, but heck if I can find it!
Post a Comment