Weekend Review: Crafting a Knock-off

 

Crafting a Knock-Off / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T Pub., c2026
232 p.

I love this series of cozy mysteries set in Nova Scotia, written by a Canadian craft legend :) When book 7 became available, I grabbed it! This details the further adventures of Valerie Rankin, middle aged craft and general store owner, as she once again gets involved in a mysterious death -- and like usual, goes off on many misguided suspicions before the truth is revealed. 

In this volume, she encounters Murray Nunn, a big talker who is trying to push business development and an export scheme. He won't leave anyone at the local craft fair alone, and while Valerie is talking to him, he suddenly drops dead. On camera. She has a wide range of suspects, from local craftspeople to those who have just arrived in Gasper's Cove for their own purposes, and even including her boyfriend's nephew -- which causes some relationship bumps. 

But Valerie must continue on her sleuthy ways no matter what, and with the involvement of the local RCMP and her crafting ladies, they eventually solve the mystery, and Valerie's fears of the end of her relationship prove unfounded. 

I love these books for their characters and the Nova Scotia setting -- and of course the inclusion of craft content! There are upcycled quilted coats, tartans and kilts, piecework sewing and craft fairs as integral parts of this mystery, and they are important. I thought this one was well constructed and entertaining. Always a treat to revisit Gasper's Cove! 

Literary Sewing Circle: Inspiration!

 

It's the first week of our Literary Sewing Circle featuring Snap by Susin Nielsen! Have you found a copy yet? Have you started reading? If so, how are you finding the opening chapters? 

Today's inspiration is going to look at some of the characters in this story; we'll find ideas based on their names. Here are a few suggestions of projects you could make based on these elements. 

Let's start with our main characters. Frances, Geraint and Parker are the heart of this story. One name from this trio may be the inspiration to get you started. 

There are lots of great ideas based on Frances! You could start with some relaxed Fran pyjamas by Closet Core, hopefully they'll be in better shape than the ones Frances was wearing at the beginning of the book... 

Or you could try the Frances Tee & Dress by Victory Patterns, for a comfortable but slightly more elevated look than sweatpants. 

The Frances Shirt Dress by Pattern Sewciety might reflect the kind of outfit Frances might have worn for school visits or for court dates, to look respectable! 

Or this pretty tee, for backyard parties or coffee dates with her writer friends, the Frances Top by FibreMood 

Maybe it is Frances' swimming habits that appeal to you most, and you want to make something inspired by her days at the pool. You could try the Frankie One Piece Swimsuit by Edgewater Ave

Now for Parker - she has a much younger, DIY aesthetic, with her self-made outfits. You might be inspired by a loose tiered dress that could reflect her relaxed style, like the Parker Skater Dress by Styla Patterns 

Or self-drafting a tank top could be something to give a nod to her handmade designs, too. Maybe this Parker Panel Tank Tutorial by Sew Daily  You might even be able to make this using tea towels like Parker does. 

Or perhaps you're thinking of something fancy like the silver evening dress she dons during the scene at the hotel near the end of the book, in that case you could try out something like the Parker Pencil Dress by Luyion on Etsy 

There wasn't much out there inspired by Geraint, at least not by his name! But this Geraint Bag by IThinkSew could be just the thing for him to carry as he's rescuing odds and sods from around the bay! 

There are many inspirations you can take from the family members of our main characters as well. 

Geraint's son Keanu could inspire a backpack he might use to carry his schoolbooks. The Keanu Backpack by UhOh Creations  would be perfect! 

You could also make yourself a dress just inspired by the name! The Keanu Dress by MOCHA  is a lovely one. 

Geraint's estranged wife Darlene could inspire an outfit, maybe the Darlene Dress by Tiana's Closet - it's also a free pattern.

Or Parker's family might be your inspo. Her boyfriend Alexei could be reflected by the Alexi Knit Top by StyleArc

Or her mother Sharon could spark some ideas! The Sharon Bag by Ithinksew would fit Sharon's peripatetic lifestyle. She could tote stuff in this one for sure. 

Or the Sharon Ruffled Top by Tiana's Closet is a possibility - it reflects her lifestyle down in Mexico, quite light and holidayish. 

Frances' family provides a bunch of potential! You might be inspired by Daisy and her post-uni lifestyle, with the Daisy Dress by Winslet's 

Or maybe something more functional, with the Max Overalls by Minapop Studios as a nod to her son Max. 

The Jeremy Bow-Tie by Youtique Bridal (pattern link under video) is a great fit for Jeremy

Or, Jeremy's new partner Kelly could inspire a make of the Kelly Anorak by Closet Core 

Frances' mother might make you think of the Cordelia Dress by Veronica Tucker  - it's a pretty summer dress, easy to wear. 

Frances' best friend Jules might inspire you to make the Jules Woven Tunic by Style Arc - she might wear something this casual for one of her dinner parties. 

And then carry the Jules Bag by Lacus Bags  to complete the outfit. 

Meanwhile, Jules' wife Carmen might give you ideas for a whole outfit, with the Carmen Pants by Sew Creative Lounge

Made alongside the Carmen Blouse by BianSewStudio - a free pattern

It could be a few of the side characters who catch your interest. Their Anger Management instructor Dennis might show up with the Dennis Knitted Tie by Kathleen Dames on Ravelry

While their corrections officer Carol might wear something practical like the Carol Jacket by Silhouette Patterns 

Or she might even dress up a little with the Carol Sweatshirt Dress by Pattydoo -- not too dressy for Carol! 

Their fellow Anger Management class attendee, Byron, might inspire you to make the Byron Romper set by Sinclair Patterns 

Or when we meet Parker's former boss near the end, she could inspire the Wanda Wrap Dress by Wardrobe by Me

Or perhaps you might be thinking more along the lines of this simple Wanda knit top by Sirena Patterns, which would go very well under the denim overalls that Wanda wears when she meets up with Parker, Frances & Jules. 

Frances' new friend Eoin might inspire (using the more usual spelling) the Owen Trousers by FibreMood

While nosy neighbour Cheryl, who always gets her knickers in a twist about everything, might make you think of the Cheryl Panty by Pin Up Girls 😄

For more full coverage she might also go for the Cheryl Bodysuit by FibreMood

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I hope this journey through the character names has given you some potential ideas! If you have other suggestions or ideas for your own project, feel free to share in the comments for others to explore. And I hope you've gotten your hands on a copy and have enjoyed it so far!

Weekend Review: Crafting a Cold Case

Crafting a Cold Case / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T, c2025.
256 p.

I read the latest volume of the Gasper's Cove series by Barbara Emodi at the very end of December, during a huge winter storm. Timely, as it is set mostly during a huge winter storm! It made it feel quite recognizable. 

This is such a fun series, and the characters grow with every new story. In this 6th installment, Valerie shows her inimitable amateur sleuthing skills again, when there's a murder, a snowstorm, and a number of strangers in town outside of tourist season. 

The story begins with the usually unflappable Catherine, former librarian and Valerie's cousin-in-law, calling her in panic mode. Valerie drops everything and heads right over, to discover that the crisis is two unwanted guests at Catherine's B&B who are driving her crazy. Valerie responds immediately. 

“I went over to the pantry and found a box of Morse’s Tea, the official consolation beverage of Nova Scotia since 1870. I picked up the kettle and filled it at the deep, stainless-steel, industrial-sized sink. While I waited for the water to boil, I found a tin of shortbread and put enough for four people onto a plate. Emotional breakdowns are no time to be skimpy with baked goods.”

This book is such a great balance of mystery and humour. I love this series for this reason, and I find that each book gets better. There are two extra guests, one a prepper who follows Catherine's partner Rollie around constantly, and one a peevish old professor there to talk to a local group about antiquities. The other stranger in town is a smooth talking podcaster, unfortunately brought to Gasper's Cover by Valerie's daughter -- nobody else really likes him, but her daughter seems enamoured. 

There is intrigue from the start, but then a storm blows in, one that their local weather station seemed to miss completely. And it's a bad one. It snows them all in, even as one of the locals in the antiquities group is found dead in a snowbank. Murder, and who was it? It's a real mystery this time with some pretty plausible red herrings sprinkled around liberally. Lots of people to dislike and suspect, whether of murder, stealing a snowplow, or just being a jerk. 

I really liked this one. So many good characters, intriguing setup, funny commentary, and an unexpected conclusion. Even a big surprise for everyone (even herself) when one of Valerie's guesses proves correct. I'd read this again, just for the characters. And that snowstorm!

 

Weekend Review: Crafting an Alibi

 

Crafting an Alibi / Barbara Emodi
Lafayette, CA: C&T, c2025
224 p.

This is Book 5 in the entertaining Gasper's Cove mystery series. We meet many of the same characters we've seen over the last few books, but see them from new angles. And there are some new characters added too, perhaps ones we will see again. 

As this story begins, Valerie is invited into a big secret held by a group of senior ladies, now resident at the Seaview Manor. She is asked to find some valuable fabric hidden decades ago, but before she can do it, the hiding place is burned to the ground. Unfortunately for Valerie, it was her family cottage and there was a renter in it. 

This set-up leads to some dramatic events -- insurance investigations, attempted murders, further fires -- all while Valerie is trying to puzzle out the clues (missing important steps as usual). She is also in the midst of helping to plan her cousin/best friend's wedding, dealing with her emotions over being an empty nester, and of course losing a family property. 

There is a lot going on here, but it's rooted in the same small town atmosphere as the previous books in the series. It has the hallmarks of a Gasper's Cove story - some Nova Scotia history, some cozy relationships which involve food and tea, and Valerie's crafting knowledge, which always plays a part. I really enjoyed the cabal of old ladies at Seaview Manor in this novel and hope to see their cleverness highlighted again.  

If you've enjoyed this series so far, this is a good addition, with some lovely scenes as well as some heart-pounding ones. Beware, you may be left craving butter tarts after this one!

Weekend Review: Crafting with Slander

 

Crafting With Slander / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T Publishing, c2024.
242 p.

I'm going back a little in this series, as I had missed this one, the 3rd in the series, even though I recently reviewed #4! But it doesn't matter too much, as the stories do stand alone even if they are more entertaining when you read in order, since you can follow the characters. 

I really enjoyed this one. The set up was tricky and the solution unexpected. As the story begins, Gasper's Cove is being told that the larger town of Drummond across the causeway is going to amalgamate the community. The residents don't want this at all, but "Mighty Mike" Murphy, the mayor, thinks it's a great idea. (and the crafters start coming up with some wacky ideas to stop it, like blowing up the causeway that separates the two communities, or less violently, using their crafting skills to knit a giant barrier including a button up gate for emergencies.)

There is a municipal election, though, and Valerie's cousin Darlene decides to run. There are a couple of other local candidates, one who runs just to bring attention to the issues he is concerned about, and one more serious candidate, the son of a prominent local family hoping to use this as a stepping stone to bigger and better political roles. 

Valerie steps up as Darlene's campaign manager, and gets her crafters involved. They hand-stencil election signs, cross-stitch up some badges, and generally stump for Darlene. But then Valerie goes to complain to the mayor about some dirty tricks and finds him dead with one of Darlene's signs next to him. Concerned that Darlene is being framed, Valeried starts another round of investigations. 

This one was tricky and has some red herrings that were very convincing to me. There are also a few new characters added into the mix, and some moments where Valerie's nosiness gets her into some serious trouble. Thankfully, as always, Valerie prevails -- even if she starts by accusing a bunch of non-guilty characters! There was fascinating info about local Nova Scotia history, as always, and in this book it was focused on the famous painter Maud Lewis. Readers will always learn something even in these light and entertaining cozies. And as always, sewing and crafting talk is naturally woven into the story. Really enjoyable. 

Weekend Review: Crafting a Getaway

 

Crafting a Getaway / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T Publishing, c2024.
240 p.

I found another volume in the Gasper's Cove mystery series by sewing writer Barbara Emodi! I enjoy this series so I snatched this one up. It's another episode in the mystery-solving life of amateur sleuth Valerie Rankin, resident of Gasper's Cove, Nova Scotia. 

There have been some changes in this story; Valerie is now the manager of the family hardware business, where she also runs her crafting workshops and studio. Her cousin Rollie has moved on to managing a local inn with his girlfriend. 

The action starts off with a mistake by Valerie (as it often does). She is planning a crafting retreat but realizes that she entered the dates wrong on her event listing -- she got them backwards, so instead of August 7 like she is planning for, the retreat has been advertised for July 8. Which is now. She only has a day or two to pull together her instructors and try to run it immediately, since the retreat guests are already in town. 

So she runs around, finding herself in just the right place every time to add some clues to the upcoming mystery. Her final stop, at the Inn (where the retreat is scheduled for August, and has no room now since there is a corporate event going on) is where she comes across the dead body of the marketing specialist from the corporate event. 

Valerie continues rushing around into multiple blind alleys -- it's her modus operandi in each book. But in this one, the plotting is a little more intricate and there are both more characters and more suspects. There are also tons of references scattered in about Nova Scotia ecology and history, which I always find so fascinating and a very enjoyable part of this series. Valerie also talks about craft, of course; she's taken on teaching the quilting class, which is not her specialty, so we hear all about that too. 

I really enjoyed this one. The story was more complex than the first books in the series - Emodi's writing style is growing and the setting is more developed after four books, too. The solution to this mystery was a bit out there, but it was a fun journey. 

Weekend Review: From the Rez to the Runway

 

From the Rez to the Runway / Christian Allaire 
TO: HarperCollins, c2025.
272 p.

Christian Allaire (author of The Power of Style) has just published a memoir about his rise from Ojibwe teen from Northern Ontario to Vogue fashion writer -- and it's a great read! He's really honest about the trials and tribulations of reaching his goals, recognizing both his own hard work and his luck. As well as the support he received from his family and community. 

He shares how he was always into fashion, reading magazines, watching Fashion Televison & admiring Jeanne Beker, and dressing himself as style-forward as he could with thrift store finds and more. He decided to go into fashion journalism and headed to Toronto, where he found himself one of the few Indigenous students in the journalism program, and certainly in the fashion journalism subset. 

During school he also interned and worked very hard to make connections that might lead to work or further opportunities - he seems to have had endless energy and drive at this time. In this section, he mentions that the professors told him he shouldn't be working, that he should be focusing on academics instead - but that it was all the work he was doing that led to the footholds he was able to get in the industry. This is a great point for many students to think about. 

When he moves to New York to take on some internships, the stories get wilder, until he realizes he needs to take control of his life and manage addictions, so that he can succeed instead of burning out and disappearing. There are lots of entertaining stories during his internship years, including one at a magazine where a roomful of Chanel couture was inadvertently destroyed (not by him), or when a celebrity wore all the designer clothes from a shoot home, and Christian, an intern, had to go get these pieces back to return to the designers in the morning. 

But he also shares stories of how being true to himself and his Indigenous community led to opportunities, especially at Vogue. His pieces on the Santa Fe Indian Market and a variety of Indigenous beaders, designers, jewellers and more were big hits, and he was able to parlay this into the right role at just the right time. And when the book ends, he is giddy, at the peak - he's on the red carpet at the Met Gala, interviewing guests. 

This is an engaging memoir from an important voice in the fashion community right now. I enjoyed the structure and the progression of the book and thought it was well done, incorporating a variety of stories for someone so early into their career. Definitely worth a look!

Literary Sewing Circle: Spring 2025

 

Our Spring 2025 session of the Literary Sewing Circle starts today! 

I'm pleased to announce that our group read this time around is:

All the Things We Leave Behind by Riel Nason

This is a book I first read almost a decade ago (my original thoughts on it here) and it has stayed with me. I hope you will find this introspective novel, which delves into some serious themes, as engaging as I did.

Summary: 

It's 1977. Seventeen-year-old Violet is left behind by her parents to manage their busy roadside antique business for the summer. Her restless older brother, Bliss, has disappeared, leaving home without warning, and her parents are off searching for clues. Violet is haunted by her brother's absence while trying to cope with her new responsibilities. Between visiting a local hermit, who makes twig furniture for the shop, and finding a way to land the contents of the coveted Vaughn estate, Violet acts out with her summer boyfriend, Dean, and wonders about the mysterious boneyard. But what really keeps her up at night are thoughts of Bliss's departure and the white deer, which only she has seen.

"All the Things We Leave Behind" is about remembrance and attachment, about what we collect and what we leave behind. In this highly affecting novel, Nason explores the permeability of memory and the sometimes confusing bonds of human emotion.

(from publisher)

About the Author: 

Riel Nason is a Canadian author and textile artist/quilter.  She writes for both adults and children.  She is best known for her debut novel, The Town That Drowned, which won the Commonwealth Book Prize for Canada and Europe among other awards, and her bestselling picture book series starring The Little Ghost Quilt. Her works have been translated in many languages including German, Japanese, French and Scottish Gaelic. 

(from author's website)

This book is available for purchase in multiple formats.

You can find this title at all of these locations:

Direct from the publisher, Goose Lane Editions

IndieBound

Biblio.com

Chapters Indigo

Barnes and Noble

ABE Books

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com.au

Or, of course, check your local library!

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How does the Literary Sewing Circle work? We read a book together, discuss it, and then make something inspired by our reading. As long as you can point out what inspired you from your reading, even if just a sentence, you can share your makes in our final roundup!

Anyone can join, and you can sew, knit, crochet, quilt or embroider - any textile art that you like doing - to participate. This is a reading/sewing circle, very low-key; no competitions here, just reading and sewing for fun. 

There is no official sign-up to worry about; just start reading along if you wish, and leave your thoughts on the book or your project on any of the Literary Sewing Circle posts. We do have a dedicated book discussion post halfway through and again at the end, but leave your thoughts anytime. And you can follow along on Instagram too if you like: look for @sewmelwyk and the hashtag #LiterarySewingCircle and you'll find us.

And when the final post goes up on week 6, so does the project linkup -- you can leave a link to your finished project there, whether it is on your blog, a pattern site, or even Instagram. It's easy :)

So, join in, and share!

Literary Sewing Circle Schedule

April 4 - Announcement & Introduction

April 11 - Inspiration post 1

April 18 - Preliminary book talk

April 25  - Author feature

May 2 -  Inspiration post 2

May 9 - Final Post: book discussion wrap up & posting of project linkup

We will have our project linkup live for two weeks after the final post to allow you to finish up and post your projects, which takes us to May 23, when the window to share your projects will close.

Weekend Review: Sharp Notions

 

Sharp Notions / ed. by Marita Dachsel & Nancy Lee
Vancouver, BC: Arsenal Pulp Press, c2023.
352 p.

I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed this book before! I bought it when it was first released in late 2023, as it's obviously a book for me -- writers, textiles, Canadian. And I'm so glad I did. 

This is a collection of 27 essays about stitching, whether that is knitting, quilting, beading, crochet, or other textile work, by a variety of writers and artists. Some are very personal, going over a time in the writer's life where they faced loss or illness, or questions of belonging or identity. Some are more about stitching as a communal or professional experience. And they are all thoughtful and incorporate the ways in which stitching is embedded in the writer's experience of life. 

There are some writers included who I am already a fan of (including a former Literary Sewing Circle pick, Theresa Kishkan) and there are a few I hadn't heard of prior to reading this. I appreciated that this is a Canadian book and it features a wide ranging sample of writers beyond the usual white crafting circles. A diverse choice of authors is featured, all giving their own perspective on this theme. In some of the essays, particularly those by artists, colour images of their works are included, which is an added bonus. 

It's a literary collection, really focused on art and writing, and discussing how fibre arts play a role in the experiences they've chosen to highlight, in actuality and at some points as metaphor. It's one to read slowly, essay by essay, giving yourself time to absorb and think about the essays as you go. Lots to think about here. And it's extra appealing thanks to that beautiful cover, a work by Lia Pas, one of the authors included. If you're in the mood for some meditative, introspective reading, and you also stitch, this will most likely be a great choice for you. 

Weekend Review: Stitching Science

 

Stitching Science / Lauren Wright Vartanian & Keltie Thomas
Richmond Hill, ON: Firefly Books, c2024.
64 p.

I have something very special for you today! This is a book that is a wonderful blend of science and art. It's an alphabet book of scientific topics, all illustrated with hand-stitched images by Lauren Wright Vartanian, an artist who is fairly local to me. 

I watched this book's development on IG, as Vartanian began her stitching during lockdown. These are two of my favourite topics so I was thrilled when it was picked up as a book. The detailed embroideries are photographed very well, with large pages and clear, crisp photos that let you see the elements of each one. There is even a section at the end of closeups of some of the smaller details so you can really appreciate the handwork. 

Topics range from A to Z (haha, it is an alphabet book after all!). Vartanian got creative to find something for each letter, and while X is X-Ray as it often is in alphabet books, in this one it really makes sense to include this scientific discovery. Also, the image for this one is one of my favourites in the book, with the layered organza to represent the see through hand - and it's used on the cover because it is so striking. There are many others that are also stunning and creative and help you see things a little differently. If you want to see many, many of the interior images, check out Vartanian's website with her announcement about the book - so good! 

This is marketed as a children's book but I would say it's a middle grade read at least. Each topic has a one page essay about the scientific principle under discussion. Text was written by Keltie Thomas, and it complements the images well. It's thorough but not overwhelming for a younger reader.

Adults will enjoy this as much as younger readers, and might appreciate the skill in the illustrations a little more as well! I hope that reading this will spur interest among readers in both science and in embroidery. I think it's a gorgeous read that shows how well science and art work together to educate and inspire. 

If you're also in Ontario, you can see the original artwork exhibited at the Idea Exchange in Cambridge, on until March 30,. 2025. 

Weekend Review: Stitches

 

Stitches / Glen Huser
TO: Groundwood Books, c2003.
200 p.

I picked up this short YA novel from my library recently -- I mean, just look at the cover! How could I not want to read this one? And I liked it, but do have a few caveats to that opinion.

The story follows Travis and his best friend Chantelle, as they move from fifth grade to junior high. Travis is different; he loves making puppets and wants to grow up to be a professional puppeteer. Chantelle has many physical disabilities and between them they are the outsider kids in their school. Travis has high hopes for changes in junior high, but while they do have supportive home ec and English teachers, who both encourage Travis' interest in drama and puppets, there is also more homophobic bullying from a group of boys he's known for a long time. But their teachers set them a challenge to present A Midsummer Night's Dream as a puppet show as their final project, and this keeps them going. 

The action in the story is mainly centred around the homophobic violence, which is never clearly resolved in the end. Travis' home life is rough, with a mother who's rarely around - he lives with his aunt and uncle (and the uncle is a mean loud mouth). He doesn't have anyone to confide in or to stand with him at home. Chantelle has older brothers who are rough types but at least support her and by extension, Travis as well, and they come in strongly at the end. 

There is lots of description of Travis and Chantelle sourcing fabric for their puppets at the thrift store, and making things like bags, puppet stages, and more. But I thought from the cover and description that there might be a bit more focus on that part of the story. 

The narrative tone is also a bit confusing. It doesn't feel so much like a young adult living the story, but an adult looking back at the events and telling them in retrospect. And the timing is a bit off; sometimes from one paragraph to the next, you are in the next school year without realizing it at first. I think some spacing/breaks in the typesetting could have helped with the transitions. 

I did like this one. It's set in rural Alberta and has some authenticity there. But I did feel a bit overwhelmed by everything being so dismal for Travis, from home to school, with so many aggressive characters and anger everywhere. I was relieved by the ending, with new hopes coming for Travis as he moves to the city to an arts-based high school. But I also felt that this novel, with important themes, could have been better.  

Weekend Review: The Go-Between

 

The Go-Between / Jennifer Maruno
Toronto, ON : Red Deer Press, c2024.
208 p.

This middle grade novel is set in British Columbia in the mid 1920s. Sumi is the younger daughter of a Japanese family living in Vancouver. She's curious and energetic and wants to be a journalist. Her older sister Yoshi wants to be a dressmaker, and has just had a chance to enter a summer school that will give her a leg up on getting into the fashion course she wants to study. But Yoshi has also been asked to take on a summer job as a housemaid in remote Gibson's Landing to make some money for the family and for her education. 

Sumi comes up with a plan; she'll take the job so that Yoshi is free to study, and, Sumi will also convince their wealthy Aunt and Uncle to cover the registration fees for Yoshi. She cleverly does all this, and heads off to Gibson's Landing, a small settlement on an island. It's not at all what she expected. She sleeps in a canvas roofed bunkie in the yard, she is the underling to a bossy and fairly lazy housekeeper, and encounters racism and accusations of theft in her job. 

However, it's not all bad. She also meets a local Japanese family with a market garden, and befriends the son who is her age. Her personality is strong enough that she is able to withstand the difficult moments she experiences, and to speak up when she feels she has to. She is helpful to the sickly wife of the doctor she works for, and finds respect for her work ethic eventually, even from the crabby housekeeper. 

There are moments of crisis and drama -- a hurricane, a strike at the local cannery that she's secretly involved with, accusations of theft -- but as a middle grade novel nothing feels too dangerous, and Sumi comes through everything safe and sound. I thought that the issues of racism and classism were brought up really naturally and in a way that younger readers would understand and feel.  

The writing is clear and the setting is vibrantly evoked. Sumi makes a great heroine, as she has determination and is a clever girl. Her relationship with Yoshi was a delight also; their letters are shared, with Yoshi's progress at the sewing school outlined, and a colourful apron that she makes and sends to Sumi plays a role in the story, too. This was a chance discovery, and one that I really enjoyed. The little extra bit of sewing content was an added plus! 

Weekend Review: Crafting Deception

 

Crafting Deception / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T Publishing, c2023.
224 p.

Delighted to be sharing book 2 in the Gasper's Cove series by sewing writer Barbara Emodi. I read book one, Crafting for Murder, late last year and have been lookig forward to its follow-up. 

In this story, Valerie Rankin finds herself investigating a murder on behalf of Duck, the ex-con handyman at her craft collective. Duck has been arrested, and she doesn't feel like anyone is making any effort to clear him, even though he is obviously innocent. So she gets involved, rushing around following leads and tenuous connections, coming up with likely theories.  

Tied in to all this is a mystery from the past. There's a WWII era ship that sunk off the coast of Nova Scotia, and it seems like it's cargo might be reappearing. Valerie comes across a parachute that is tangled up in all this mystery -- and through this, the history of WWII parachute packers is shared with the reader as well. The fascinating history of women's work in WWII (including parachute packing) colours the story and also turns out to be important in the contemporary side of the mystery. 

I found this volume to be a little quicker moving than the first one, now that all the scene setting and character building from the first is complete. This mystery was also really tricky, with potential solutions that seemed to make perfect sense popping up in Valerie's theories -- although she had to alter her scenarios often. The characters are developed further, more relationships are fleshed out, and we get to see our favourites from the first book reappearing. And there is also a new cat to add to the friendly old dog in Valerie's life. Bits of sewing and textile talk pepper the book, as usual, with Valerie finding relief and distraction in her sewing classroom. 

If you're a cozy mystery fan, and you like your stories to include real sewing you will enjoy this series. This one was the perfect blend for me, even if Valerie tends to act before she thinks...which keeps the story rolling! I also enjoyed the historical elements, and ended up looking up the blog post on parachute packers that the author referred to in the notes (which incidentally was written by another Canadian author!). So interesting! This is an enjoyable Canadian series that I'd suggest to any crafty cozy reader. 

Weekend Review: Crafting for Murder

 

Crafting for Murder / Barbara Emodi
Concord, CA: C&T Publishing, c2023.
224 p.

This is the first volume in a projected series of cozy crafter mysteries, by well-known Canadian sewist Barbara Emodi. I just had to read it, having really liked her two sewing books as well as her long-running blog. 

It's a fun and light cozy mystery, with many of the expected elements of such -- a middle-aged female protagonist, a dog and cat, a job that leaves lots of room for investigations, and a whole group of side characters that spice up the story. 

Valerie Rankin has moved back to tiny Gasper's Cove, Nova Scotia, now that her three children are on their own and she's an empty nester. She's returned to where she grew up, and where she has many cousins of all sorts, and a family business -- a general store -- run by one of them. She helps out there, and also gives sewing lessons in the back room. But her big plan is to open a Crafter's Co-op in the upper room of the store, to promote local craft and make Gasper's Cove into more of a tourist location. 

This is where she runs into trouble. They find out that the building's upper floor needs quite a lot of fixing up before they can let people into it, pushing back her plans. She has to consult an engineer, who becomes part of the story. And, she was just interviewed about the Co-op on local radio, but her spot is a little overshadowed by the murder of the radio host the next day. 

This book is setting up a series, so there's a lot of scene setting and introduction of characters going on. The action can be a little slow because of it, and because Valerie always seems to get the wrong end of the stick on everything; she does tend to leap to conclusions. But it's still an interesting story, and very true to small town politics (even if two murders back to back in such a small place is a bit unusual). I enjoyed some of the side issues like her relationship with her best friend & cousin Darlene, and the discussion of crafting and what it means to people. 

The mystery part of it was puzzling, with lots of suspects and drama. The conclusion was unexpected but made sense within the story, especially as the reader looks back and sees all the subtle clues that were laid down (many of which I missed on first read!) I think this is a great light read and will definitely be checking out book 2 when it's published on Christmas Day this year!

Literary Sewing Circle

Our Fall 2023 session of the Literary Sewing Circle starts today! 

I'm pleased to announce that our group read this time around is:

The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery 

This is a classic of Canadian literature, published in 1926 by one of our best known authors, Lucy Maud Montgomery. It's one of her only books aimed specifically at an adult audience, and which is not set in PEI, but rather in the lovely Muskoka region of Ontario. It's a period piece this time around for the Literary Sewing Circle - I hope you will all enjoy this one as much I have many times over the years!

Summary: 

At twenty-nine Valancy had never been in love, and it seemed romance had passed her by. Living with her overbearing mother and meddlesome aunt, she found her only consolations in the "forbidden" books of John Foster and her daydreams of the Blue Castle. Then a letter arrived from Dr. Trent, and Valancy decided to throw caution to the winds. For the first time in her life Valancy did and said exactly what she wanted. Soon she discovered a surprising new world, full of love and adventures far beyond her most secret dreams.

(via Goodreads)

About the Author: 

Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE (November 30, 1874 – April 24, 1942), published as L. M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry beginning in 1908 with Anne of Green Gables. She published 20 novels as well as 530 short stories, 500 poems, and 30 essays. Anne of Green Gables was an immediate success; the title character, orphan Anne Shirley, made Montgomery famous in her lifetime and gave her an international following.[1] Most of the novels were set on Prince Edward Island, and those locations within Canada's smallest province became a literary landmark and popular tourist site. 

She came to live at Leaskdale, north of Uxbridge, Ontario, after her wedding with Rev. Ewen Macdonald on July 11, 1911. She had three children and wrote close to a dozen books while she was living in the Leaskdale Manse before the family moved to Norval, Ontario in 1926. She died in Toronto April 24, 1942 and was buried at Cavendish, Prince Edward Island.

(via Wikipedia/Goodreads)

This book is available for purchase in multiple formats.

You can find many formats at all of these locations:

IndieBound

Amazon.ca

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com.au

Barnes and Noble

Powell's Books

ABE Books

Biblio.com

Or, of course, check your local library!

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We are also fortunate to have a sponsor for this round of the Literary Sewing Circle! Blue Calla patterns of Toronto will be offering a free pattern for our winner. Blue Calla is an Ontario based bag-making company with a name very similar to our title, so she's the perfect sponsor for this round :) 

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How does the Literary Sewing Circle work? We read a book together, discuss it, and then make something inspired by our reading. As long as you can point out what inspired you from your reading, even if just a sentence, you can share your makes in our final roundup!

Anyone can join, and you can sew, knit, crochet, quilt or embroider - any textile art that you like doing - to participate. This is a reading/sewing circle, very low-key; no competitions here, just reading and sewing for fun. That said, we are fortunate to have a sponsors for this round! The free pattern prize will be drawn for from all participants who have linked up a project by the end of the roundup (Nov 30) and awarded by random draw. 

There is no official sign-up to worry about; just start reading along if you wish, and leave your thoughts on the book or your project on any of the Literary Sewing Circle posts. We do have a dedicated book discussion post halfway through and again at the end, but leave your thoughts anytime. And you can follow along on Instagram too if you like: look for #LiterarySewingCircle and you'll find us.

And when the final post goes up, so does the project linkup -- you can leave a link to your finished project there, whether it is on your blog, a pattern site, or even Instagram. It's easy :)

So, join in, and share!

Literary Sewing Circle Schedule

Oct 6 - Announcement & Introduction

Oct 13 - Inspiration post 

Oct 20 - Preliminary book talk

Oct 27  - Inspiration post

Nov 3  - Author feature

Nov 10 - Final Post: book discussion wrap up & posting of project linkup

We will have our project linkup live for two & a half weeks after the final post to allow you to finish up and post your projects. And also because November 30 was Montgomery's birthday so it feels suitable to end on that date!

The linkup will close on Nov 30 and the random prize will be drawn for at that time.