Sewing and Reading

What's better than sewing and reading? A book about sewing! A fiction murder mystery, that takes place in the south and involves sewing, to be exact. What could be better than that?

I love to read. However, this summer I was having a hard time finding a book I enjoyed, other than ones I have already read. So, I went online and searched "sewing fiction books." One of the first things I found from this search was the Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series, by Elizabeth Lynn Casey. Just looking at the names of the books got me interested (Sew Deadly, Death Threads, Pinned for Murder).

I am now on Book number 4, "Deadly Notions," and I plan to read all of them. They are such a fun read and I love the characters. Each book provides you with the opportunity to get to know the characters a little more. It takes place in the south and is about a group of friends who all share a love of sewing. I love the series for the sewing aspect, and also for the close knit friendships that are formed. These sewing circle women show you what true friendship is both through thick and thin.

The first book starts out when Tori Sinclair moves to Sweet Briar, North Carolina for a job at the library. Sweet Briar is a small town, and soon everyone is talking about her. Leona Elkin is one of the first friends she makes and who helps her adjust to the ways of the south. Soon, she wins over the ladies of the sewing circle and shares her new ideas for the library. Just as she seems to be settling in, a murder takes place and it doesn't look good for her, as she is new in town. Will her new friends help her or will they turn against her?

The books are suspenseful, funny, interesting, and keeps you guessing until the end. You won't be disappointed. You can read more about the books at the author's website, here.

Another thing I love about these books is the sewing tips and sewing project at the end. There are instructions for making a similar project of what Tori and her sewing group worked on in that book. In "Pinned For Murder," the Sweet Briar Sewing Circle made hats and scarves for a women's shelter. I decided to try my hand at making a hat a scarf, and it is probably one of the easiest projects I have ever made!

Here's the scarf:

 

 

 

Basically, you just layer four fleece rectangles, sew down the middle and make cuts every 1 inch on both sides. Then you fluff it out and you have nice warm scarf!

 

 

The hat was very simple too. You just cut one rectangle, folded the rectangle in half and sewed all but 4 inches on the side. Then turning it right side out, you cut fringes on the part you did not sew and tied it off.

 

 

They are both very warm and I know I will get a lot of use out of them this winter. I would really like to make a bunch of them for some type of  service project like Tori and her friends did in the book.

Do you have any book recommendations? Let me know what you think if you decide to read this series!

~Elizabeth