Friday Finds is my weekly round-up of needlework, art, and book news from around the web.

I am home from work today due to the major snowstorm in the Chicago area right now. So far I have been using the extra time to get ahead on planning in my online courses. No matter how prepared I am, it takes forever to build things out in Blackboard, which can get very frustrating. But, it is what it is…

Here are this week’s links:

• The Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Virginia has an exhibition going on now called “The Embedded Message: Quilting in Contemporary Art.” The exhibit page links to the websites of some of the artists featured in the show, and it features a video with one of the artists.
• “Do Audio Books Count as Reading?” I appreciated this perspective from a writer with a visual impairment who learned to love books primarily because he was able to listen to the stories. I am doing most of my reading via audiobooks right now, which I listen to on my commutes to and from work, because I no longer have the free time to sit and read a paper book.
• Mary Corbett has indexed all of the embroidered kaleidoscope patterns she has featured over the years into one handy post.
• Still need a quick stitch for Valentine’s Day? Stitch one of these cute conversation hearts in this free pattern and tutorial. It could be easily adapted for any perforated paper or plastic canvas.
• Finally, I love this visual tour of “35 Literary Bars and Cafes from Around the World.” More places to add to the travel bucket list…

Video of the Week

Harry Connick, Jr. “A Wink and a Smile”