quilt meetings and home front

Here is a quilt that was turned in at our meeting On Tuesday-- Theramae's Merkitty challenge quilt. She has been having some health problems this year, in and out of the hospital and such, so this was the first time she could in months. We had offered to come by and pick her up if she felt up to it and take her home when she was ready a time or two but she was not ready to take us up on it. (Her home helper brought her by and Jane and Aline took her home after going out for a sandwich at Quizno's. Most of us had brought our lunch so didn't go)

We had a few to pin, chatting to do, suggestions about quilt patterns for one of the girls. I did a bit of work on one of my bluework snowmen blocks since I didn't want to haul my machine. Really if I am going to be truthful, I am in the "not wanting to piece or quilt doldrums" again, I'm afraid.

Now mind you, I don't necessarily think that is a BAD thing. It helps to recharge the batteries to step back a bit but I do have some sewing that needs to be done. Some deadline type projects. I could tick all the items off on my fingers but except for needing a little push to get started, that is only important to me.


But, I didn't want to totally waste the days away on the computer or whatever. I started cutting and organizing some fabric bits instead. I have vowed not to have a bag that holds leftovers from previous projects, cutaways, etc and let those mount up again. Not after I spent three or four days cutting my way through it. However, I was very close to that. The leftovers from the bargello, my own and those that my mom sent for me to use were still in a bag on the floor. Atop that a small Hancock's bag stuffed to the gills with strips that I wouldn't let Judy toss. Marilyn added to it on Saturday when she brought a small box out to the car. Oh, and some donation fabrics earlier in the month from another friend.

A good bit of it was cut but some, not. 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 and a few 1 1/2 inch strips. Some was tossed and others separated out uncut. The pastels on the left---log cabin baskets. Some leftover Christmas nine patches. I still need to put this stuff away but there you have it. Replenish the scrap baskets with some new stuff and put away the old. I think I am going to dismantle an old top that Marilyn brought me after I post this and run an errand. The top is feedsack fabrics in large block form.

Obligatory kitty pictures are included, of course, LOL. Skyler playing with his toy mice and other toys scattered throughout the living room. He has taken to hauling the small ones into the kitchen to bat them around under the kitchen table. He will even dive under the buffet to fetch one out if it strays. Looks pretty funny to see a cat with just the butt end sticking out and completely flattened out. I know Pippi would have gotten stuck but he is smaller--and almost fearless.

It rained a bit around lunch time so he is keeping a watchful eye on the birds. Better than his playing with the iron cord, I think. DJ needs to trim the bush outside the other perch but he goes from one to the other throughout the day.

Other than some reading and poking around the 'net for some ideas of a Halloween quilt and of course, my almost daily walking it just doesn't seem like I have doing much. Maybe I should heed the word my husband often says "Aren't you retired? Who gave you all those jobs?"

Any of the rest of you having problems loading pics? I had to download Picassa in order to get these added today.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend---