Cozy Days

We have been having such a cozy time here. The weather has been grey and rainy, and the temperature good for snuggling. Steve is home from work so we are all feeling relaxed. I’ve had a mild tummy bug, enough to sit down for most of the day rather than stand, but not enough to make me feel miserable.

Yesterday I did some sewing, first some mending (pockets with holes, elastic to replace, darning some jeans – it’s amazing what you can do when you actually get out the sewing machine), then with that out of the way I felt inspired to return to a project I started last year – a “tapestry” from the Tilda Sew Pretty Homestyle book (although it’s really a wall quilt, I’d say).

I’m not making it exactly her way, but very much inspired by her. Instead of appliquéing the shapes I’m embroidering them with a quick running stitch. Not so fancy, but quicker and more homey-looking.

Yesterday I got nearly all the blank rectangles stitched, just one more to do when I decide on the design, and then I’ll be ready to think about borders and binding. It would be lovely to have a little stripe as the binding, if I can find something.

My purpose in making this quilt was to use up a lot of pale fabrics, some new and some from my very early patchwork days in the early 90s, I still love them but I find it hard to use them with some modern fabrics. And besides, I have much too much fabric to use up, and I’m determined to use it! So far I haven’t bought anything for this quilt, but I’ll have to buy wadding, at least, and perhaps the backing. I thought of hanging this quilt on the wall, but it might become a lap quilt …

A couple of years ago I bought two rug-hooking kits for the girls, and put them away until the girls were ready for them. Today the time seemed right, so I taught them to hook and they began.

I expected they would do a little, and put it aside for the next 3 years (their usual habit), but instead they are loving it, Laura has already done about 1/3 of the little pattern! I think they are addicted. They didn’t want to stop during dinner or at bedtime!

The plan then is to make them into cushions.

So we sat cozily, stitching, hooking and dozing, listening to soothing music - and the one thing needed to make the picture complete – a cat slept on a lap!

This week we are minding my nieces’ cat Millie while they holiday. She is a Burmese and has settled right into our family. We have never had a pet so this is a new experience for us (Steve grew up with cats and dogs, but I only had fish – not so interactive).

The girls are loving her and we are all enjoying her taking turns on our laps. (Laura wore her dressing gown over her clothes all day so that Millie would like to sit on her lap!) Steve makes the most mischief with her and we all keep out of her way when she goes a bit psycho now and then. We will miss her when she’s gone.

So … sewing, reading, music, hooking, dozing and cat-napping while the rain comes and goes outside … some good days for us ahead.