Lorelei definitely thinks kitty cats are funny!

I just have to post this new little video of Lorelei...Sarah sent it to me this morn; I have watched it several times and it always makes me laugh. she is such a hoot. From this and the video I posted the other day, I can definitely say she thinks cats are funny.... hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

We went down to see her and Sarah yesterday, and we all went out for breakfast. Lorelei entertained everyone around her and enjoyed it all. She first started playing peek-a-boo with the couple behind us...they had 11 grandchildren of their own. When they left, Lorelei watched them as far as she could see them.

Isn't it amazing how babies just form a bridge to make friendships on...

Anyway, the hostess came by to see her two or three times. I forget how many grandchildren she had but they were all boys. And there were a couple men seated across from us and she was having a good time with them.

I Did It! I actually got the quilt ready to take to the sewing machine to quilt. I may be too stiff to even move tomorrow after all the crawling around on the floor that I did. I took ibuprofen trying to ward it off and will take another dose before I go to bed.
In the photo above, you can get an idea of how many pins I used...I didn't place them as close as i normally do so am hoping I don't regret it. And I used a kind of cotton batting I have never used before and though I think it would be a dream to hand quilt through, I was not real happy with it in other ways. The edges kind of wanted to ruffle...and I could not actually stretch it across the floor...I just had to smooth it the best I could. But I will withhold final judgement till I am done quilting it and have washed and dried it.
Just thought I would show a bigger area of it here. I have not decided how I am going to quilt it yet. When I made this top, started with no plans. I started making the little 4-patches. From there it grew. I decided to use the 4-patches as the corners of 9-patches...and then went from there. Not even deciding how big I wanted to make the quilt till I started sewing it together.

Well, I had a few blocks left over when the top above was as big as I wanted it...so I put those leftover blocks together and made the little quilt seen here. If you go and look at it, be sure and click on the photos to enlarge them and get the full effect. I don't remember the exact finished size...I think it was about 60 inches long...maybe a little longer. I sent it as a surprise to a friend in Pennsylvania.

Plans and dreams....

I have an appointment right before lunch tomorrow...and then I have plans....I have decided this is the quilt top I am going to quilt. It has been waiting for quite a while...but not near as long as some I have. I made it about three years ago, and had plans to machine quilt it. Then life got in the way, things happened and I hardly touched my sewing machines, or sewing of any kind for the past two or three years. Except to make baby quilts.
Tonight I rearranged Lorelei's room till I could spread everything out and get it pin basted. This is a big quilt, approximately 90 inches square so it takes a big area. First I spread the backing out, right side down. I use t-pins and stretch it out on the carpet. This is time consuming...do one on one side, then go straight across to the opposite side and do another. Next, do one on the other two sides. From there, I place one about every 12-18 inches.

Then I spread the batting on top of that and smooth it out. I use a few T-pins but not near as many as I use on the backing. Before I use the batting I will throw it in the dryer on the Air setting for a few minutes to get it to relax.
Next I spread the top out and smooth it...and then go about using the T-pins to keep the top stretched out. Then comes the real time consuming part...I use the bent safety pins and pin the three layers together about every six inches. (You can't do this if you have looped carpet...I have enough trouble doing it on regular carpet..)

(This is only a small fraction of the pins I use.)

That is my plans...now if I can just follow through. The past few days, I have been trying to decide which quilt top to quilt...I had planned to do the top I just finished but thought I should do this one if I am going to work on one. It will take a while to quilt, even if I am machine quilting it. And I will have to make the binding...so don't expect me to show you the finished product any time soon.