Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkey breast is in the refrigerator and we just vaccuumed and washed the floors downstairs. I have 2 yds. of fall fabric draped over the tablecloth, and it looks festive. Tomorrow, Chris, Cindy, Vicki and Samantha will join us. It's a smaller crowd than in the past, but that is just fine. More for everyone! Fewer dishes for me!

I've spent the last few weeks Christmas shopping, sewing, and wrapping, and today we'll take the last of the packages to the post office. I plan to take my parents' and Jenny's presents with me to Colorado on Monday. I'm going to help Mom recouperate from surgery and Dad get along without her. She won't be able to drive for a week and shouldn't pick up anything either. Sometimes Dad needs to "kick start" to get out of bed in the mornings, so I'll do whatever I can.

It has been nice shopping and sewing so far in advance actually. Yesterday, walking in the mall with Cindy, I realized that I probably won't be back there until the week before Christmas. This will be good since I am already tired of the "music" they play there. I made five bathmats out of old, frayed bathmats or towels and "orphan" quilt blocks and scraps. I also made a bunch of potholders out of scraps. Here's one of the bathmats:

As a reward, I started working on a scrappy red and beige quilt. I need 49 blocks (or more, depending on how big I want it to be) so it will take a while. I have a batch of handsewing to take along to Colorado - mostly appliqued Dear Jane blocks, small projects to fit in here and there.

I'm currently reading "Growing Up" by Russell Baker, a sweet story set in the Depression. It is a little slow for me, probably because I've been reading so many mysteries lately. I'm tucking a batch of mysteries into my bags for Colorado, too. The trip will be long, with late arrivals at both ends.

Central Vermont Quilt Show

Plans are moving ahead for the first Central Vermont Quilt Show, set for May 8 and 9, 2009, at Barre's historic Old Labor Hall. Our featured quilter is Christine Fries-Ureel, a Barre resident who has won many awards for her art quilts. Years ago, we both attended a class called "Fractured Landscapes," and her class project was gorgeous. It has been fun to watch her work develop. We will also have about 50 quilts of all sizes by local quilters and several vendors. Our first vendor check came in this week, so I'll be opening a checking account for the fledgling show soon!

I've been attending monthly meetings of a new quilt guild in the area, the Heart of Vermont Quilters, which meets on Tuesday nights. Now that I'm retired, I can also find time to attend Saturday afternoon meetings of the Calico County Quilters now and then. When we have B&B guests, I sometimes can't come but am looking forward to some winter meetings.

The Duhks and a coupla quilts

We had a little respite from guests last week, so I took over the dining room to quilt a few tops that were hiding in the closet. The baby-sized quilt is based on a pattern by Bonnie Hunter (http://www.quiltville.com/) called Happy Scrappy Houses. It was a lot of fun to do, and didn't take too long. The larger quilt came from a pattern in BHG's American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine early this year. I had the pink floral pattern for a long time before I found just the right use for it. I'll put up some photos as soon as it gets sunny enough to take some.

Friday, Halloween, we were visited by The Duhks, a Canadian band (the paper called them "neo-traditional") which played at the Opera House on Saturday. It was like having a houseful of 20-something nieces and nephews. They slept late, worked on their computers at the dining room table, did laundry, drove a bio-diesel van, and really had a relaxed attitude toward their show, leaving home after we did. It was a good show - they are great musicians - and we enjoyed their visit.