Hello, There

I really wish I had something finished to show you, but I just don't. Here in the land of Muddle it is still very warm during the day, but we've had some cool nights, so the promise of Fall is in the air! Do you notice that my swing on the patio will even open up to be a bed? We won't talk about how much time I've wasted spent enjoying the lovely weather out there.

Buddy has completed all the injections to kill off the heartworms. Now we try to keep him contained and peaceful so he doesn't hurt himself until the are all dead!  He is the funniest thing to watch with a new bone. He is SO serious! You might be able to see Miss Chloe out on the patio giving him the evil eye. Our pets are just continually entertaining to me.

All of the 4 1/4 inch squares have been sewn into nine patches and then cut in half side to side and top to bottom, giving me four blocks from each nine patch.

I started sewing them together Saturday, but I haven't made a huge amount of progress.

These are still on the design wall.

And I probably have about half of the sashings sewn on the Dancing Nine Patches! Soon these will be going on the design walls. It will take both walls for this one!

This last part of the year always seems to fly by, doesn't it? There are so many things I want to get done.Time will tell how many of them actually happen. I'm going to try to have fun with it all anyway!  I hope you are doing that, too. Having fun. It's a good thing!

Hugs and kisses,

Patriotic Houses

You might remember this joint project from a while back. My friend Sandy ironed the houses onto the background squares for me and then I zig zagged around them all and sewed them together. Then I folded it up and put it in the closet. Because I was good and tired of looking at it. This week I pulled it out, sewed a border on it, chose the backing and binding fabric, quilted it and got the binding sewn on it.

The houses and the Heat 'N Bond were cut using the Go Cutter. I can see lots of things I'd have done differently, but I know it will be a long time before I do one of these again. I had thought originally it would live here, but I've decided that it really should go to the USO.

You can see the backing and binding here (and the outside visitor and inside Dinah cats not liking each other very much. Good thing there's a screen between them!).

Here it is after a run through the washer and dryer. I like it. Really I do, but somehow I think soldiers passing through the airport lounge will enjoy it.

I'm sure I could say something funny about this picture of Dinah, but frankly I just thought you might like it. How would you caption it?

Shots of life at Muddle Manor. Buddy DOES love his bones. He goes back on Monday to the vet for his next round of heart worm killing shots. He will stay overnight two  nights this time. The house will be empty without him. He has become such a big part of our family. In more ways than one!

I hope you've had a lovely week with lots of happiness. Life is too short to stay in the mullygrubs, isn't it! There are always things to be thankful for if you recognize them.

Hugs and kisses,

Working on Three

As I promised last week, here is a look at the Christmas Nine Patches I've been making for the Dancing Nines quilt. I've made one hundred on these little babies and pinned them together in groups of ten.

Here are forty of them with their first sashing sewn! I might actually get this one done before Christmas. I am so excited.

In between,  I  got ten more of the Scrappy Trips blocks finished. I'm still not sure exactly how big this one will end up being, but it's nice to have something different to work on. Wouldn't want to get bored you know.  I so appreciate the generosity of Bonnie Hunter! She has many free patterns available on her blog for all skill levels.

This is project number three. Somehow, the last disappearing nine patch I made - all the fabric had not been washed. This is a big no-no for me. My hands were unhappy for several weeks. So, I washed all my five inch squares, just to be sure. Then I started the fun job of ironing them all. Still haven't finished that!

Since most of the squares have either shrunk or frayed, I'm trimming them to 4 1/2 inches.

This one will eventually go to the USO, too. By the way, our friend there was SO glad to get those quilts. Sandy and I took them on Tuesday. Now I have room for more!

Ruthie's parakeet, Pete, is still a happy bird. He really enjoys his time out on the patio each morning. It's been cool enough in the mornings to have to door open to the patio, and I'm really enjoying hearing Pete and the outside birds singing to each other.

Not too often, but once in a while I let Buddy get up on our bed. He easily takes up half of it! He's a big boy, and I sure do love him. He's doing well. Another week and a half and he goes back for the second round of heartworm shots. He will have to stay two nights at the vet's this time. And then another month of keeping him confined to his kennel a lot. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I'm just glad he's doing well. He's a gift to me, and I'm thankful.

I hope you're having a good week and finding lots to do that makes you happy.

Hugs and kisses,

Two Plus Five

My friend Sandy and I have some quilts ready to take to the local airport USO lounge next week. This first one is made by Sandy. Isn't it pretty! I really like how she's arranged the colors.

And how she's used the blue for sashing and binding. That brick red print is perfect for the outer border, too!

The backing for this one is this vintage tropical print with Ford Mustangs. Fun!

Sandy made this one, too, using nine patches and half square triangles. Really makes a striking looking design, doesn't it? I like that stripe she used for the outer sashing, too. 

Here's a little peek at the backing and that pretty brown which is the inner sashing and the binding.

These five I've already shared on the blog. (Here, here, here, here, and here.)

And here is the grand stack of quilts ready and waiting to be delivered next week! I think these will make a lot of service members feel comforted, warmed and appreciated. Or at least I hope they do, for they certainly are appreciated by us! It is a privilege to do this little thing to show them that we care.

I do hope you have had a good week. I know I am behind on my making and my posting. I am trying to do better. Actually I've been working on my Christmas nine patches. I think it will be pretty. I'll share some of those next time!

Hugs and kisses,