Today 15 ladies attended. It was a day of finishing projects: Rosemary finished the needlepoint she has been working on for awhile and Elaine finished putting the binding on her quilt. What a great way to end the year! Now they're ready to start a new project in the new year. I should go home and finish some of my projects of which I have many. We'll see. Sandy was wearing one of her knitted scarves--very ruffly and beautiful. She also brought in the moebius scarf she made with eyelash yarn. Marie had found a pattern for a long moebius scarf she wanted to make so Sandy helped her get started. Ethel was still working on her table runners. She didn't quite get them done in time for Christmas. Joan had made one of the 10-minute table runners. It was a very nice Christmas one. Winnie was cutting out patterns for the easy scarf Agnes had made. Fran was making catnip mice and also brought in her latest black and white and red creation. Cathy M. was doing redwork. Marguerite was quilting but also brought in the finished quilt top she had put together from pink scraps that we had in our stash. I think I have a piece of fabric at home we could use for the backing. Our group was a little smaller today but that's to be expected since we're still in holiday mode.

Today was our Christmas lunch and this year we had it catered instead of going out to a restaurant. The food was provided by Chef's Take-Out on Carmen Rd. Daryl graciously picked it up for me since she lives nearby. It was Italian food, chicken parm, vegee lasagna, salad and garlic bread, and was very good. Some of the ladies brought desserts. Cathy M. brought her famous chocolate cake with coconut frosting which was beautiful as well as delicious. Daryl brought a cranberry/apple pie which had a crust that was as good as mom used to make. We all got very full and many went home with food for their supper or hubby. There were 30 of us in all. This included some of the library staff that I invited to participate. My assistant Mary Jane did the room decorating. I have no talent for that so appreciate having someone else to do that job. After lunch Sue R. showed us how to make a 10-minute table runner. I'm wondering if I can find some fabric at home to whip up a couple. Some of the ladies participated in a storytelling grant hosted by the library and they had their books with the stories in them. I glanced at one and it looked really nice. I can't wait to read the stories. The library will be getting 3 copies eventually which can circulate. We will be meeting again next week and the week after. Holidays don't stop us from getting together. Happy holidays to everyone!

20 ladies attended last Tuesday. Our group seems to be growing and as it grows it becomes more noisy! Lots of talk and laughing! The moebius scarf has really taken off in the group. There are at least 4 maybe 5 ladies making them and they are having such a good time with it! They are starting to get experimental with the pattern just to see what they can do. I'm impressed. I tried to get them to pose for me with their scarves on but they just were too excited talking and teaching each other new tricks. I hope some of these scarves end up in our show in February. Marguerite took home some already cut squares that were in our stash last week and put them together. She has the start for a very nice quilt. Marie is still wearing some of the home-made clothes she has found since she moved and Winnie wore one of her festive painted shirts so I had to take a picture of them. Jo-Ann finished the scarf she has been knitting for some time. The pattern was very tricky--you knit the whole thing then go back and drop stitches throughout. She was uncertain about the dropping stitches part so Cathy M. gave her moral support while she dropped stitches but she finally finished and it is indeed a unique and attractive scarf. In the meantime, at home, Cathy M. has been making chef's aprons for her sons who are both apparently good cooks (they must have learned from her because she is certainly an excellent cook). We made her try on the apron for the picture. I missed getting a picture of Pat OR's christmas tree which she has been embellishing for a couple of weeks. Maybe she'll bring it back next week. Next week is our catered lunch. June B. can't make it but she sends her wishes for a Merry Christmas to all. And Agnes is visiting her children so we will miss her. But I think we will have a pretty full house so it should be fun.

23 ladies attended yesterday--it was a big (and noisy) group! Lots of things going on: Ethel brought in her Christmas table runners she is making for each of her children; Joyce L. and Cathy M had fancy Christmas ornaments to show; Kathy O. had finished two moebius scarves and a hat; Sue R. had already made 40 (!) of the scarves Agnes showed us last week; and I brought in more Houston quilt show purchases. Kathy, Marie and Sandy are all making the moebius scarves. Betty Smith would be proud but they all wish Betty were here to explain the mathematics to them. Fran is knitting mini-sweater Christmas tree ornaments. Rosemary is nearing completion on her needlepoint as is Diane C. on her cross-stitch. Joan is doing redwork embroidery this week. Pat OR is hand piecing. Marguerite is quilting her mile-a-minute quilt. Sandy has a bag we all admire. It was made by her niece who has since lost the pattern. We took some measurements and Sue is going to see if she can create one just from the measurements. Dallas came in with a big box of yarn to give away. And we had a guest visitor who had heard about the group from Sandy. She says she plans to come back and bring something to work on. Elaine is still binding her quilt--I hope she's finished by February so we can put it in the show. It is truly a gem! Tina was working on a vest. She needed some fitting advice on the gaping armholes. Kathy O. sews a lot so hopefully she had some tips. I am under orders to make the final arrangements for our holiday lunch so will work on that this week and let you know next Tuesday.

18 ladies attended today. I got out the fruit fabric and cut it up with my special ruler. Marguerite laid out the resulting squares and it looked awful! The ruler should have come with instructions on what kind of fabrics to use or how to lay out the original squares or something because what we did didn't look good at all! I am so disappointed. So I put that project away for awhile. I'll think about it later when I'm not so irritated. The other day my assistant and I cleaned out our closet (on orders from the boss--fabric has a tendency to spread!). In the closet was a quilt, sandwiched and partially hand quilted, which someone had given to us. I pulled it out to give away and Sandy thought her daughter would love it. It was a nice quilt but not too many people are interested in hand quilting anymore which is sad but true. We are all in such a hurry we've got to get things done! Last week Kathy O. had asked me for a pattern for the moebius scarf that Betty Smith used to make. I found a pattern on the internet (several in fact) so she had Sandy help her get started on one. Agnes had received a pattern from her sister (in-law?) for a simple cloth scarf. She was wearing one today and had another to show. It was very attractive and did indeed look simple. Maybe we'll have a scarf making day soon. On the week of Thanksgiving there is always a lot of talk about food and this year was no exception. They like to share and compare what their traditional Thanksgiving foods are and how they prepare them. I was over getting upset about my fruit quilt so didn't participate in that conversation but heard it in the distance. Christmas is coming soon so I have asked people to think of what they want to do for the holidays--go to a restaurant or have a pot luck. Next week we'll see if they have any good ideas.

22 ladies attended today. The group was so big that we filled the entire community room. Marie brought in some of her crocheted and 1 tatted doilies to show. They will be in our show in February I hope. She was also wearing another of her special vests: a shadow applique vest. I pulled out a table to sew the fruit/vegee blocks together. Marguerite helped me. We sewed all 36 blocks together. Next week we will cut them up and see what happens. Winnie had some horse fabric to make a quilt for her granddaughter. Agnes gave her some assistance in cutting. Linda O. set up another table and was sewing petals for flowers which will be decorations for the Village Quilters quilt show in July. She was joined by Sue R., Deb and others. Elaine was in another corner getting assistance binding her music quilt. Rosemary sits in a comfy chair that is easier on her aching back. Since we all roam around a bit there is usually someone sitting with Rosemary at any given time. Agnes finished the binding on a small kid quilt for the Methodist bazaar. And Pat OR was embellishing her Christmas tree wall hanging. I'm starting to plan for our show in February so began asking people to do demonstrations. I think we will be able to put on a nice little show this year.

I am way behind on my Nimblefingers blogging. So sorry. Last week 17 ladies attended and this week we had 22. This week we also had 3 new people. I hope they all return. Last week I took a picture of Cathy Y.'s sweater. She has been working on it for awhile and is nearing the finish line. It is very neat because it is knitted all in one piece. Then you sew up the side seams. This seems like a much easier way to do a sweater to me but then I don't knit so I don't really know. This week Marie and Sandy came in wearing a pieced vest and crocheted sweater they had made. I had to take a front and back view of these they were so beautiful. All of our snow birds are starting to fly south. Jean K. has left and now Betty K. is leaving. Soon Linda will be gone. Our little group might shrink but then again, you never can tell. Marie has been continuing to bring in bits and pieces of her collection to give away. Some of the rest of us are trying to clean out our sewing rooms too. Ethel is working on an interesting piece in her embroidery guild which she brought in to show us. It is an abstract piece she made for one of their challenges. I was cutting 10" squares from the fruit/vegetable fabric that was donated to the group. I'm going to try out a special ruler I bought on the shop hop to cut and arrange these blocks. It will eventually be another raffle quilt. Last week I gave the prayer quilt to Elaine Larsen (an ex-member) whose house was flooded during the hurricane. She was very grateful and quite tearful. She said she would try to stop in some Tuesday so I hope she is able to. Her poor first floor is reduced to the bare bones now. They had to take off all of the wallboard to clean up the mold etc. What a job! But she said friends have been really special to the family during this time, including our little group. I'm glad we could do a little something to lift the family's spirits.