13 ladies attended today. Once again everyone was working on a project except me. But every week I get more curious about how to make the pincushions that Jean K. makes. She says she'll teach us next spring when she comes back from Florida. Daryl was back from her vacation on the Cape. She had bought some cute little quilting things at Heartbeat Quilts in Hyannis. One was a small finger pincushion for the tiny applique pins. The other was a pincushion, again for applique pins, that fits into a spool of thread. It has petals glued to a golf tee--very ingenious. Marie brought in one block plus the pattern for a beautiful bedspread where the block, which has one large and one small hexagon sewed together with the large one wrinkled to fit the small one. It would be a great bed covering, but what a lot of work! I am always amazed at Marie and the time she is willing to take to do the extra hand-sewing and embellishing necessary to turn a quilt into a masterpiece. I wish I could slow down enough that I was willing to spend the time necessary to do that. Down at my end of the table Linda O'C and Marie got to talking about old Voorheesville and its surrounding areas. It was a fascinating discussion of local history. I'm sorry that we didn't have a tape running to catch this conversation: old stories about times past. Today was also special because the room was decorated with the quilt collection of Betty Smith. Her family left them up after the party last Sunday. It is an amazing body of work. Betty's unique style really comes through in the quilts. She was very playful, she was definitely not afraid of color and she loved trying new things so her quilts are truly one of a kind. Betty meant a lot to those of us who had the privilege of knowing her and her quilt legacy is one to be cherished.

13 ladies attended today and 3 of them brought food! Good food! Ethel's famous chocolate cake, Winnie's mince meat cake and Deb brought some cider donuts from Indian Ladders. Needless to say, I shouldn't eat another thing today. Our friend Katherine Denegar who now lives in Connecticut sent some craft books to me which I delivered to our crafty ladies from the Methodist church who busily make things for the annual rummage sale. I hope they get some good ideas from them. Marguerite was back from vacation and Cathy M. was back from wherever she's been hiding lately. No show and tells today but everyone (except me) was busy working on something. The conversation ran from books, to recipes, to swine flu, grandchildren, old friends, etc. I think all that cake is making me sleepy--I'm ready for a nap.

13 ladies attended today. We had 3 show and tells. Agnes and I each made the hidden 9-patch II pattern that Kathy O. taught us last week. Agnes made a Christmas table quilt and I made a patriotic baby quilt for a service project with the Village Quilters. Then Marie came in with a beautiful quilt top she had just finished. It was called Morning Glory although Marie didn't think they looked like morning glories. Quilt pattern flowers never look like the real thing though. It will make a gorgeous bed quilt. Fran is making placemats for the QUILT group in Delmar so Ethel gave her some she had started a long time ago but never finished. Fran said with those she will have made 24. Rosemary started a hidden 9-patch II with some terrific gold touched fabric she found at JoAn's. I can't wait to see it finished. Ethel is working on her Old West Virginia home cross-stitch, Pat was cutting squares from gingham, Jean was making Christmas decorations, Cathy Y. basted her baby quilt and Tina was quilting a pillow cover. Jean brought in some delicious cookies. A pleasant way to spend a grey afternoon.

Today 15 ladies attended. The big news was that Kathy O. was back from her summer in the North. We told her she couldn't come back if she didn't come with a new easy quilt pattern to teach us (she has every year so far) and she didn't disappoint! Last year she taught us the hidden 9-patch. This year it was the hidden 9-patch 2. I like this one even better than the last one. This one would look great using a fabric with a large print--the kind that are too pretty to cut. I might just have to try making one tonight! Last weekend some of us tried selling quilts at the Apple Fest. Fran hit the jackpot: she sold 1 large quilt. I earned all of $15, and unfortunately Marguerite's quilt didn't sell. Oh well, we tried. Today our dear Pat H. brought in a delicious cherry cheesecake which we devoured in no time. Cathy Y. brought in some home grown hot peppers to give away. Fran and Marie were our knitters today. Cathy Y. who is usually knitting is now quilting a baby quilt. She had to search high and low for a cheater-cloth baby quilt that she liked. That just goes to show that when you see one you like you should buy it on the spot even if you don't need it, because sure as shootin' you won't find one when you do need one. We had some giveaway paper piecing patterns and magazines. But best of all, Kathy O. demonstrated her hidden 9-patch 2. It will be fun to see how many ladies go home and try one this week.

18 ladies attended today. Tina was back from her summer up north. Kathy O. will return later I suspect. We had a good crowd. Kristin set up some tables to lay out, pin and start tying her antique grandmothers flower garden. Marguerite brought in her finished mile-a-minute quilt which she hopes to sell for $350 that she will give to her granddaughter to help pay for the sports camp in Aruba she will be attending next summer. So if you know of anyone looking for a nice quilt--call Marguerite. I'm taking it to the Apple Fest this weekend and we'll see if it will sell there. Which reminds me, the Apple Fest is this weekend at the Altamont Fairgrounds. The Village Quilters are having their last show and sale in the Dutch barn. Hopefully it will be a nice weekend--the Apple Fest is a fun time particularly on a beautiful fall day.

11 ladies attended today. Pat H. was our knitter today. She was making a hat on her little knitting machine. Agnes sewed the binding on an angel wall hanging. Winnie was copying a purchased Christmas wall hanging--quilted with yo-yos. She wants to make a few to sell at the church bazaar. Rosemary was working on her cross-stitch wall hanging. Marie was piecing the border of a quilt. Cathy Y. brought in a baby quilt panel she had purchased. We laid it out and made the quilt sandwich and she began quilting it. Kristin got out a sewing machine and sewed the borders on her antique grandmother's flower garden quilt. Deb was painstakingly sewing her flowers together on her antique grandmother's flower garden quilt. Marguerite pulled out the raffle quilt to add some more quilting stitches to. And I mingled. We had a small group today. I know Kathy M. is getting ready for her granddaughter's wedding but I don't know where everyone else was. I had some sad news this week. Our former member Anne Bave is doing very poorly. We shared some memories about Anne.

11 ladies attended today. Last weekend the drawing was held for our raffle quilt (a mile-a-minute quilt). It was won by Warren Schlichkenrider. I hope he is very pleased with it. The highlight of today was seeing Ethel's bride cross-stitch framed! It is absolutely stunning! A marvelous piece of work! Also Kristin brought in a quilt top she made some time ago and became disenchanted with when she discovered that she had made a mistake in the piecing. She showed it to us and none of us could see the mistake. Even when she pointed it out it didn't look like a mistake so I think we convinced her that she should go ahead, finish it, and be proud of her work. Then she pulled out another quilt top that needed a border. She didn't know what fabric to use for the border. She and I studied it for awhile and decided that she was thinking too narrowly in her color choices so she pulled out some sample fabric with color that she could take to the fabric store. I'm sure she'll find the perfect piece. Marguerite pulled out the next raffle quilt and continued hand quilting. Pat H. and Winnie were tying a couple of quilts. Cathy Y. was knitting. Rosemary stopped by for a little while just to take a break from her unpacking: she just moved. And, Pat H. brought in some zucchini bread and homemade chocolate and peanut butter candies. Yummy! Another typically pleasant day in Nimblefingers.