How much dog fabric is too much?

 ACK --- no pressure on the "paper" dolls!!!! But I'm intrigued by several ideas that have come to mind, and I will need some time to play with them. That will come in October! That fabric did NOT get put away, but was left on the current project table. And yes, as Elle mentioned, that newfound ten+ hours from not teaching software should go to clearing those Current Project tables. There is so much I can do with those ten hours. It doesn't really matter what I do with them, but I want to be productive -- whether that is mental health time, sewing time, or whatever is going to benefit me the most!

We are having a slight internet issue here, so thank goodness for using cell phones as hotspots and unlimited data plans. All is fine, but something is not working properly. We were going to reset the router, but we didn't know where it was, and we asked for help. The guy said we could do it, or he could come and do it. I said, "Why don't you do it?" and when he came, he couldn't get it to work, so that was a good call on our part!! Playing the helpless female from time to time works! 

The car was packed, and look at all that empty space in the back! I even had a fair number of things for two people, so I won't go home with as much stuff, so that is good. I don't think there is anything on the Pony Express for me to take home. Yeah!!! That's less to unpack when I get home. 

The car is packed for the retreat

We are Springhouse Retreat in New Hamburg, and as I was waiting for my breakfast to cook, I looked through the guest book. This is trip number NINE to this house! It's funny how quickly it becomes our home even though we're not here that often, but when you stay for a week, you just fit right in. Well, the house is beautiful and so homey despite its size. 

I laughed at Miss Lexi before I left. When I got up, I found her sleeping in this position. I painted a logo on that mat at a retreat many years ago, and when I brought the mat home and threw it on the floor, she claimed it as hers.

MOM -- I'm sleeping - turn off the lights

It's not very big, but she manages to curl up in a tight ball, and she's happy. She eats her snacks on that mat as well. It is cool in the mornings, so she is trying to stay warm!! 

Before I left, I decided to unpack the second bag of stuff I bought at the thrift store the week before. I found this large piece of flannel that will work for a quilt backing, and the price was right. It is now in that basket with those community project quilts. 

Flannel fabric from the thrift store

I also found this bag of trim. I had tucked it in the bottom of the yarn bin, and I noticed that someone had dug it out, but it was still there when I went back the second day. 

Georgeous yarn trim

I'm not quite sure what I'll do with it, but it's a Halloween trim, and I LOVE the colors. Don't worry - I have loads of Halloween stuff to make and this will fit in somehow! 

My plans for this retreat changed when I decided to make eight quilts for the staff at my retired vet. The basket of dog fabric got packed into two bags, and I brought that to start with. My goal is to get all eight tops and potentially the backings made as well. 

Thankfully, we are a small group, so I was able to commandeer one of the cutting tables and sort through the bag. 

Cutting the dog fabric

First -- it's obscene that someone could accumulate two big bags of dog fabric. Why? Can anyone explain to me the mental state we are in when we are in a quilt store? I found two identical panels, with coordinating fabrics, so I should be able to get two quilts from that. My aim is to make the quilts 60 by 72 inches or thereabouts. So I cut those two sets of quilts and I am currently sewing one of them this morning. 

I found two more panels that were identical, different from the first one. I found some fabric that should work for borders, but I may need to pop out to the store to find a few more coordinates for those two. 

Then I cut a bunch of yardage so I had 483 squares measuring 6 1/2". 

Suqares for four quilts

Once I'm done with the panels, I'll lay out one quilt at a time and get them together. It shouldn't take too long now that the squares are cut. 

I found a couple of pieces of cat fabric, including one piece large enough for a backing. I could have used that for community projects, but I gave it to a couple of the girls here. They are cat lovers, and I don't need it. 

So let's see how long it takes to make these eight quilts!!! 

The sad news is that I'm going home with one bag of uncut dog fabric! I know!!!!! At least I used slightly over half of it, but why? Why did I buy so much? 

Look at the date on the selvage of one of the panels? Sigh.........

A date from the selvage of a panel

My legs were tired, probably from standing all weekend. No big deal, but I decided to only walk to the end of the laneway and not go any further. That worked for me. One of the other retreaters came with me, and I had to get a picture of myself in the cornfield. Look at how tall that corn is!!!! This is right along the laneway to the house, so I didn't have to go traipsing through any field to get the photo. 

My field of dreams! 

And this was the sunset last night. Very beautiful, and like always, the camera doesn't really capture the true beauty of the moment. 

Sunset at the farm!

Of course, we had to talk about the ghosts at Burleigh Falls Inn, but I did NOT have any issues with sleeping in the basement by myself. I read a few pages of my murder mystery, and then—poof—I was asleep. 

I'm listening to an audiobook, which works for the longer drives that I'm currently doing. The one I'm reading is very disturbing, and I was shouting at the book on the drive. It's called A Two-Spirit Journey by Ma-Nee Chacaby, and it's her life as a First Nations person. It's sad, it's disturbing, and sadly, it paints the same picture that I have from growing up near five reservations of Indigenous people. 

I want to do a bit more "research" on this author. It's a terrible thing that these people did to their own kind. Abuse of all types makes you wonder how it could happen. Of course, abuse occurs in many areas, but this was especially bad. I'm only about 1/3 of the way through, and I can't wait to see how she turns her life around. It's a very emotional story. 

Well, that's it for me today. I have a lot of sewing to do, and if I need to make a trip to the local quilt shop to get supplies to finish off those other two panels, I can make a list and go tomorrow!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!!