A Day With the Girls

Happy Halloween!  The sun is not quite up and I am on my way for a day with gal pals.  As I take Mister to work, the sunrise is just beginning.  It even has a Halloween feel to it.

My first stop is to pick up Allison and we have time for a cup of tea and a visit before departing for Valerie's.  I think my mouth goes non-stop as I apparently just have so much to say.

When we get to Valerie's house, she treats us to yummy coffee and a wonderful visit in the kitchen before we head upstairs for some sewing.

Mister has sent treats to the gals in the form of fingers, eyeballs, bones, and blood hand sanitizer.  Too funny.

I get to work on today's project and look up to see two of my "orange and black" cohorts reading the fabric that I gifted Valerie.  It is one of the fat quarters I picked up while in Utah.

Now, back to my project.  I am working on the Bargello Tree Skirt sample for the November retreat.  It seems as though each time I start this, I lose track and almost have to start all over again.  Today is not an exception.  After laying out the strips to use, I put out the two panels I have already sewn.  One is not correct.  Out comes the seam ripper.  While I rip away and try to make sense of the order these must be sewn in, Allison has put the binding on a quilt and can now call it finished.  TA-DA

After busily sewing (and ripping in my case) away for awhile, Janet arrives with chocolate chips in hand.  Stop everything -- now we must make chocolate chip cookies.  There is perma grin on my face as I type this.  They are quickly mixed (after locating baking soda, not powder) and into the oven.  Now the wait begins.

Valerie starts the lunch and we set the table.  While we wait for the cookies and the soup, we get to see Janet's machine show and tell.  Check out this Spartan.

Yes, it belongs to Janet, but Allison is being Vanna White for us.

Lunchtime!  Oh yum.  We have chicken soup with peas and lentils along with yummy bread and fresh cookies.  Wow.

Okay, let's try a selfie -- maybe yes, maybe no.

After lunch, while waiting for more cookies, we are treated to another machine share.  Valerie has this new BelAir Bantam and Janet is salivating at the mere thought of somehow transporting it to her house.  It is simply lovely.

Super cute and it would fit in my Singer 185 cabinet.  Hmmmm.

Okay, okay.  Back upstairs to work.  With.  Cookies.  Of.  Course.

Allison soon has another TA-DA -- this one all in batiks.

I'm still stripping (and ripping) away.  What a project.  Somehow I miscalculated the strips I would need and am having to stick a few odds and ends in here and there to make it work.

Janet is working away at her Mad City Mama blocks but will allow herself to work on someone else's project with very little prompting.  She's really getting close on her blocks though.

Valerie is working on the blocks she started at retreat and I love them.

Well, dang.  This day went super fast and at least I managed to get all nine panels finished.  The next step requires a ruler that I don't have.  Fortunately, Houston Quilt Festival is mere days away and hopefully I will be able to pick one up there.  If not, Amazon the day I get home.  I'm almost out of time on this one.

What a fun day.  I adore these ladies and will miss Valerie a ton while she is galavanting about England and New Zealand until January.  However, Friday sew days will start up again in November and so Allison, Janet, and I will have time to keep up with each other.  THAT makes me very content.  Thank you ladies --- for a VERY enjoyable day.