Work in Progress Wednesday - #9

First off, please check out Tami's blog to see everyone participating in this fun "Work in Progress Wednesday."

I finally got back to the project I am now calling "Trapezoid Strip Quilt." Basically, I got a packet from our guild's "Make a Quilt for SAFE House" kit program. The stars of my kit were these blocks:

I knew I didn't want to make more blocks, especially after I saw the really impressive hand piecing:

So, then, on one of my long walks (where I do my best thinking), I got the brilliant idea to split the blocks, so I did this with six of the blocks:

I enclosed the blocks with long skinny strips. Between these strips, I am going to create some long "brick" strips using these blue fabrics:

 I'll also add strips with this fabric:

This quilt is really making me think and plan and stretch - it is SO outside of my comfort zone in terms of colors, but I think I can make something to be proud of, and it will warm a little kid whose world has been torn apart by domestic violence, and that matters to me, too.

I'll be going on a quilting retreat October 15-17, and I'm planning to finish this quilt that weekend AND quilt and bind Peppermint Candy. Here it is, all pinned and showing the binding fabric:

I chose the backing fabric because it had some pink and green in it, and there was enough that I needed to make just one cut and make one seam. (I know, LAZY!!) I have decided it will also be a SAFE House quilt.

Next, I have been working away on Abby, but as you can see, the yarn I'm using is not appropriate for a "lacy" feel. I was fiddling with it the other day and realized that it would make a really warm and pretty hat, so I've started decreasing it with that end in mind. I'll have enough yarn left over for a warm and skinny scarf.

Finally, because none of you has ever seen a cat, I present pictures of three of mine. First up, the shyest, most skittery of the bunch - we had to take her to the vet for shots on Saturday, and it took two of us to trap her in the bedroom, where we had to upend the boxspring, and haul her out of the springs. Poor little thing. Here she is, shedding her white fur all over one of our black chairs:

Next up, there are times when it's really hard to climb the stairs around here!

He's fifteen-and-a-half, going deaf, and as cuddly as can be.

Finally, when I'm in the sewing room, I have a friend, the Brat Cat, who occasionally shows why we let her get away with all of her brattiness. Tell me you wouldn't let this face get away with everything.

I've put up a couple of pretty heavy posts the past week. I'll simply say that I was really influenced by a poster I saw in college with a quote attributed to Bob Dylan (please pardon the sexist language - it was a different time), "He who is not busy being born is busy dying." I've lived my adult life by that statement.