before and after

Still no knitting for me. I tried to eat lunch with chopsticks but my hand hurt so I had to ask for a fork. I'm Chinese - it was embarrassing. BTW, it's really tricky eating chicken's feet with a fork.

To keep myself busy, I did some quilting yesterday night. Remember when I "rescued" this quilt top last Nov?


Here's what it looks like now (click to embiggen):


I carefully pulled off the original border and stitch ripped (such tiny stitches!) some of the blocks that needed their seam allowances kept. I cut all the remaining blocks. I feel so bad because someone stem stitched between all the seams. I carefully assembled the blocks in the exact same order as the original top.

I was going to baste it tonite but I don't have any unbleached cotton for the backing. I showed hubby the bleached cotton but he thinks the unbleached would look better. I'll pick some up when I go fabric shopping tomorrow. I guess I'll work on pulling apart the second quilt top. It's much smaller but the back of it looks like thread barf because the embroidery tails were left long and they're tangled up with the loose threads from the base fabric. What a mess.

I was out and about today enjoying the good weather. Since I can't garden with my gimpy hand, I toured the boarding place that the cats will be staying at while we're away - Cat Paws Inn. Talk about fancy - radiant floor heating, sky lights, outdoor runs, air conditioning, and every room has at least one window. Some rooms have been designed for elderly cats (window is at floor level). You have to pass through 2 doors to get inside and the second door won't open unless the first door's closed and vice versa. I got Ricky and Phoebe side-by-side rooms with a connecting door so that they can visit each other yet Phoebe has some privacy during meals. This is going to be great - expensive but great. Nothing but the best for our beasties!

I also hit a major antique area to look for extra dining chairs. I found out that my chairs are "Canadiana T-back with carved feet". I could only find ones with the uncarved feet today. So I guess, I'll keep looking. The antique mall told me that they see them regularly. I bought some metal sock blockers for hubby (only $8.50!) and I found wooden stocking blockers but I didn't buy them because the foot was too small.

Off to decide what I'm making for supper - stir fry noodles or hash browns & omelets.