Christmas and RSC Project Stitching

The lone rabbit is still hanging around. I glanced out the kitchen window and ears caught my eye amongst the old vegetation.

 And here's a closeup when he went under the bush and just sat there for such a long time I gave up and left. I had been curious to see what you would eat there.

 This is an Eastern Cottontail and he will stay mostly brown/grey all winter. I wish he would move on into the forest but there are so many places to provide sheltar for him here; I understand why he wants to stay. Lately I've seen his tracks going under this backyard shed. 

I'm rereading this book, Alice Munro's The Love of a Good Woman. It's wonderful. 

It was written in 1998 which was still a time when dish sets and china cabinets were prized possessions. I can't tell you how many beautiful china sets I see in thrift stores, all selling for a song these days. If you ever feel the need for such, do check out a thrift store. I'm loving the book and have no recollection of the stories at all which makes me question my memory. A.S. Byatt wrote the introduction for this book and that too is beautifully written. 

I've been working on the large Christmas table runner from this book...someone asked to see it. Tending the Garden from Blackbird Designs. I like every project in this book which seldom happens.

I have the second appliqued block finished. I didn't put in as many vines as in the pattern and added more flowers. I also picked a few brighter reds. I really enjoyed stitching this block. What is it about baskets that we love?

I wonder has this happened to any of you real quilters. I'm sewing along, so very happy to have taken the time to match up and pin the block seams, thinking that this machine sewing is such a breeze I really should do more of it. I get to the end of that very long seam and realize this.

It would have been one of the best/straightest seams of my life too. UGH

I've stitched by hand (where you know when you've run out of thread) more of the Peppermint Trees. My plan is to work solely on that project this weekend to get it moved along. 

And I'm down to just 8 more EPP Starry Hexagon blocks to sew onto this piece. I'm relieved to see it is not overwhelmingly blues, being that I had so many blue fabrics to choose from. Would love to have this all sewn by the new year too. 

King Arthur's flour has published their Rise & Shine: 20 Holiday Breakfasts Sure to Impress recipes. HERE is the link. I would be using some of these for dinner too.

I'll end with Ned falling asleep still holding his bone. The two of them had had a big play with it and he'd tuckered himself right out. Any second now we are going to hear a loud clunk!

I still have Christmas shopping to do. What about you?