Quilting Finished and Binding Begun on Placemats

The quilting is finished and the binding begun on the placemats for our niece's wedding gift. 

I was quilting away... happened to glance out into the hall where I'd carefully hung the 1936 Sunbonnet Sue quilt over the banister -- and just look what I saw: 

Teensy, making himself at home on that quilt! Aauugghh! By the time I went to get him off (gently, of course; he's a nice kitty), he'd made himself even *more* comfortable. I don't want him on that quilt because, first, those are vintage blocks and irreplaceable; and second, I don't want the cat to slip off of the banister and fall. It's a long ways down!

The Sunbonnet Sue quilt is now lopped over the back of a wooden rocking chair in the little library next door to my quilting studio. And the door is shut.

Meanwhile, Tiger looks on from his Thermabed. He hasn't used that bed all summer; but it's rainy and chilly here -- 44°. 

I got the binding put on one placemat. It's ready to sew on the others tomorrow.

Two Placemats Quilted

I got two placemats quilted today.  I decided to go with the placemats I'd originally intended, since a) there wasn't enough of the fabric I would've needed for sashing and borders in order to make it big enough for a throw, and b) I'm running out of time.

(And over in the corner is the usual Cat-In-A-Box.)

Placemat Appliqués Done

The appliqués are all stitched down on the placemats I'm making for our niece's wedding gift.  I machine-stitched them with fine YLI #100 silk thread.

Tomorrow I'll cut the backing and batting and load them on my quilting frame.

But... they look so pretty together, I'm wondering if I should put them all together into a table topper or a couch throw.  Probably wouldn't work just the best for a table topper, since it would be directional.  What do you think?

Placemat Background

I'm making a set of six placemats for our niece's upcoming wedding.  The backgrounds are done; now to draw and cut the appliqués.  You can see a few of the fabrics I will use for the appliqués in the upper left corner.

Treadle Sewing Machines

Our oldest son Keith headed for home yesterday afternoon after a three-day visit.  While he was here, he helped Larry carry my two antique treadle sewing machines, a Singer and a Domestic, from the basement to the second floor.  I need to glue a piece of wood trim back onto the front of one... but here they are, on the upstairs landing:

Machine-Embroidered Tea Towel Set Finished

Sunday afternoon nap and co-napper

I crept a little closer...

Oops, woke up Teensy.

Just... can't... stay... awake...