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June 3, 2026
Facing the Music from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Today comes the "find out" part of my recent FAFO actions. (Google it, if you don't know.) It's the day I go to court over my recent speeding ticket. There's no whining or making excuses on my part. I'm just hoping for a reduction in the fine if I throw myself on the mercy of the court. What form do you think this should take? Should I writhe on the ground for a while? Would kicking and screaming be ill-advised? Probably I should wait and read the room before making any rash ...

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Facing the Music from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Today comes the "find out" part of my recent FAFO actions. (Google it, if you don't know.) It's the day I go to court over my recent speeding ticket. There's no whining or making excuses on my part. I'm just hoping for a reduction in the fine if I throw myself on the mercy of the court. What form do you think this should take? Should I writhe on the ground for a while? Would kicking and screaming be ill-advised? Probably I should wait and read the room before making any rash ...

read more
May 31, 2026
A Good Day Ends Badly from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It's the last day of May. We're onto June tomorrow. Are you ready? On June 4, 1944, my mom and dad were married. They were married 52 years when she passed away in 1997. Also, my grandfather's birthday was June 14th...Flag Day. (Also the same day as...you know...he who shall not be named.) My grandfather always told me they put the flags out on Flag Day for him. He was a WWI veteran, and so it made complete sense to me.

As you're reading along this morning, you can ...

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A Good Day Ends Badly from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It's the last day of May. We're onto June tomorrow. Are you ready? On June 4, 1944, my mom and dad were married. They were married 52 years when she passed away in 1997. Also, my grandfather's birthday was June 14th...Flag Day. (Also the same day as...you know...he who shall not be named.) My grandfather always told me they put the flags out on Flag Day for him. He was a WWI veteran, and so it made complete sense to me.

As you're reading along this morning, you can ...

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May 27, 2026
Plenty of Sewing from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Yesterday's outing took less time than expected. We finished with our vaccines a little too early for lunch, and so we ran a couple of errands and then headed for home. Also, we both feel fine after our vaccines. I don't even have a sore arm from it. 

Before we left, I had time to press and photograph the Santa Quartet. These guys will get a border eventually. 


It seems small for a table runner, even with a border added. When I left it, I asked the Santas to discuss among themselves what they ...

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Plenty of Sewing from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. Yesterday's outing took less time than expected. We finished with our vaccines a little too early for lunch, and so we ran a couple of errands and then headed for home. Also, we both feel fine after our vaccines. I don't even have a sore arm from it. 

Before we left, I had time to press and photograph the Santa Quartet. These guys will get a border eventually. 


It seems small for a table runner, even with a border added. When I left it, I asked the Santas to discuss among themselves what they ...

read more
May 25, 2026
A Celebratory Day from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was kind of a lazy day yesterday. For one thing, we were both awake very early...during the 4:00 a.m. hour. I don't know about you, but if I wake up any time after 4:00 a.m., my brain is off and running, and I can't get back to sleep. While I was doing my slow-stitching yesterday morning, I could swear I fell asleep mid-stitch, and just kept on stitching. So, when Mike went back to bed for a morning nap, I just slid down on the couch where I ...

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A Celebratory Day from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was kind of a lazy day yesterday. For one thing, we were both awake very early...during the 4:00 a.m. hour. I don't know about you, but if I wake up any time after 4:00 a.m., my brain is off and running, and I can't get back to sleep. While I was doing my slow-stitching yesterday morning, I could swear I fell asleep mid-stitch, and just kept on stitching. So, when Mike went back to bed for a morning nap, I just slid down on the couch where I ...

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May 24, 2026
Freedom Waves and Race Day from From My Carolina Home

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend, as we celebrate our freedom today, and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice tomorrow. I have an exciting announcement today! My Freedom Waves quilt made with Benartex fabrics will be on display at Beginnings Quilt Shop in Hendersonville, North Carolina this coming week. They also have the McCall’s Quilting Summer 2026 magazine which contains the pattern. It was so great of Todd and Kathy to want to show this quilt. It is sized to be appropriate for a Quilt of Valor, and goes together really easy with scrappy fabrics.

We ...

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May 22, 2026
Sowing and Sewing from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a busy and tiring day yesterday, but I'm happy to say the vegetable garden is planted now. We've lived in our house 24 years, as of June 1st. I can't remember the exact year we created our garden plot, but it was early on. I believe I can safely say it was within the first three years...so at least 20 years ago. In years past, we've planted the whole thing. Here's one of the pictures from early on.

A few years ago, we decided to plant a smaller ...

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Sowing and Sewing from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a busy and tiring day yesterday, but I'm happy to say the vegetable garden is planted now. We've lived in our house 24 years, as of June 1st. I can't remember the exact year we created our garden plot, but it was early on. I believe I can safely say it was within the first three years...so at least 20 years ago. In years past, we've planted the whole thing. Here's one of the pictures from early on.

A few years ago, we decided to plant a smaller ...

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May 17, 2026
Family Hols 2026 from The Quilt Quine

I had a lovely week with all 3 of my children coming to stay in my tiny Tavistock cottage. We love being with each other, doing outings and just hanging out together. It is a pity we are all so far away but at least none of them lives in Australia!

We visited Cotele and Killerton House National Trust houses, had a day out in Falmouth and Totnes then an evening watching Beltane Morris dancers. 

We cooked, had many cups of tea, sat around a bonfire and laughed a lot. Nessie and I will really miss them when they all ...

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Making Progress from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a good day yesterday. Everything on my list was completed. I was tired by the end of the day, and so I didn't get any time in the sewing room. Maybe today I'll be more motivated. After taking a walk on the treadmill yesterday, I took a little walk around outside. Each day I'm checking the water on the little seed pots. I'm happy to announce that there are sprouts in every pot except one.


So who's not doing their part? Well, it's the Sunrich Lemon sunflower...fourth ...

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Making Progress from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It was a good day yesterday. Everything on my list was completed. I was tired by the end of the day, and so I didn't get any time in the sewing room. Maybe today I'll be more motivated. After taking a walk on the treadmill yesterday, I took a little walk around outside. Each day I'm checking the water on the little seed pots. I'm happy to announce that there are sprouts in every pot except one.


So who's not doing their part? Well, it's the Sunrich Lemon sunflower...fourth ...

read more
May 15, 2026
Ready for Binding from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It's a new day. We had a week of summer last week, and now we're back to a rainy spring. It's been cloudy and cool all week. The sun is shining this morning, but we're still expecting some rain later today. Next week is supposed to be better. We're setting our sites on the latter part of the week for planting the vegetable garden.

In case it wasn't obvious from yesterday's post, we were both exhausted after two days of medical appointments for Mike. As for Mike, he's ...

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Ready for Binding from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. It's a new day. We had a week of summer last week, and now we're back to a rainy spring. It's been cloudy and cool all week. The sun is shining this morning, but we're still expecting some rain later today. Next week is supposed to be better. We're setting our sites on the latter part of the week for planting the vegetable garden.

In case it wasn't obvious from yesterday's post, we were both exhausted after two days of medical appointments for Mike. As for Mike, he's ...

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May 11, 2026
A Little Finish from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. I'm hoping y'all had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. We had a good day at this end. Our bunch meet-up wasn't until 11:30 a.m., and so I had some time in the morning to do a few things. It started with a pretty sunrise.


The Stanbro Men enjoyed a morning relaxing on the front patio.


Mike has been gnashing his teeth trying to get our automatic sprinkler system to work. He set this all up several years ago in anticipation of our trip to Alaska. And don't go getting ...

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A Little Finish from Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. I'm hoping y'all had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. We had a good day at this end. Our bunch meet-up wasn't until 11:30 a.m., and so I had some time in the morning to do a few things. It started with a pretty sunrise.


The Stanbro Men enjoyed a morning relaxing on the front patio.


Mike has been gnashing his teeth trying to get our automatic sprinkler system to work. He set this all up several years ago in anticipation of our trip to Alaska. And don't go getting ...

read more
May 10, 2026
Sunday chat – Baking, Gardening, Quilting from From My Carolina Home

The mountain laurel is in bloom now, and we have two large shrubs on our property. One is behind the house, the other on the edge of the meadow. I love these pink-tinged flowers with the red lines radiating from the center.

My bargain New Guinea impatiens have doubled in size and are blooming well. They seem to be very happy here. I really like the variegated coloring on the flowers.

My other bargain plant is a verbena. It also seems to be coming back well, getting larger and now sporting several blooms along with a bunch of buds for ...

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May 3, 2026
Quilter's Dozen from ... Cat Patches

Good morning, my friends. I managed to get five more quilts sandwiched yesterday, bringing my total to 13. And you're all familiar with the term "baker's dozen," right? But just in case that's an American thing, I'll just say that a baker's dozen is a dozen plus a bonus of one. And I figure, why should bakers have all the fun? If I've got 13 quilts sandwiched, then I'm calling it a "Quilter's Dozen," and I'll fight anyone who says I can't co-opt that term. (Gazes menacingly around the empty ...

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  • Page 1 of 145 ( 2893 posts )