outofthebasement

Looks like Halloween, but actually this is just a few pieces I've put together for the arrowhead quilt. There will be golds, greens, and browns also with the black, and I'm doing a broken dishes block. I liked the one I did for a friend so much, I thought I'd borrow the idea.

I'm also packing for the trip to Russia. I enjoy packing. It's a challenge to take the perfect number of things, not too much, and yet not forget anything important either. An extremely interesting web site called One Bag has terrific information on this. The author is a serious minimalist; the premise is how to go all around the world with one carryon size bag. Although I don't travel like that, it's still very helpful, with a handy one page check list of what to pack, and a very long annotated packing list with recommendations in every category. It's not for someone who is going on a cruise, or lounging at a luxury resort, or staying anywhere looking fab is a high priority, but for people who are actually traveling and handling their own bags, it's full of practical information. I particularly recommend the travel clothesline made out of braided surgical rubber with loops on both ends that stretches between any two convenient hooks and holds clothes w/o clothes pins.

So tomorrow I'll finish the packing, mail my Hoffman Challenge quilt, and take off on Thursday. Back in about two weeks; do good work, everyone!