Monster in the livingroom

The weather is crazy in Japan this week. Snow on Saturday, sunny and cool on Monday and Tuesday. Like summer on Wednesday and then yesterday a freezing rain. Can you believe that though I had a free day to go up into the sewing room (cold up there) I opted to stay down in the warm living room and quilt for hours.

Sigh. Sometimes I read blogs where the bloggers write about the Monster in the Living room. I had never heard that term before. But I guess I've got my own monster here and it looks like it will be around quite awhile longer. So WHEN did I start my feathered star quilt? (Sometime at the end of 2006. I'm so embarrassed!) And WHEN did I start quilting it? (About this time last year.) It has sat on the edge of my chair now for months and months sometimes getting a token stitch in after weeks of neglect, sometimes getting quite a serious quilting session like yesterday. I've finished stitch-in-the-ditch quilting and the motif work in the star blocks. Now to start on the sashing. My finger is sore today!

The trouble with a monster in the living room is that it takes up space and in a Japanese living room that's quite a percentage of living space. The other problem is that it has sat here so long that it is filthy!!! The cats climb in and under the quilting hoop leaving cat fur everywhere. The quilt drags on the floor as I turn the hoop and can be considered a satisfactory dry mop! Choco steps on whatever is dragging on the floor and leaves muddy footprints here and there! And don't forget the time Vel peed on it because it was so much a part of the room!

I hate to think what shape this quilt is going to be in when it finally gets done. (Give me another year.) My monster is going to have scales and warts and be puffing fumes!