Have been keeping myself busy (when I am not teaching) making table runners for my sisters.  It is amazing what can happen with bits and pieces of fabric I pick up here and there.  For example, this table runner is for my sister Susan`s parties.  She and her husband along with his brothers and sisters can always find an excuse for a party.  She recently had a Cinqo de Mayo party – so the Mexican food theme.  I also know she occassionally makes Mexican food.  I also made a Halloween table center – actually I made one of each for my sisters, Susan and Jessica.  Poor Jessica, she and her husband Steve are remodeling their downstairs and apparently they will be using their Mexican table runner on their picnic table as they are grilling and eating outdoors – no kitchen for the time being.  You know how it is, all the sissys have to be even!!  Living in Japan, it is hard to find holiday fabric and when I do they are not quite fat quarters, as they are known in the States.  Also, it is difficult to find a variety in any one store.  I end up buying a myriad of pieces here and there.  When I feel there is enough variety and continuity,  it is then I try to figure out how to put them together.  That is one of the things I like best, although it is not always successful.  The border on this table runner is green with yellow splotches and it reminded me of a marguerita.  For the Halloween table center I used some cute pumpkin fabric along with some shocking green and black checks – this shocking green reminded me of a Frankenstein-type monster.  There was also some black fabric with white stars and orange fabric with black stars.    For most, it captures the Halloween feeling.  I hope so.  Maybe I should start on some Thanksgiving and Christmas table centers or table runners.  At least Christmas fabric is not difficult to find here.  One of the things that frustrates me the most, though, is the stores are quite small and the project of the moment is about the only thing you can find fabric and notions for.  For example, school starts here in April and moms all over Japan are busy making  lesson bags,  bags for  gym clothes,  bags for  shoes, bags for  lunch boxes, bags for the swim gear, bags for so many things.  In the fabric stores, almost all the fabric and notions have cute characters or action heros, not much for someone who wants to make other things.   So, I rely on bargin bins with left-over scraps that are slightly out of season.  I have been extremely lucky to find some beautiful Laurel Birch fabric “quarters.”  Not enough to make a garment out of one piece of cloth but enough to make my mom a sort of patchwork bathrobe she takes when she travels.   Each piece of the pattern is a different cat motif with some shocking pink and shocking green pockets that all fit together very well.  I don`t have a picture of it as I made it quite a few years ago.  Mom, can you send a pic?