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A ruddy Abyssinian cat sleeps on a pile of patterned quilt fabric while an elderly couple sews at the table behind it. 37 / 38

Ruth Laid Out Every Quilt Square on the Table. Saffron Found Them First.

AI imageabyssinianquiltingsewing table

The dining table has vanished under a sea of fabric squares: floral blues, faded plaids, cream muslin, and patchwork pieces waiting their turn. Ruth, in a sunny yellow cardigan, threads a needle with careful focus, and Harold, in a blue flannel shirt, works on his own seam across from her. Between them, right on top of the pile, Saffron has stretched out and fallen fast asleep, chin resting on a folded patch, eyes closed, one ear still tilted toward the quiet sounds of sewing. Spools of thread, a pincushion, and stacked blankets on a shelf complete the crafty scene.

Quilting is a wonderful hobby to share, and fabric piles make an irresistible bed for a cat. They're soft, they hold warmth, and they smell like the people the cat loves. The main things to watch for are the sewing supplies. Needles, pins, and thread can be very dangerous if a cat steps on them or swallows them, and thread attached to a needle is a particular hazard. Keep pins in a closed container, count needles before and after a session, and never leave threaded needles lying around. Offering your cat its own folded blanket nearby can help steer it away from the sharp stuff.

Harold and Ruth will have to work around their sleeping helper for a while, but neither of them seems to mind. Some quilts are stitched with love, and this one comes with a cat-shaped dent in the middle.

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An Abyssinian cat sits front and center on a lace tablecloth while an elderly couple laughs over tea and scones behind it.Ruth Set the Table for Two. Saffron Had Other Seating Plans.An elderly couple whittles wood on a rustic porch while a ruddy Abyssinian cat sits among curled wood shavings, looking up.Two Pocketknives, One Porch, and a Cat Who Took the Shavings Very SeriouslyAn elderly man in green holds a ruddy Abyssinian cat at the bottom of wooden porch steps as his wife smiles beside him.The Walk Was Over, but Saffron Wasn't Quite Ready to Climb the StepsAn elderly woman paints a watercolor landscape at an easel as her husband watches and an Abyssinian cat lies on the patio.Ruth Was Painting a Meadow. Harold Kept Looking at Something Else.