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An elderly man in glasses and a cable-knit cardigan stitches a patchwork quilt while a Siamese cat sleeps on the fabric. 2 / 38

Clarence Was Halfway Through His Quilt When Sapphire Found the Softest Square

AI imagesiamese catquiltingcraft table

Squares of denim, plaid, and faded floral cotton cover the worktable in a soft, rumpled landscape, and Clarence is bent close over one corner, glasses low, pulling a needle through with careful fingers. His cream cable-knit cardigan has seen many winters, and so has the wicker basket of fabric scraps behind him. Spools of thread, a pincushion, scissors, and a pair of mugs are scattered within reach. Right in the middle of it all, Sapphire has stretched out across the fabric like she was sewn into the pattern, eyes shut, chin resting on a fold of blue cotton, her pale coat shedding a few telltale wisps.

Cats have a well-known habit of settling on whatever you are working on, from keyboards to newspapers to quilts. Fabric is soft, warm from your hands, and right next to the person they like most, so it is an irresistible spot. For sewing projects, though, a few precautions matter. Thread, yarn, and string can be very dangerous if a cat swallows them, and needles and pins are an obvious hazard. Keep a lidded container for pins and needles, tidy up loose threads before leaving the table, and consider giving your cat a folded blanket of her own nearby. If you think a cat has swallowed thread, call your vet promptly rather than pulling on it.

Clarence does not look like he minds sewing around his feline paperweight. A quilt made with this kind of company will probably hold more than warmth. It will hold the memory of quiet afternoons and one sleepy cat.

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