Bright Cat Quilt

I purchased the pattern and the fabric to make this quilt for Loni 2-3 years ago.  I actually had the colors all laid out on the design wall at one time and took it down.  Every time I started to work on it, something felt wrong about it. 

Then Loni's life changed.  She moved in with me in the late Spring and then this summer I became serious about finishing this quilt. Today I finally completed the quilt, all that is left is the label tomorrow night. 

Even though I finished piecing the top and sandwiching it in July, I couldn't start quilting it until I knew what felt right in the design.  I finally decided to free hand/free motion hearts, flowers, and swirls.

• The hearts represent all the love in Loni's life. 
• The flowers represent many things:
• How I want Loni's life to always be filled with beauty
• How she has continued to bloom and blossom even in the hard times
• To remember her African Violets and how even though they had a tough tumble they continue to thrive.
• The swirls represent all the twists and turns of life.  Some of the swirls are really big and some are small, but they all lead to a heart or a flower, to remind Loni that no matter what life gives her she will always be loved and she can thrive.

I don't think I was meant to make this quilt until now.  This quilt will go to Loni's beautiful new home this week.  

The pattern is by Me and My Sister Designs and is called Twigs.

Bright Cat Quilt Front

Bright Cat Quilt Back

Bright Cat Quilt Front and Back

Bright Cat Quilt Front Close Up

Quilting on Bright Cat Quilt

Craftsy!

Craftsy.com is a great way to share your projects, sign up for classes, find new blogs, and learn about deals.  

I love my Jenny Doan classes.

Here is a link to my projects. http://www.craftsy.com/craftsyer/1756

"Bricks Around the World" Completed January 6, 2009

I finished the frayed edge "Bricks Around The World." It is perfect for a young man. I will be glad when all the lint and frays are gone. What a mess. I also do not think I could have finished it so quickly without the special scissors I bought,"Heritage Cutlery - 6 1/2 inch Rag Quilting Snips."

This quilt is 69" x 72".

I haven't labeled it yet, but I will. With one washing it is already so soft that I wish it was mine.

Here is the front of the quilt:




Here is the back:

Learned a Lesson

OK, I learned a lesson tonight.

I have the turtle quilt sandwiched, basted, and on the frame.

When I bought the backing I bought some really cool thread that the woman at the shop told me I could quilt with as long as I used this stuff called "Thread Heaven." Well, she was wrong. I have completed one block and it has been a disaster.

I should have quit with the first spiral, but I kept thinking I just needed to get the feel of the thread down, but no. It is just too thick.

I admit I know nothing about thread. This is labeled 40/3 and I really thought it looked too thick, but she assured me it would work, even though she admitted she did not do a lot of hand quilting.

I'm so disgusted with the results that I am going to pick it out and start over with a different thread. I have some 200m Cotton I am using on another quilt, but I am afraid to start a second one with it in case I can't find that color and won't have enough to finish the other quilt. I am no judge of how far a spool of thread will go and how many projects it will cover.

I guess I will be going on a thread shopping trip tomorrow after I do a little research.

Turtle Quilt Back

I finished the turtle quilt back tonight. I hope to sandwich the quilt tomorrow and put it in the frame for quilting.

Cat Quilt Top Complete

I have completed the top of the cat quilt. It has been a challenge because I forgot one of the rules my quilting teacher told us, do not use a stripe in a border. Not only did I use a stripe, but I used a wavy stripe. Fortunately, a wonderful employee of Quilt Country took a look at the top for me and told me about some techniques I might try and around midnight Wednesday I came up with my own technique to try to match the sides borders to make them long enough. I just wish had figured it out before I redid the one border six times trying to get it close to meeting my approval. The border is far from perfect, but they will have to do or the quilt will never be done.

I am very excited about the backing. I'm still working on the exact design, but I am very happy with the fabric selections.

When you look at the pictures, just remember that I alternated the panels so that no matter what end Jill is sitting at she can see some of the great cat pictures in the panels.

I wish I had a better way to take pictures of the quilt tops. These pictures really do not do it justice.

Whole quilt top.

Close up pics of a couple of the sections of the cat quilt.

I Began Working on BFF Jill's Cat Quilt

My BFF Jill is a cat lover. She is also a huge fan of Laurel Burch. I found a great deal on some Laurel Burch kits, but they were very small panels more like a small wall hanging. The kits came with the panel, batting and backing. I bought 3 kits, some sashing and border material, and batting. I went into EQ6 and played around with a design and I came up with something I like.

Tonight I started putting the sashing on the sides of the panels. I am very pleased with the color of sashing material I found. The side sashings are going to be wider than the top and bottom sashings. Also, I am alternating how the panel between upright and upside down because I want her to be able to see the cats no matter which end she pulls up on her when she pulls the quilt on.

Progress on the Turtle Quilt

I was able to spend the evening working on the turtle quilt for my youngest. I made quite a bit of progress. My BFF Jill will be happy because she is next in the queue for a quilt.

Turtle Quilt #1

My youngest and I both love turtles. His turtles are live pets, and my turtles are a collection containing figurines, clocks, dishes, etc. that I have been collecting since elementary school.

My aunt from Tucson visited us recently and brought me a fat quarter with a turtle design that I loved. On a visit to a quilt shop we found a bolt of the same fabric. I bought a yard and another fabric that went with it plus fabric for sashing, still not sure what exactly I would be doing with the fabrics.

The next day we went to another quilt shop and I found the perfect border material and some fabric for setting squares.

When we came home we started thinking about what design we could use. We decided I should pick a pattern that would show off the fabric. I started going through my books and found one I thought would work. Then I had my son scan the fabrics into my EQ6 program and started designing the quilt. Once I had it designed we decided we did not like the setting squares and we went with smaller borders inside the bigger one. Here is the final design:

Here are the fabrics:

9 inch squares will be in these two patterns:





The sashing will be in the dark green:



The smaller borders will be in the dark green and the following two fabrics:





The outside border will be this fabric:

Second Quilt Top

After the beginner sampler class, I took a second class to learn how to make a "Blooming Nine Patch" quilt top.

Due to family obligations, I have been unable to finish the quilt top, I am exactly 1/2 the way through the king size top. I hope to finish it very soon so I can send it off for quilting.

I love the colors.

(Click on pictures to see enlarged pictures)

Colors for the Blooming Nine Patch

Top.
12 colors
Finished top will be king size.

Backing for Blooming Nine Patch Quilt