Monday, January 20, 2014

Merry Cat-mas Quilt

Well finally.  I know now WHY I have had this top sitting and sitting.

Pic I took in December of one of the 26 projects waiting to be quilted

I've pulled it out a couple of times, hung it on my design wall, and then taken it off again after a few weeks in favour of a different project.  My gf and I bought the panel on one of our self-made quilt shop hops, so that would put it back in the early 2000s, maybe 2005-ish.  I remember her frustration while piecing it at one of our Fall Retreats when she discovered the panel was not square.  In fact, she stopped piecing the quilt top.

You can see my 15" square (yes with a bite taken out of one corner; let's just say the ruler got into a tussle with my vacuum cleaner and, well, the vacuum cleaner won) lined up with the side edge, but look how much out the lower edge is!  We all know that being out only multiplies as you add more strips and pieces.  When I decided to piece this quilt top, a few years ago, I just went for it, doing the best I could, hoping for the best.  And I was pleased with the result, even though the final black border was a little ripply.

I'd bought a beautiful piece of Laurel's kitty fabric in this same line, "The Holiday Collection" at Cotton Patch that I planned to use as a pretty back.  You can see it in the first picture.  Each of the times I put the finished top on my design wall, I found I couldn't bring myself to use that piece on the back; it was calling (meowing, lol) to me to be the star in a quilt top.

Star?  Well!  I bought Marti Michell's Wonder Triangles to make the Peaky and Spike pieces one needs for a triangle in a square.  I plan to do Christa's Modern Trees Quiltalong sometime this year, which requires the Tri Recs ruler. I couldn't find it at JoAnn's so I picked this one up.  I'm hoping it is the same tool.  I decided to do a couple of practice 54-40 or Fight star blocks using some of the kitty fabric, the leftover orange/purple zinger fabric, and black, just to see how I liked the ruler.  Well, I really really like the ruler! This made piecing those sharp points a snap.  Percolating on the back burner of my brain, was the idea to make these practice blocks into a cool back for this quilt.

Don't they just sing?!
I made an Ohio Star too, just for fun, and also because I wanted 3 stars, an odd number. Besides, the kitties have won, and they ARE going to star, LOL, in their very own quilt top.  How I love black!  It makes the purple and orange fabric look like it is on fire doesn't it?

Here is the finished back:
I forgot to bring my pre-printed labels fabric down with me, so I made one.  I am not exactly thrilled with the garish white, but I wanted the writing to be visible. I cannot draw, but white kitty's face isn't too bad I must say!  I looked at purring Bella while I tried to get the nose and mouth details down.

Making the label gave me an idea for another Aha! Moment Tip post to write, too!  To soften the white cat somewhat, I machine-appliquéd the flying kitty placing a heart on her back.  I intended this quilt to be a wallhanging, but with such an interesting back, I think it could be an adorable lap quilt.  I will put a hanging sleeve on it regardless.  I took advantage of Craftsy's Flash sale on the weekend to buy Mimi Dietrich's "Finishing School: Edges and Bindings".  I see one of the lessons is on attaching a sleeve, so although I have attached many sleeves to many quilts, I will watch her lesson to see if I can pick up any new tips.  I think you can always learn something from taking a class, especially with a pro.  :-)


4 comments:

  1. Harper and Izzie say thank you for their newest quilt.

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  2. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist a comment on this baby! But it will go from black to furry white in no time...I'm having a hek of a time trying (mostly in vain) to keep the Bella hair to a minimum on it.

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  3. Yes the orange is afire! Love it! I can't believe how simple the cat is, but how effective! 3 triangles + 1 rectangle = 1 cute cat!

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  4. Oh, meant to say too that the flying kitty looks like the white cat's tail. That's what I thought it was til I read your explanation!

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