It's been a long time coming

Finally. At long last. My Civil War Sampler Quilt top is done!

After making a whole stack of Shoofly blocks to fill the gaps . . . I decided against using them. And went with a mix of creams from my stash for the blocks and sashings instead.

Don't get me wrong, they are lovely. In the picture, the top with the Shoofly blocks looks beautiful, full of sparkling colour.  I laid them out. Took them out. Put them back. Such indecision. But in real life it was just a bit too busy with all the blocks. Who knows, maybe they'll become  a whole other quilt altogether . . .

But the construction process was not without . . . challenges assistance!

Between tripping over Walter (who managed to move to exactly where I needed to stand every. single. time.) and constantly having to move Squeaker (who had a knack of laying on exactly the row of blocks I needed to stitch next), let's just say a whole new dimension was added to the process. This quilt was certainly a collaborative effort!

So all that's left to be done is to send this top off to the quilter. And then some binding. It's been a long time coming!


Pattern: Civil War Sampler Quilts
Designer: Barbara Brackman
Publication: http://civilwarquilts.blogspot.com/

Catalicious Complete

Well you may remember I started stitching the blocks in Red Brolly's Catalicious BOM way back in February 2010 with the intention of making a runner for the end of our bed, where the cat sleeps . . . (looking at the picture I should just point out that the blocks are big - about 18" square - but the cat is not)

It's finally finished!

But . . .

It hasn't quite made it to the end of the bed.

Since it was "just" for the end of the bed and "just" for the cat (sorry Squeaker) . . .

I used what I had on hand to finish it off. So it's got a piece of Minky fabric left over from another project for the lining. And it's backed with chenille (different coloured pieces joined together to fit) and bound with leftover binding too.

But then . . . it's turned out to be the most comfy quilt to use while we're sitting on the lounge - soft and cosy and snuggly! So for now it's the go-to quilt on the cold evenings. The end of the bed will just have to wait!

Pattern: Catalicious Block of the Month
Designer: Bronwyn Hayes
Publication: http://www.red-brolly.typepad.com/

Catalicious Block 4 Complete!

Block 4 stitched - tick.

Block 4 pressed - tick.

Block 4 pieced - tick.



Block 4 of Bronywn Hayes' Catalicious BOM is called "Brutus with Sue and Cynthia". This photo doesn't show the colour very well, but the dark fabric is an aubergine colour, with the other print a buttercup-y sort of colour.



I thought this was going to pretty quick to stitch, but it seemed to take me a little longer than I estimated. But not to worry . . . I'm enjoying seeing all the blocks come together . And I think I'm enjoying satin stitch! If you're like me and struggle a bit with this stitch and you haven't seen this tutorial from Melly, check it out and give her technique a try - it worked for me!

So, that's Block 1 - Brutus The Cat

Block 2 - Friends

and Block 3 - Sisters

I'm trying to use supplies on hand for this project, which is pretty satisfying. These Sawtooth Star blocks will be 18 1/2" square (finished).  I don't usually work with large blocks, so this is a bit of a change for me and I must say, I like seeing progress in the large sizes!

Catalicious Block 2 . . . True Friends

I've had a lovely time this week stitching Block 2 of the Catalicious Quilt from Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly who is generously offering up a design a month for the stitching pleasure of us all in blogland.



This block was stitched with wonderfully named "Raspberry Parfait" thread from The Gentle Arts Sampler Threads. (It's hard to know if the colour or the name holds more attraction with some of these threads!)



I like stitching in one colour, and with these threads being variegated I still get a bit of interest with the colour . . .



I really like the way this block has turned out. It's certainly got a bit more oompha than the first block (colour-wise), but I'm happy with both really. The first block hasn't photograped all that well - it does look much brighter in real life . . .



I'm still keeping with my endeavor to use supplies that I have on hand and am looking forward to using some of the lovely reproduction fabrics that I have in my stash with this bed runner - I'm planning to make a runner for the end of the bed (where the cat in our lives seems to spend a good portion of her days). She's a bit of a quilting companion, so this will be in honour of her!

It seems like such a long wait until block 3 next month . . . I guess I'll just have to find something else to go on with - something from the long list of unfinished projects!

Catalicious Block #1 Complete

Well, I really enjoyed the stitchery I started on Friday night . . . and just kept right on stitching over the weekend!



And the first block is finished. I always like the look of the Saw Tooth Star . . . and it goes together pretty quickly, too.



My plan is to use fabrics from my fabric club stash  . . . and the wonderful variegated embroidery threads that I have have been the inspiration for the colours . . .



I'm looking forward to next month's design from Bronywn Hayes . . . and who knows - maybe it will time nicely for next month's Sew-In. Stayed tuned . . .

February Friday Night Sew-In . . .

Well I had plans for what I was going to work on last night for the Sew-In . . . and at the last minute I changed my mind!

No, I didn't (potentially) finish the Little Pretties quilt that's been hanging around for a while.

No, I didn't make any headway with the folded circles quilt that I dragged out of the box and worked on during the week.

Instead, I decided to start ANOTHER project!

While not quite in keeping with my plans to finish what I've currently got on the go, I did use what I had on hand. That counts for something, right?

I started on the Bronywn Hayes stitchery I mentioned  here. I'm going to make a runner to go on the end of the bed, where the cat seems to spend her days. I've decided to use fabrics in my stash from the fabric club at Patchwork on Stonleigh to make Saw Tooth Star blocks, with the stitchery as the centre.

So . . . I gathered these (I just love the names of these delicious threads - I mean, who can go past Raspberry Parfait?)

and this

to make this

And then I got to work!

We didn't really feel like watching anything and, as it turned out we didn't really feel like listening to anything, so I stitched and my (passive) craft buddy for the evening (who throws in the odd stitching reference for good measure - "is that blanket stitch you're doing there Sue?")  browsed the internet. We enjoyed a very pleasant evening in companionable quiet . . .

The fruits of my evening's labour were not quite as bountiful as I might have hoped, but I made a good start . . . and I enjoyed the meditative time that seems to come with stitching.





Funnily enough, the cat that who usually comes out to play on any quilt in progress made her presence known, not by playing with the fabric (since it was such a small piece and I did happen to be holding it the whole time), but by meowing at the door with frustrating regularity to go out . .  then come in . . then go out . . then come in . . so in her own little way, she didn't miss out on the fun!

Maybe next month I'll be working on the next stitchery for this little project . . .

Hope you had a pleasant evening stitching in your world.

THE GREAT CATALICIOUS QUILT STITCH-IN!

Bronwyn Hayes of Red Brolly is very generously offering up some "Catalicious" stitcheries on her blog over the coming months and the first one is available now!

What better way to celebrate our feline quilting companions . . . so click on over to Bronywn's blog and check it out.

The Quilt Cat . . .

Our cat, Squeaker, seems to have inbuilt tracking for when a quilt is in progress. It doesn't matter where she is, if a quilt-in-progress comes out, she comes from where ever she's been . . .

Even when she was tiny, before she progressed to actual quilts, she made a bee-line for quilting magazines!





It has been said that it's easy to tell which quilts are finished and which still have some work to be done - look for the one with the cat laying on it!



And I've tried giving her her own piece of quilty goodness, but no, she wants whatever I'm working on.







There have been times I've had to lock her OUT of the room because she's driven me nuts when I've been trying to lay out a quilt or do some piecing, but when it's all said and done, I don't think I'd be without my 'quilt cat'.

What creatures keep you company on your crafty endeavours?