Quilt Blocks For A Good Cause

Sorry that I have been so slcak about posting. It seems that once I had the time to really get down and focus on quilting and made the decision to start a blog life decided to become crazy so my craft time (a.k.a. "Me Time") became limited.  I have managed to do a few things for myself. Mainly cutting out applique shapes or cross stitching simply becuase I can do those things on my lunch break. I close the door, eat my lunch and spend the rest of the time focusing on something other than work, life, chores, etc. Plus it has been helping me be better at bringing my lunch and not wasting gas driving around. Besides it is hot in Georgia during the day!!

The few times that I have had to get behind my machine I have spent working on blocks for a quilt for Margaret's Hope Chest. I found out about them through another blog and went to their blog/site to check them out and see what they were about. And there I saw it. It was like it was there just for me. Blocks needed for a girl's quilt. She had three requests: Purple, pink and...cats. 

Long ago I had started on a quest to make a big lounge around type quilt out of cat fabric. Nothing fancy-just a bunch of 4.5" squares sewn together but each one would be a different cat fabric. So as you can imagine I managed to fill my fabric space with cat fabric. Lots and lots of cat fabric.  Since most of it was fat quarters and yardage and all I needed was a 4.5" square you can imagine the amount of left over. I've slowly been giving it away/selling precut squares of it, but this quilt was just perfect.

Instead of just doing the 2 blocks they ask for I went ahead and volunteered to do as many blocks as they still needed, which ended up being six. The pattern was PS I Quilt's Block O'Strings Block Tutorial.  It was really fun and I loved the results. I plan to do this with some other fabrics that I have, but didn't know what to do. 

It felt good to finally be able to do some sewing and even better to do it for a good cause. 

Finally some time!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post. I have been crazy busy lately, but not the "wow I can't believe I have done so much sewing lately" kinda busy. The bad no sewing involved busy. Luckily I finally got some time to squeeze some sewing machine time in. Nothing major. I made a gift bag for one of my friends.

The green cat bag is the test bag I made. I didn't have a pattern so I just winged it.  It turned out really cute! The green bag is a print by Michael Miller with a matching coordinate (brown with the same colored green pawprints) for the handle and inside. The bag I made for my friend has the same fabric for all the pieces. It turned out to be a really simple project and I was VERY happy with the results! I was giving her a cross stitch kit (and some matching supplies) and couldn't find a cute bag to put the items in. I was trying to repay some of her kindness for giving me this-

Yup! That is a HUGE cat tower. She and her husband made it, but no longer had cats to use it. She passed it on to me! It is between my cutting table and the rack I use to hold my iron, embrodery unit and interfacing/fusible webbing rolls. You can kinda see a corner of my sewing table and part of the peg board on my wall that I hang all my rulers and cutting supplies on.

The cats are loving it. The bossy one...I mean the calico one has taken to sleeping on the very top. I think she likes being up there because she can see the whole room and meow (a.k.a. give her thoughts and critiques) without having to move to where I am.  I thought that having it would help keep the cats out of the stuff while I sew, but the big white one still tries to climb in my lap and sit on my machine while I work.

I also got my Gen X Japanese Fabric Swap fabric in! Lots and lots of cute charms squares. Not sure what I am going to do with them yet. I wanted to make them into a fun quilt to use this summer, but then realized I picked up two other charms fabric packs to to the same thing! HaHa! If you click on the link it will take you to the Gen X blog. She put up much better pictures (and some close ups) of the fabric.

Hopefully, I will be able to get  back into the sewing room to work on some quilts this week. I started a new cross stitch, but I only plan to work on that for a little each night before going to bed.  I can't wait to get sewing again!

Mail Call!

I got another package in the mail yesterday! This time it was the fabric I ordered from Connecting Threads.  When I got out the fabrics for the first block of My Cat's Garden (MCG) I noticed I didn't have any purple batik fabric for the flowers. Connecting Threads had a bunch of great batiks on sale so I picked up a couple to use in the MCG Quilt.

The colors in the picture are actually really close, but boy do these fabrics look great in person! The four up front are my favorite!  All of the batiks (except the cream ones I got for backgrounds) are bright and vibrant! Just what I needed! 

I also picked up a charm sampler pack of Connecting Threads "Bright Quilter's Candy" line. Just for fun. I think I'm going to toss the charms with some bright Kona solids or maybe just white and make a summer picnic quilt! The charm sampler pack was only $2.67 and the colors are brighter then they look in the picture...

This was the first time I have ordered from Connecting Threads and I know I will be ordering again! Main reasons I love them: 1) So many stores make you buy at least 1/2 yard when you order online. At Connecting Threads you can buy 1/4 and then choose if you want that as an actual 1/4 yard or a fat quarter.  2) They sell sampler packs of most of the lines they carry. Some samplers are 2" strips, charm squares or layer cake sized. All very reasonably priced. 3) The shipping was fast. 4) And probably what I loved the most was that they LABELED the fabrics. I hate when I order fabric that is kinda similar to each other and then have to figure out what is what. You can't see them in the photo of the batiks, but everyone is labeled with the line and color. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that! 


Now that I have all this great fabric I just need the time to sew! I haven't been able to for about a week and a half now and my fingers are just itching to turn that sewing machine on!

Two For One

I love getting packages in the mail! So much more fun then bills. This weekend I got the fabric I ordered for the Gen X Japanese Fabric Swap.

The selvage says its "Happy Sweet Collection" by Kei Fabric (made in Japan).  My plan for tonight was just to cut the yard into 5" strips. I did and then decided just to go ahead and cut them into charms. So now I have my 56 charms to send in.

I'm pretty excited. This will be the first swap that I have participated in and its also my first experience with Japanese Import Fabrics! I have seen lots of great quilts made with Japanese fabrics, but they are pricey. When I saw this swap I thought it would be the perfect way to try two new things at the same time! Hooray for new experiences!

Beginning...

And so the adventure begins! After years of staring at the patterns, collecting fabrics, and then being too overwhelmed to start, I am finally taking the plunge and beginning to put together "My Cat's Garden" by Maggie Walker Designs. 

The fabrics in the picture are for the cat and the background. I went through my whole box of batiks before I realized I didn't have any purple ones for the flowers. This first block has about 86 pieces, but I'm ready!

I owe a BIG thanks to Robin from Crafty Musings.  She has done this quilt and it is stunning! I saw it on her blog. She gave me some great advice and now I feel ready to start! Thanks Robin!!!

 

My First Post Ever!!

Hi everyone! This is my first post for my first blog. I'm excited and nervous all at the same time! I haven't quite figured this whole Blogger thing out yet so please bare with me as I learn what the heck I'm doing.  I recently stumbled upon the world of quilting blogs and what can I say? I was hooked the minute I made that first mouse click! I have loved reading and admiring the quilts and projects the authors of the blogs I follow create and want to join in on the fun! So welcome to The Quilting Cats!

I have two cats who run the roost so to speak when it comes to my quilting time.  One can't seem to grasp the idea that what I am doing is more important then him at the time and therefore is involved in every aspect of quilting. Here he is trying to help me stipple a quilt. This quilt took forever to quilt since I had to stop to keep removing his helpful self.

The other kitty is more of the supervisor. She has a certain spot in the room that is hers and she watches. Most of the time while she is doing that she's meowing directions or criticism in my direction. After I finally finished the quilt above she had some words to say about it. I like to think they were good! She likes to talk. She was even talking while I was trying to take her picture. I think she said "Make sure to get my good side!"

And since I showed you the cats that helped it come together here is what the finished quilt looks like...

The leopard print fabric on the top, the backing and binding are all Bernatex minkee. This was a kit I have had for FOREVER. I'm glad I got it done. It is the perfect nap/cuddle quilt for the couch. It was fun to do, although I am still cleaning up minkee fuzz!!

Well that is it. First post of my first blog is officially done! YAY!! I hope you enjoy my blog!