Distracted!

 

Here is an origami crane quilt I made in 2015. I started this in my first year with the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge. I am going to enter it into my local guild's quilt show. This was based on a quilt named Swan by Saeko Hasegawa.

Otherwise, I have been sewing circles for Sue Spargo's class.  Okay, let me be more accurate...I intend to be sewing circles for Sue Spargo's class but instead I am finding many internet rabbit holes to wander into. Those rabbit holes are lined with quilts. Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting is sporting a very nice winding rabbit hole on her blog today.

Tiny Tuesday

Today is Tiny Tuesday over at SoScrappy.  Today, our block is sponsored by Cynthia Brunz at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.  I had Molly make the fabric selection for me and I was a bit distressed that she would have such a negative view of romance and Valentine's Day while just a mere three year old kitten. She politely asked me what romance was, then explained her fabric choice is a reflection of my view's of white chocolate.

And yes, life is a bit lonely with Molly spending all of her time with her new best friend. Buddy usually takes over Molly's favorite sleeping spaces, but so far he is spending most of his time trying to sleep on her discarded heated massage-o-lounger...me.

Finally Demented

Okay, this Garden Mosaic quilt from Formerly Free Spirit finally earned its Demented Title. The machine quilting was easier than I thought it would be. I essentially went along all the diagonals...first through the white squares and the dark squares then along the split diagonals. (I may still have more to do, but nothing that extends past the binding.) So it wasn't the quilting that sent me over the edge.

The binding took a rather long time since this quilt is roughly 96 inches square. I left off a few rows, but not enough. Because I now have a humongous quilt.

 Instead I lost my mind trying to set up a way to get a full picture of the quilt.

I had planned to use PVC piping to set up a photography stand, but went with telescoping poles and a drapery rod so that I can adjust its size. I also needed a opening at the top so Buddy could peer over the top of the design wall. So yes, I had many constraints and not enough solutions.

It didn't help that as an earlier version began to capsize from the weight of the quilt and then Molly came running to climb up the quilt, ensuring a spectacular collapse.

So as I am writing this I am whimpering quietly, finally done in by a needlessly humongous quilt...because as you might suspect, I now realize that if I had made a micro-sized version I would be a lot happier. The quilt would look more demented, but I would be less so. I guess I have a new goal for next month...

But first I need to take out some pins I missed, bury and clip thread, use a lint brush to remove ten pounds of cat hair and go look for areas that I missed quilting.

Red Fish

There are so many kittens running around, I decided I would make a fat fish to help feed them all. This is a Rainbow Scrappy Challenge quilt that I started many moons ago.

I gave up the project after making this shortened mutation.

However, I'm further along than I thought I was so it makes sense to try and finish this one off. And if you would like to see how others are finishing off their reds, please visit SoScrappy's Rainbow Scrappy Challenge.  And if you would like a warning for letting kittens loose in your patchwork, please visit Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting.

Meanwhile, I am preparing the circles for a Circle Play class with Sue Spargo sponsored by my local quilt guild.

Buddy the Boulder thought he would help... Earlier in the day he taught me to always breathe through my nose by dropping a fur ball toy into my mouth.

After enjoying the morning in her heated bed, Molly decided to cool off on her pile of quilt batting remnants.

Turning a corner

I finally turned the corner on the Demented Garden Mosaic quilt. I mean that literally.

And its back to the scraps to cut more micro spools. They require one 1 by 2 inch rectangle and four 1 inch squares. I've already cut a massive pile of background bits.

And I took the seahorses off the design wall and found this. I'm thinking the final layout for this quilt might be cow towers.

And if you were wondering about Molly, this is her new favorite hobby.

Tiny and Micro

So here it is Thursday when I remembered Tiny Tuesday. So I hopped over to SoScrappy and then over to Quilting on the Crescent to get this week's block: a 3D bowtie. This block is 5 inches unfinished and 4.5 inches unfinished.

I also finished up the microspools that have been sitting next to my sewing machine. I think I only have about 1,300 more to go.

And if you would like to see Oodles of Poodles, please visit Vroomans Quilts to see her wonderful black and white poodle quilt.

More Bits and Pieces

Okay...I see that I have one of the blocks turned upside down...oh well. It's just for show. I started this pinwheel quilt a couple years ago as part of the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge. And at the end of the year I counted how many more blocks I needed. I also figured out which colors I needed more of. At some point I cut triangles to make the half square triangles and these have been sitting on my sewing table.

Meanwhile, Buddy has been increasing his toy inventory by stealing bits of cloth and anything else on my sewing table. This gave me added incentive to move these along.

I have also been throwing away a lot of weird bits of fabric that have been strewn around the house. I think we can agree that its okay to throw away 1 inch squares of fabric. Oops. Not so fast. I precut lots of microspools...and each of these use four 1 inch squares. Now some are missing their squares...BUDDY!!!!

Wool Circles

Sue Spargo is coming to speak to our quilt guild next month and my sister and I are taking her class. Before the class we are supposed to sew 48 wool circles to a background. Molly has a lovely collection of wool that she allowed me to borrow from.  Wool is Molly's chocolate...she likes to roll around in it and caress it.

Needless to say, my sister sent me a picture showing how she had already sewn almost all her circles onto the background. I prefer to "enjoy" my projects by having lots of time "thinking about" and less time "doing." And this way I never risk having the project ready on time.

Seeing Red

Today I seem to be living in the Hawaii time zone, so I'm pretending its still Saturday. Several years ago Cathy at Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting made an elongated block that I called Bitcoin. I do like making these blocks. But this year I'm making a square version.

Here are nine of the blocks. Hopefully I will discover a better layout.

And here are my three RSC blocks. And if you want to see red too, take a look at the lovely red patchwork at the SoScrappy's Rainbow Scrappy Challenge.

Real Kittens

I haven't been sewing much over the last couple of days...except for binding. So I thought I would revisit Molly and Buddy's first year.  Here is Molly learning to take command of the sewing chair.

Here is Molly practicing adorable poses. At this point in her life she doesn't realize that she is going to develop a crippling addiction to a heated bed.

And here is Buddy at the same age when he didn't realize that he would grow up to be the size of a pony.

Kitten Categories

Today we are going to have a seminar on kittens. The kitten on the right is a kitten in a rainbow quilt I made as part of the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge. The kitten in the middle is modified to participate in SoScrappy's Tiny Tuesday so its called a Tiny Kitten. The kitten on the far left is a Micro Kitten. It is based on a one inch grid.

This is a Molly Kitten.

Meanwhile, I have finished quilting the Demented Garden Mosaic and next I will be sewing on the binding.

New Micro Spools

Here are a dozen new microspools--unfinished they are 2 inches square and will finish at 1.5 inches square. Today my quilt guild had their monthly meeting, and these fabrics (foreground, not background) were all bits available from the "free table" where people drop off scraps and fabric they no longer want. For these, I only took about a fistful of scraps...a wonderful way to have fabric variety without crowding out my cats (more than their current dire circumstances--editor's note).

Tiny Tuesday Block 3: Kitten

This kitten is 5 inches square unfinished so it can be adopted for SoScrappy's Tiny Tuesday Quilt. You can also get a PDF version from SoScrappy by going here.

To make this block you will need to cut the following from the background fabric:

one 2 inch square
two 1.25 inch squares
one 1.25 by 2.75 inch rectangle

For the kitten cut:

three 1.25 inch squares
one 2 by 2.75 inch rectangle
one 2.75 by 4.25 inch rectangle
one 1.25 by 5 inch rectanlge/strip

The layout above approximates where each of the kitten parts will go.

First, let's use flip triangles to make the kitten ears. Take two of the 1.25 inch red squares and lay them on either ends of the 1.25 by 2.75 inch background rectangle. In the photo above, I have drawn the stitch line. You will sew from corner to corner as shown about one thread width away from the true diagonal. The sewing doesn't have to be exact, but do not stray above the diagonal.

Also, do not cut anything until you have sewn the squares to the rectangle. You will next iron back the triangle so the top corner matches the bottom corner of the ear and background fabric. If you iron this precisely, it won't matter as much if the sewing isn't as precise.

You will also want to sew the two 1.25 inch squares of background and kitten fabric together.

And last but not least, sew a flip triangle to the top right hand corner of the large kitten rectangle. Iron and trim the flip triangle.

After you have carefully ironed the square over on its diagonal, then you can trim away the excess underneath leaving roughly a quarter inch for the seam.

You may find more information about flip triangles in this kitten tutorial, but be warned that these kittens are a different size and shape.

If everything has gone to plan, you should be able to lay out the six remaining kitten parts.

Next, sew the kitten ears to the kittens head. Iron towards the kitten head.
Then sew the tail tip to the 2 inch square of background fabric. Iron toward the tail tip.

For this step you will be sewing the kitten head and ears to the background section with the tail tip. Hopefully the two seams will nestle together happily.

It's now time to sew the kitten's head to its body.

And last, but not least, sew the tail strip along the side of the cat from tail tip to its hind end. And speaking of ending, you're done.

For the Tiny Tuesday project, you will only want to make one kitten. However, you may want to have a kitten that faces to the right (although they tend to act more like dogs and eat too much).

Here is the layout for the right facing kitten. The most important steps to watch out for is that the background flip triangle now goes in the upper left hand corner of the body. Then the background sections get sewn on the left hand side of the kitten's head.

Red Circle and Micro Kitten

Here is my red circle for Angela's Tiny Tuesday offering. I will confess that I used Dale Fleming's inset circle method instead of hand applique. Also, this is a pinwheel set into a pinwheel. In case you find yourself getting dizzy, don't forget to spin over to the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge to see other red wonders.

I also made a red micro kitten. This kitten is 3.5 inches square unfinished. I am hoping that it will grow to 5 inches square by Tuesday when it will become the design for Angela's Tiny Tuesday block.

Here is the micro kitten with its friends the micro spool and micro bowtie.

And here is Molly using her heated bed as a tanning bed. Molly does not understand all the fuss about her heated bed. She says she would prefer her heated massaging bed, but staff keeps complaining about wanting to get up and "do something." As if holding a kitten wasn't enough...

Also, Molly would like to point out that when she was younger she had a heated purring bed that dispensed a fresh warm beverage. She thinks life has gone steadily downhill since then.

Answers!

Yesterday I showed this fabric in black and white...and this is the same fabric with colors. I will probably use this fabric for fussy cutting.

I bought my fabric from Hancocks of Paducah...but I haven't looked to see if they still have it or if its available elsewhere. In any case, here is the selvedge for looking for it online. (If you wish...)

And this is Molly's heated bed. I purchased mine through Chewy.com but you can probably find this in real life or at your favorite online outlets. This is a small version of the bed. Buddy has a tendency to take over Molly's favorite sleeping spots, so I am hoping that this will allow them to both the area in front of the picture window. It is too small for him to use as a cup but I suspect one day I will discover it flattened into a pancake.

I think these beds come as heating pads in case your cat likes more of a platform than a nest.

Warming Up

I made more progress on machine quilting the Demented Garden Mosaic. I have sewn through the squares and now I'm going down the diagonals, hiding in the ditch between the dark and light.

And I even made another handful of micro spools. I only have a few more thousand to make.

And look at the delightful fabric that came in the mail. Okay, I also got a rainbow spiral too.

Meanwhile, I've been a bit disappointed that Molly hasn't used her heated bed as much as I thought she would. Then I noticed that it was on the same surge protector as the iron...and I had the unit turned off. No heat for Molly. I turned her bed on and by this afternoon Molly was quite happy and quite heat drunk. (And in case you wondered...the heat only comes on if there is weight placed on it, so it is off when unoccupied.)