Buddy and the Design Floor

Here's Buddy working on the layout for the zipper quilt. He seems to prefer having the seams face up. He is also mixing in a pile of microspool blocks. Molly warned him not to get too hung up on symmetry because it always leads to a static, boring look that is hard on the eyes. 

And speaking of gray, there is still a day left to sign up for the fabric giveaway if you go visit the previous post.  While I emphasize gray, the giveaway is open to any colors and themes just like the previous giveaways.

Gray Saturday: December Giveaway

 If you are participating in Bonnie Hunter's mystery challenge, you might be missing the free table right about now because you want to pick up some extra gray fabric.

And you know there is someone out there who has more gray fabric than they know what to do with.

Of course, this giveaway, like the others, is not limited to gray fabric. Maybe you need some neutrals or cat fabric or a particular color for the Rainbow Scrappy Challenge or some fabric that is so obnoxious that it wakes you up in the middle of the night purring and demanding you pay attention to her...oh wait, that was a cat named Molly. So maybe you want some fabric picked out by a naughty kitten who should spend more time picking out fabric for a give away than chewing on sewing thread off of the cone or waking me up at 3AM just because.

So yes, its that time of month when I ask you to leave a comment telling me what fabric you would like, and I will send you a small USPS box of fabric. Unfortunately, this excludes those who live outside of the U.S. due to the high costs of shipping. It also excludes no-reply comments if there is no way for me to contact you.

Molly will pick three names at random from the comments left on this post at 11:58pm December 1 (west coast time). I'll notify the winners and we will work out the specifics of what you are interested in and the size of the scraps and where I will send them. 

I am certainly having fun with this giveaway and I appreciate everyone who is joining in!

Thanksgiving

Here's Buddy enjoying his Thanksgiving evening. I caught this photo about two seconds before I started yelling at him to get off his duff and get in the kitchen and wash the dishes. Okay, I'm joking. Buddy is so spoiled he hasn't washed a dish in his life. 

Buddy is telling me that I don't appreciate his job as eye candy, but all I see are too many red postage stamp blocks clumped in the lower section of the quilt.

Finally!

 

Here are all of the postage stamp blocks ready to be rearranged on the design wall. It's amazing how useful a photo/computer can be to show you where things may be out of balance and have large pits of dark despair. 

The postage stamps finish at one inch so the blocks finish at 8 inches. This eight block by eleven block configuration takes up the entire design wall. So my biggest challenge this week was getting the area in front of the design cleared out enough to use it and take the full photograph.

Part of that process was putting away the Bernina 930 and its sewing table. It has been giving me skipped stitches and other oddities. It will eventually go off for a service visit. This poor dear has had to put up with me for over 40 years so I think it might enjoy some time isolated in a dark closet.

And here are the slackers lounging in their heated beds. Here Buddy is in the large bed and Molly is in the small bed. This morning Buddy was running around the house yelling that it was time to "pony up" which we think simply means that "the pony is up."

Another day, more litter

 Here are Buddy's favorite kittens. Buddy wants to change his name to Thunderbolt, but every day Molly stamps denied on his request and I draw a sarcastic frowny face on it. Buddy also chose the bat fabric because it reminds him of the day Molly caught a bat and Buddy ate it for breakfast. 

And here is the entire litter...seven kittens too many.

More Micro

 Here is another litter of kittens. If you think these kittens are weird, you should see the mother!

And while we're at it, here are some microspools. Buddy thinks its nice of me to give the new kittens some toys. Molly thinks its disgusting that I'm using kitten ears to make spools.

Symbolic Kittens

Despite a thorough application of alcohol in the sewing room, the kitten pandemic continues. Today there are four new cases. I have noticed that the kittens have led some to make comments that may be figurative, not literal or vice versa. In particular, I don't know how kittens can hide easter eggs or quilts become squirrels. Molly says explaining anything to me is above her pay grade.

Meanwhile, Molly is somewhat concerned about some of the toys promoted on her favorite shopping channel: Kitten.Academy. 

Item 1 is Buddy's favorite toy and he brings it to bed, to his food dish and to his playroom (aka sewing room). This toy's name is Buddy's Buddy. 

Item 2 is Buddy's favorite toy and he gives it several good bites and kicks everyday. It's name is Molly.

Item 3 is not a toy. This is an insulting menace. Buddy and Molly consider it such a nuisance that I toss it between Molly and Buddy when they square off to scuffle. They are not afraid of the flopping fish...well, except for the potential damage to their reputation if seen anywhere near it. So yeah, I guess it's my favorite cat toy.

This is Molly's favorite toy. She likes to "condition" the thread. She also enjoys hearing me gasp/grumble/spew when I forget to check the spool and end up with thread piles, breakage and mangled patchwork.

Mutation!

 I know this is not news to anyone, but yes, even kittens can suffer from horrible mutations that make them look like a different species. 

Flatten the Kittens!

 I think I may have a kitten problem. It appears that the number of kittens are doubling each day. 

Molly is less worried about having too many kittens around...

and is more worried that the kittens may have brothers that ask to crash on the couch and then never leave.

Egads...

I am slightly worried that things are getting out of control. And then there are all these kittens. Those of you with eagle eyes may think there is one cat that is different. If you say the green cat, I agree with you. If you say the one with cactus images, you will have to take it up with Molly. She says this is a Catcuss and I can assure you that Molly knows all about cat cussing. Most of it is directed at Buddy.

 There is good news and sad news. If you watch Kitten Academy, you are assured to be spared sad news. However, Molly insists that anyone who comes to this blog must like sad quilting and neglected kittens. The surgery on the little pink kitten was successful, but it succumbed to whatever terrible background sprinkles flew around its head.

And as in life, there are now more kittens. These kittens, however, do not have respiratory infections from sprinkles. Molly likes the new background because it looks like cat litter.

Last but not least, here is Molly's review of this post.

Lost

 ?. Did anyone lose a kitten? I think this is on the young side...it measures 3.5 inches square unfinished (3 inches finished). It hasn't opened its eyes yet. Also it appears to have a respiratory infection because there are particles surrounding its head. And as I am writing this, I notice that the poor kitten has the tail attached too far up the back and needs immediate surgery...the surgical nurse is reaching for the seam ripper.

The End of Postage

 

Here are the last postage stamp blocks for the Pandemic Postage Stamp quilt. Luckily, there are only six of them because my county is also seeing more instances of COVID and is going back to limiting group gatherings to six people. I mean blocks. And these are not six feet apart...so I have some serious redesigning to consider.

Final Zippers and Postage

 Here are the last of the zipper blocks. The next step will be to lay them out. Except right now, the postage stamp blocks are taking up the design wall. I could use the design floor if I wanted the zipper blocks covered in Buddy cooties.

And speaking of postal, I did make it to the post office today so "free table" packages are on their way. While I was at the post office, I bought several rolls of postage stamps and now I can finish the postage stamp block quilt top as well. I sew bits onto strips of the Zen Chic spotted fabric and then slice them apart.  

Final Results In! The Winners!

 The winners are:

19. Jerilea HendrickNovember 2, 2020 at 2:29 AM

I'd love any fabric with cats or fish, or even catfish. My rainbow scrap challenge quilt each month included a fish fabric every month, except in September and October (red and yellow). Thanks for offering this opportunity.

24. Bjwalsh101November 2, 2020 at 9:19 AM

I am looking for Pigs, reds and purples! thanks for you generosity.

27. Holly in IndianaNovember 2, 2020 at 11:45 AM

Harper the orange and white owner of my husband has asked for 30s and her own beautiful orange and white as the picture was mistakenly sent from email show her beauty.

I will be contacting each of the winners by email tomorrow, but right now I am taking part in an election night ritual of watching Hamilton, The Musical. 

However, I do think I should highlight the household butts that require sleeping and sitting accommodations. This is Molly (formerly Hurricane) when she was just 4.5 months old. We had just returned from a trip to the shelter vet because Molly was still a foster kitten. She did not approve of the trip and was using a language she thought I might understand.

I will let Mt. Hood serve as a stand-in as a graphic for my sitting requirements.

Molly said this was the best photo she could find for Buddy's hind end.

And here is some more hindsight.