Rainy Weather Quilts/Quilts for Cats

Having already grizzled and grumbled about nearly incessant rain over the past month, I will refrain from carrying on about it again.

Rather, I'll show you what I've been creating while holed up in my cozy basement room.

While I didn't feel energetic enough to tackle complicated quilt block patterns, I challenged myself to see what I could make using some of my rather extensive fabric stash.

If the above fabric looks familiar--it is. Its a good thing that I'm still liking those Moda lines, Wuthering Heights and Double Chocolat--would you believe there are still some remnants lurking in my cupboard?

This is an alternate light and dark setting of 36 [ 9 inch] Log Cabin blocks, with sashing and cornerstones.

The quilt finished at 68 x 68.

It is shown here prior to machine quilting.

Raisin, Jim's elderly cat, sniffs the quilt, just returned from an area quilter.

If I had unlimited funds dedicated to quilting, I would send my quilt tops either to Wyoming Quilts [where I worked prior to retirement and moving] or to Knox Hill Quilts in my hometown of Orwell, Vermont.

My attempts at machine quilting anything other than baby quilt size have not pleased me--my piecing skills are precise and the quilts deserve a decent finish.

This one was quilted locally.

The woman who quilted this has reopened the shop her mother closed a year or more ago.

She offers only one stitching pattern--a 'wishbone' motif.

Batting is a mid-weight poly and the backing choices are white or 'natural' muslin.

She uses a mid-arm industrial Singer machine.

Interestingly, the machine is fixed and the rolled quilt is placed on a simple rack which is pushed along to change the sewing area.

The fee for quilting this piece was $24.00 and included the batting and 

[as they call it in Kentucky] the 'lining.'

In Wyoming I had my 'everyday' quilts finished with an all-over stipple stitch.

It was the most economical choice, but definitely pricier than this--and I supplied the backing.

I'm happy to find this as my 'new stipple' option for quilts which will see a life of wash and wear.

Log Cabin blocks are straight cutting, straight stitching--there is no trimming, no fitting of bitty pieces.

There are endless possibilities for setting the blocks and using various colors.

This is a Star setting and the light sides of the blocks are a mix of off-white 'tone-on-tone' fabrics.  The darker sides are dusty pastels.

I've delivered this quilt to a lady who offers a few more quilting options--which will cost me a bit more, but still very reasonable.

This quilt also has 36 -12" blocks, but wider borders bring it up to 94 x 94.

Almost a decade ago I made a classic Flying Geese quilt, setting the small patches in rows divided by lengthwise strips of printed fabric.

I was apparently on a roll of cutting leftover fabric into 'geese' for I discovered I had a supply of them tucked away in a plastic bin.

Browsing a quilt magazine I saw this setting which utilized 4 'geese' and 4 plain rectangles for each 12" block.

I remembered [in the middle of a restless night] that I had YARDS of the rosy brown fabric and devised this setting to create a quilt 85 x 95.

It has a cream muslin backing and cost $41.00 for the quilting.

I have to state that I was initially reluctant to leave my quilts with this quilter--when I noticed an ashtray next to her sewing machine.

We aren't smokers and find the scent of cigarettes in a room or on clothing, upholstery, etc offensive.

I concede anyone's right to smoke, but feel it is unprofessional to subject a client's work to the smell.

At least in this weather the quilter was working with windows open.  I hung the quilts on the clothesline for about 2 hours prior to bringing them downstairs to apply bindings.

Detail of Flying Geese in the quilt border.

Detail of 'wishbone' quilting pattern.

 Oh yes--the cat part of the project!

Cats like to sleep on beds--with or without their favorite humans in place.

Constantly laundering queen and king-sized quilts that have collected cat hair, muddy paw prints or [dare I say] the odd hairball hawked up at midnight, is a chore.

I wanted several simple quilts which can be layered on top of the quilted spreads or more elaborate quilts to keep them clean.

Edward kept me company this morning as I machine stitched the binding.

I pulled the ironing board and a chair close to my sewing table to support the quilt as I  laboriously chugged  around securing the binding. [I only hand finish binding on small or special quilts!]

Edward leaped to the ironing board and burrowed under the folds of the quilt.

He stayed there peacefully even as I maneuvered the quilt around.

The cats on the new quilt are [clockwise] Willow, Teasel and Nellie.

Willow.

Nellie, inside from prowling in wet grass, blissfully drying off on the new quilt.

Teasel, my beloved.

No photo of the 4th quilt which I left with the local quilter.

G. has laid claim to it.

I have the binding prepared for it and laid aside.

This weekend I will make another binding and finish the small Log Cabin quilt--it will be a nice size to spread on the back of the loveseat--or to take into a chair come winter--a homey quilt, a purring cat, a mug of tea and a good book--what could be more soothing?