Saturday Cat Words of Wisdom #4

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer." Ralph

Does your pet have something to say? If you would like to see your pet on a future Saturday Cat Words of Wisdom post, send me an email (adrianneonthewindyside at gmail dot com) with the photo you would like featured, some words (wise, witty, or just plain silly) that relate to the photo, your pet's name, and a link to your blog/flickr stream/website.

Fresh Sewing Day - January 2013

Since I had the first half of the month off work, January was a pretty productive month for me.  I tested a pattern, I started and finished two quilts, and I made two quilt tops which I haven't quilted yet (ok, one of them is pretty small).  I worked on a couple of other things as well, including coming up with my block for the Simply Solids bee.  Check out the links below for the blog posts for the various projects. 

1. A brighter shade of pale quilt, 2. Scrappy trip along quilt top, 3. Emeralds and Ice Quilt, 4. Pistols at Dawn, 5. A Letter from Lotta Quilt, 6. Paper pieced juice glasses

This is pretty satisfying progress for me, and really emphasised how the whole working full time thing is really getting in the way of my quilting/sewing (jokes - I love my job, plus that's where I get the pretty pretty money to buy the pretty pretty fabric).

We are currently experiencing the longest period of sunny, still weather I have seen for many many years - long may it continue, even if it does mean it's too hot to quilt!  How was your January - sewing wise and weather wise?

Linking up to Fresh Sewing Day at Lily's Quilts:

Momentum

Momentum might be my word for 2013.  I have realised that I really thrive on momentum - it's why I often like to make a quilt top in a big burst over a few days, and struggle with slow burning projects.  

It's something I plan to harness to my advantage this year, and also something I plan to work on, to make sure when I get stalled in a project, I don't give up on it altogether, and so I can take on some more complex projects that will I inevitably have to work on over a long period.

This week, work has picked up after a rather quiet period, which I am loving.  Behind the scenes, I have been working away on a quilt using this stack of the lovely Noteworth collection by Sweetwater for Moda (supplied by Moda - thanks!).

This is something of a slow burn project - I need to make 64 blocks, and I am working on making 16 blocks a week over 4 weeks.  I have made 12 of my 16 for this week - keeping up momentum.  I really like the Noteworthy collection - it is brighter in person than the online swatches may lead you to believe, and there are several really nice designs that I will be buying yardage of once it is available.

Do you have a word for 2013?

Saturday Cat Words of Wisdom #3

"Sure this pose is overdone.  But it works - how can anyone resist this cuteness?  My point?  Don't forget about the classics.  Most cliches are cliches because they are true." Ivy

Does your pet have something to say? If you would like to see your pet on a future Saturday Cat Words of Wisdom post, send me an email (adrianneonthewindyside at gmail dot com) with the photo you would like featured, some words (wise, witty, or just plain silly) that relate to the photo, your pet's name, and a link to your blog/flickr stream/website.

Emeralds and Ice Quilt - finished!

I finished stitching down the binding on my Emeralds and Ice quilt late last week - yay!  A change of backdrop - I thought this quilt might look good in this cool green corner of my parents' garden.

Finally, I managed to get a picture of the back of the quilt.  I used a lovely soft voile from Spotlight that had a fun modern floral design in just the right shade of green.

I am very happy I decided to include the little pops of print.

The sun was going down as I took these photos, so the quilt looks darker here than it is in real life.

The first photos were taken before I washed and dried this quilt.  Because I starch the quilt top and back before basting, I like to pre-wash quilts before gifting them.  I used a couple of colour catchers with this one to soak up any colour bleed from the dark green fabric, and was glad to see I didn't have any issues.  I did, however, get a lot of crinkle.  I will give this quilt a light press before I send it off to my friend, but I don't mind the crinkle.

Ivy really loves this voile.  I only put the quilt down for a second and she was on it instantly.  I wouldn't normally let my cats sit on a quilt that I am gifting after it has been washed, but I know my friend will let her cat on this quilt, so I wasn't too worried this time.

Quilt Stats

Pattern:  My own, inspired by this quilt from Red Pepper Quilts.

Finished Size:  Approximately 62 inches square.

Fabric: Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Ice Frappe and Clover, Philip Jacobs Rambling Rose in Green for Westminster Fibres.

Backing: Flora and Fauna voile from Spotlight.

Binding: Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Clover.

Pieced and quilted by: me, on my domestic sewing machine.

This quilt is the second of my first quarter goals for the 2013 Finish-A-Long - two down, seven to go!  I might just get there!  If only I could stop starting new things...

Linking up with Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, and TGIFF, this week hosted by the talented Nat at Made in Home (seriously, this lady has a new born baby and she is still producing cute handmade items with startling regularity).