Completion 2 of 3!

I had the Made in Cherry quilt on my list for this year. I know, all the excitement over it has long passed, well, I am on my own schedule! Anyway, I had looked at all the others in the Flickr group for inspiration, but nothing really seemed to excite me. I had thought about doing it all scrappy, still may as that would make a dent in the scrap bin.

If you have been reading this blog for any time, you know I have dogs, and love dogs. I am always on the lookout for dog-themed fabrics and this quilt shows them quite well.

I have 3 colors of "Puppy Dog Tails" from Aneela Hooey's "Sherbert Pips" collection. I bought them years ago, and just held on, waiting for the right project. I also had the mustard color of dogs from Heather Ross's line "Lightening Bugs and Other Mysteries". I have been zealously hoarding this yardage. Her fabrics are so cute and notoriously hard to get! At the quilt show in Statesville in January, I added to my stash by buying 4 patters from Hoffman Fabrics "Patches the Dog" collection, in black and gray.

I kept the fabrics together and waited for inspiration.

And waited. Then I found my yardage of Kaffe Fassett's Paperweights in mustard. This is an awesome little print that also had the red and teal from my Aneela Hooey dogs, and the mustard like my Heather Ross dogs. This print just brought all my other prints together! I threw in a cute little poodle on red print I had picked up from the City Quilter. I had enough yardage for the background. Then I could see the whole quilt made in my head.

I had to make it. So, here is "Canis Major-the Dog Star":

I love it, it is just as I visualized. Each square is FMQed differently from the next, took extra time, but I love it. The only change I made on the pattern was the way I attached the back ground pieces.

It measures 74" square.

Dog and Cat-fabric choices

Since this quilt is for the Stokes County Humane Society, fabric featuring dogs and cats seems quite appropriate! I have purchased cute fabrics through the year, so when I started this quilt I pulled all my pet stash together.

This dog fabric was first. Who can resist those soulful eyes?

Then I found the cat print at Mary Jo's. Love the detail!

The background of the center is a fun and funky dog print I bought at a quilt show.

The applique is a black batik. I machine stitched the edge with black cotton thread to blend in.

My sashing is a cut paw prints fabric I have had for a while, and I used this brown-multicolor batik for the top and bottom border. I like the formality it gives the quilt. It came together very quickly. Next up, basting and quilting!

Dog update

If you have been reading this humble blog for long, you know I adore my hounds.

We had adopted Sarge in May 2009. At that time, he was quite traumatized from his life "before". 

Almost 2 years later, this Belgian Malinois has rehabilitated nicely. He is still a bit timid, but has a sweet disposition and is begining to play games with my husband (he was terrified of men!). 

On the sofa, watching TV, he loves "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer"

He sleeps with us, and our other Mal-mix, Pepper. They enjoy playing together and are great companions. We took them both to PetSmart last Friday evening for the very first time. They were so well-behaved! We are planning on beginning formal training with both of them in February. Should be fun!

Never thought we'd see this....

*a "Life in Limbo non-quilting post*

While I am not getting in much (any) sewing/quilting time, we as a family are getting some bonding time! Sarge is really starting to trust Al more. It takes time and patience with a rescued pooch.

But it is so worth it!

Prose and cons

Life in limbo has some disadvantages:
lack of private space
all our stuff is in storage
no sewing studio

But it also has some seriously marvelous advantages:
time with sweet MIL :o) [she cooks dinner!]
quiet country living
GREAT logging road for dogs (and they are lovin it!)

Some late summer eye candy:

A little eye candy

A color wheel of marbled fabric in the Sewingly Yours booth at the Not Just for Quilters Shop Hop in the J. E. Broyhill Civic Center, Lenoir, NC tomorrow and Saturday. I got a sneak preview (but no shopping) this afternoon during the set up time. If you are in the area, this is an awesome opportunity to get quilt stuff from over 10 vendors!

My sweet Pepper. She is so funny, she just flops down. Sarge will circle 3 times and then gracefully fold down, Murray grans, sits, then slides his front paws until he is lying down. But Pepper, she just flops! I have always loved that her face and head are triangles. And the was she furrows her brows always gives her a quizzical look. She is a sweetie, but then all 3 of my hounds are!

Dad drove up today to help me take the dogs out while the agents open house went on. It was crazy humid, but not too hot. We took the dogs to some trails nearby and strolled and talked. He is doing so well. It is amazing to think how close we came to loosing him not that long ago. Thanks again to everyone for their thoughts and prayers on Dad's behalf. They worked!!

Back in the studio

This has been such a busy month. I had much to do. Then my Dad was ill, and all my priorities changed. He is home (came home Thursday) and his cardiac rehab is underway. He faces the brain surgery to remove the pituitary tumor in 6-8 weeks, but he is strong and determined and surrounded by a host of family and friends to assist in any way. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers. Please continue to pray for my Dad in this rehab and in the face of the tumor. Please also pray for my Mom, who is his primary caregiver, chauffeur, best friend, life partner etc! She is exhausted from all the stress! I spent Friday night with them since I had a free-motion class on Saturday morning at Sewingly Yours. We had a relaxed dinner and I got my Mom to help me with paper piecing. She tutored me well and I have a pattern to attack in the near future!

My free-motion class was packed! I had 13 great students! The morning flew by. Wannitta has started a blog for the shop. Please check it out here and become a fan on Facebook!

And finally, on Saturday night, I got to spend a nice quiet evening with my hubby! We ate a fantastic dinner that he prepared, (roasted pork loin with root vegetables), watched the Olympics and chilled.


And today, back in the studio to release some pent-up creativity! 2, yes 2 new WIPS:


I am calling this "peekabu"

A close up of the cool batik and Kona cotton:

 

And a new hand-dyed I am calling "portal":

 

 

It has been a beautiful warm day. We have spent time outside with the dogs. I have been cutting and piecing and am quite relaxed. I am so grateful!

Some pet love

I just found this on Quilt Hollow and had to share!

Dear Dogs and Cats: The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Racing me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.
I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. However, dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom! If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.
The proper order for kissing is: Kiss me first, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough.
Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:
TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:
(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly...
Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they
(1) eat less
(2) don't ask for money all the time
(3) are easier to train
(4) normally come when called
(5) never ask to drive the car
(6) don't hang out with drug-using people
(7) don't smoke or drink
(8) don't want to wear your clothes
(9) don't have to buy the latest fashions
(10) don't need a gazillion dollars for college
(11) if they get pregnant, you can sell their children

This is a hoot! If you know who actually wrote it, please tell! I would love to credit and thank them!

You may  have guessed we have 3 big dogs who are truly part of our family.

Snow on a Saturday

It is not to bad to be on the news when it is about the weather. We here in the mountains of NC got hit with a winter storm yesterday. Quite unusual, especially in December, as we normally get our snow in February and March. It is pretty, but I get cabin fever really quickly! 

Here's a shot out of my front door last night:

I love how the light reflects on the snow!

And here is sweet Sarge:

Murray has really had fun tromping through:

And Pepper? Well she has either been curled up in a ball on the sofa, or running too fast to capture on the camera!

As for me, I have been sewing. I have 20 blocks made on my scrap-string quilt:

Sweet hubby loves it so I am making it king-size for our bed. This will be an on-going project to make it big  enough. I am making my blocks 12.5" inches. Why 12.5"? Well, 2 reasons: 1. that makes 12" finished squares which makes it quicker to make a large quilt, and 2. That is the size of my square ruler! I may get a larger square ruler, it would make a king-size quilt even quicker!

I am also working on another art quilt for my exhibit in January:

 

Currently just strips sewn together, but it is starting to come together in my head.

I am also taking advantage of being house-bound to clean a bit in the studio. I have lots of rogue scraps and threads lying about.