2014 New FO Challenge - February

Today I am linking with Barbara of Cat Patches to display my New FO Challenge for February. Be sure to drop by Barbara's to see all the unique and fun projects started by many talented quilters during the month. This is such a fun challenge - all you have to do is START a new project. There is no stress to finish.

Here goes ....

This flimsy is for my eldest great niece. The niece who reached for all things bright before she was toddling. Yellow is her favorite color. The pattern is Stepping-Stones from Sue Abrey's Pick Four book. This is an amazingly easy to construct Irish Chain created from modified 9-patch units. The fact yellow is not my favorite color does nothing to distract my eye from the crisp lines of the Irish Chain I so love. The flimsy is awaiting the arrival of bright yellow backing to make a trip to my quilter.

Second up is this much more calming - to me! - block laid out un-stitched on my design table cloth.

This is the first (January) block of Barbara Brackman's Threads of Memory, a graciously free monthly BOM being offered on her Civil War Quilts blog. I did not start the block until February. My plan is to stitch this and the February block over the weekend - in March, no less. This year is flying by!

These are my New FOs for February. Head on over to Barbara's to see what everyone else started and perhaps even finished during the month. I am warning you doing so can hold potential danger for a quilter! Doing so fills one's head with many, many "one day!" projects. Go anyway - you will enjoy the possibilities dancing in your head. Link up while you are visiting. The more projects the merrier! Happy quilting!

The Calm Before the Storm

My design table cloth is free of yellow, red and turquoise. Yes!

I have the first block cut out for Barbara Brackman's Threads of Memory. Actually two blocks have been released so I am technically behind. Oh well! I have heard the "turtle wins the race!"

These are MY COLORS - calm, relaxing and very pretty!

But the storm is brewing ..... the yellow backing for the yellow, red, turquoise great niece has shipped. I will let me lovely quilter deal with that "eye opener!"  And, the bright purple, pink, turquoise fabrics have been ordered for the second great niece. Where, oh where did I get these wild and wacky relatives? Maybe, just maybe these girls are related to my sister? That would be the sister who's favorite color is RED. The sister who has yellow walls in her house and a - get this - apple green couch. 

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

Sunshine is a Flimsy!

Presenting Sunshine! This quilt is for my great niece who LOVES YELLOW!

Here is Sunshine with all the rows joined.

The outer borders don't exactly tone this bright quilt down. The turquoise, one of my favorite colors,inner border does seem to contain or "tame" the brightness a bit.

Outer borders on! Not being a fan of yellow or a red which contains an almost orange hue, I am most happy to know this quilt will be moving to Texas.

Ms Cha Cha Cat says she is glad this one is off the design tablecloth. This quilt was hurting her delicate eyes! Perhaps that is why she tried to eat the pattern book the other day. She claims temporary insanity. Naughty Cat!




And, just so you can see the true BRIGHTNESS I took this flimsy outside. We still have only brown grass but the sun is beautiful today ....

I don't know if you can see them; however, there is a sprig of bright yellow wild flowers growing almost midway (closer to the left side) of the bottom border. This pattern is Stepping-Stones from Sue Abrey's Pick Four book.

Who Needs Sunshine?

The rain set in early this morning and looks like it is here to stay for a while. But, who needs sunshine when one has this on their design tablecloth?

All the rows are stitched and four of them are joined together. I need this quilt top finished so I can get something calm and peaceful to replace it! My yellow loving niece better know I love her!

This quilt, which I plan to name Sunshine, was designed by Sue Abrey as Stepping-Stones in her Pick Four book.

Notice the bottom right hand corner of my beloved book? Ms Cha Cha Cat did not know her human could scream as loud as I did when I caught her happily eating my book. I skipped the "naughty cat" and went straight for "BAD!"

Ms Cat is very, very sorry. She offers her heartfelt apology.

Shield Your Eyes!

Warning! Pictures in this post are so BRIGHT damage can be done to the unshielded eye!

The second set of nine patch units all starched and pressed waiting for two magic cuts.

And, I thought for possibly these units would tone this quilt down? No! I suppose adding yellow, turquoise and flecks of red to yellow, red and turquoise is not a tone down combination!

I remember when I went off to college (many years ago!) my parents allowed my sister to "re-do" our bedroom. My sister tie-dyed white with a fire engine red. The result was so LOUD I had difficulty sleeping in our room when at home. Looks like my sister's eldest grandchild doesn't "fall far from the tree!"

Now that Ms Cha Cha Cat has redesigned our morning schedule to 3 a.m. wake-ups I had some time this morning. Ms Cat knows if she can get me semi-conscious I will have a nature call and once I am up unfortunately I am up. She wins! So I cut nine patch units into disappearing nine patch and loosely stuck them on my design tablecloth.

The borders are not going to

TONE DOWN

this quilt!

I would take a bet Sue Abrey, the lovely pattern designer, can see the startling glare way over across the ocean at her home. For all you bright lovers, I am glad the colors live at your house! lol And, I am especially glad to say the next great niece in line for a quilt loves pinks and purples - I will do bright but the colors will be more in my comfort zone.

The red, yellow, turquoise thing! Once I get this stitched I must find the brightest backing available. Have a great day!

 

3 a.m. - Oh, My

This ...

Decided 3 a.m. was the perfect time for cat treats! She is quite persistent when she wants something, so despite my best efforts I found myself wide awake listing to Ms Cha Cha Cat crunch treats at 3 a.m., no less.

Naughty Cat! She is darn lucky, I love her very, very much.

So what does one do at 3 a.m? I am one of those people who cannot go back to bed after putting my feet on the floor. So I did this ...

Strip-sets all cut. Check the time - drat a wee bit after 4 a.m. Onward we go ...

8 of the 9-patch units all pressed, starched, hanging on the design tablecloth awaiting those 2 scary cuts when they become disappearing 9-patch! Can you say BRIGHT! Definitely an unusual site in my calm mauve, navy and sage living area.

Maybe the second set of 9-patch will diffuse some of the color?

Maybe not! - even after they are stitched together. Oh, well it is almost 8 a.m. and time to get ready for work. Can you guess who has gone back to bed?

And, of course, she is on my quilt!

Naughty Cat! Gotta love her!

Sunday Stitching

Today I pressed and steamed the creases out of a lot of fabric. Next I cut and cut and cut with my rotary cutter and got lots of fabric strips .....

Then I stitched and stitched and stitched some more .....

Now all the strip sets are waiting to be pressed and cut once more ....

 

This is going to be one BRIGHT quilt! I'm using Sue Abrey's Stepping-Stones pattern from her Pick Four book. I've made this quilt once before and I love the crisp Irish chain. These fabric choices are out of my norm. This quilt will be going to a great niece who has loved YELLOW since forever! You will need blinders to sleep in her room! lol

 

My loyal, helper held down the not being used in this quilt fabric while I worked. Everyone needs a black cat to assist their stitching! Ms Cha Cha Cat is definitely dedicated to her job.

Happy CATNIP Day!

I told Ms Cha Cha Cat today was Valentine's Day. Her said NO! Today is Happy Catnip Day! and if you want to remain happy, you will remember the catnip. Naughty cat!

Overcomimng Fear!

My yet to be named quilt is home from my quilters. Look at he lovely meandering! The pattern is Lucky Stars by Terri Atkinson. I laid my quilt out on the bed only to attract this ....

Quilts are cat magnets! Notice the "Mine! All Mine!" cat GLARE! Ms Cha Cha Cat does not take well to sharing. And everything in this house belongs solely to her. She is especially protective of anything "newly arrived."
 
I politely requested she MOVE so I could get pictures. Her reaction was ...

I''m taking this for a NO!

Naughty cat!






And, as usual, the cat won!

Or, she won that round. When she finally abandoned my quilt to watch a squirrel outside, I quickly folded the quilt up as the binding is yet to come. I placed folded quilt on the rocking chair - the rocking chair Ms Cat has been "scared" of ever since she managed (all by herself) to slide off of while chasing a flying bug. I am at a loss of words for explaining the "event." I will say the rocker squished her paw in the process. She has avoided the rocking chair ever since.

But, quilts are cat magnets! 

Ms Cha Cha overcame her fear .....

Her new favorite place since the quilt came home on Sunday! 

Naughty, naughty cat!