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Well, November was another month I didn't finish my One Monthly Goal. So I'm rolling that goal over to December. For the last month of the year, I'd Like to finish the mostly blue mat i've been working on.
I've got to get this one finished bc it needs a wash! Look at all that cat hair!
OMG is now hosted over at Elm Street Quilts and I certainly hope that it will continue into 2017.
For my November One Monthly Goal, I'm hoping to finish this little blanket I've been working on for an elderly friend.
I'm linking up with OMG at it's new home, Elm Street Quilts! Thanks so much to Red Letter Quilts for starting OMG and for passing it off when needed.
For my October OMG, I'm revisiting a goal I tried over the Summer. It was too hot in x to quilt the Maybe Lyz Quilt, but October seems to be just the right month to be snuggled under this big quilt.
This big quilt gets all wrinkled from quilting in my lap. I don't use a hoop or frame.
Linking up with Red Letter Quilts with my October Goal.
Finally! I finished my first OMG in 4 months. My count now is 4 completed out of 9 goals.
Linking up with Red Letter Quilts with a completed goal!
Welp, May didn't see me get as far as I would like on my Ohio Star Quilt.
But a fail for May OMG is an opportunity for June!
It may be ambitious, but I'm shaking up my June OMG Goal and expanding it to incorporate two items; Two quilts, one goal! This will help me get back on track for OMG and the 2016 Finish Along.
So, this month, I will finish my Ohio Star Quilt and the Tree of Life Baby Quilt (or cry trying).
I finished my April goal early in the month so I could add it to my Q1 finish Along completed list, as well. Check out the post here.
So I'm on to May!
I've been working on this Ohio Star quilt for a looooong time. It's been on every one of my Finish Along lists for 2015, and 2016. I think May is my month to get it done!
Linking up with Red Letter Quilts for OMG May.
Since I started this quilt way back in 2014, all the cats have had a hand in helping me. Here, pit gives me some advice about how to continue the quilting and reach my May Goal!
I started this mini on a visit to AZ way back in 2010 (I think... I had to call my friend bc I honestly couldn't remember). She was taking a sewing class and was going thru her fabric stash. I helped and got to pick put what I liked (which worked out to be things she didn't like, mostly) as a reward. I started hand sewing this mini then and there on her guest bed.
Here we are 6 years later and I've finished it! This mini was a big inspiration to start quilting again. And it holds a spacial place in my heart
The quilt top is made up a various vintage, reclaimed and found fabrics. The backing is mostly a piece of lizard skin-ish green batik. Both were pieced in Chandler, AZ, at the house of my BFF, where she lived with her parents at the time. I had to add a bit of new black fabric to the backing to make the rolled binding.
Original mini was basted with a few scraps of vintage poly batting, and quilted with light grey cotton thread in a stripy pattern. I added some black thread as well. The binding is rolled from the back. This mini finishes approximately 27" x 27 1/2" with a very wonky edge.
I added a new little tag, with the name of the quilt, dates, and my name. This little mini is on my Q1 list for the 2016 Finish Along. I made it just under the wire (last day for links ups!). But I'm feeling good about it!! It was also my OMG finish for April, so that deadline is ahead of schedule!
Original Mini has been hanging around so long, I'm sure all my helpers had a hand in it. So here is Tom on the day I finished.
When one of my best friends let me know she was pregnant, she also let me know that I would be making her a baby quilt. Luckily, I already knew just what to make her!
Orange Cat/Grey Cat is an ode to two wonderful cats that the family have had. Grey Cat sadly passed away, but Orange Cat is the resident babywatcher and watchercat.
The top for OC/GC was made using mostly new but some vintage fabrics. Most of the cats are black or white, but please note the orange and grey cat hiding there. I know my friend likes bright colors, but couldn't resist the making the top stark black and white with hints of pattern and color.
From the very start of this quilt I knew I wanted the back to be as bright a rainbow fabric as I could find. I really liked this wavy new fabric. Bc it was soo busy, I decided that it was enough on it's own and didn't need to be a pieced backing like many of my quilts.
I used a new cotton batting for this quilt. I had a really hard time deciding how to quilt OC/GC. I didn't want the quilting to stand out too much or take away from either side of the quilt. So I tried something new and used a clear poly thread. It was certainly a challenge to work with, but I love the results! I quilted it in a straight line grid pattern avoiding the cat faces when I could.
I folded over the backing to make the binding (as is my usual style). I really like the way it added to the colors of the front of the quilt and focused the black and white. This quilt finished at approximately 46" x 39 1/2".
I made a simple label with no stamp, just stating the name of the quilt, my name, and added "For Calvin". I took this quilt out for a walk around my new neighborhood to get some good shots.
All my cat helpers worked on this quilt. But Pit was the most helpful as I basted and bound Orange Cat/Grey Cat. This quilt is on my Q1 list for the 2016 Finish Along and I'm linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.
My OMG (one monthy goal) for April is another finish for my 2016 Finish Along. This month I want to finish a very old WIP. I call it the Original Mini.
Here's hoping I can finish this one soon, and also add it to my Q1 completed list! I will be linking up with Red Letter Quilts for OMG April!
Last year I was commissioned to make two baby quilts for coworkers. Baby Blue was the first that I designed and completed at the end of 2016. I was inspired by it's simple, modern design and some of it's fabrics to make Baby, Birds & Stars.
I used some scraps from Baby Blue plus more new fabric to make a simple but bright, large squared quilt top. These two tops are the first ever quilts I've made using no reclaimed or vintage fabric. I really like how both of them came out, but I will also be glad to get back to using vintage, thrifted, or reclaimed matierials as that makes me feel more at home.
For the back, I had found a really inspiring yard and wanted to make that the focus. I also wanted mitered edges, and stripes. I incorporated light grey striped cotton as well as a strip of baby blue striped flannel.
For Baby, Birds & Stars, I used a new cotton batting to make it really soft and snuggly.
Although, the quilt top and back were of a very simple geometric design, I wanted this quilt to be whimsical and fun! I quilted the center squares with free hand stars, boxes in boxes, and stars in boxes. Then I made a star boarder on the outer boxes, and a few straight lines around the parimeter of the quilt. I used vintage yellow pearl cotton, bright blue cotton thread and grey cotton thread for the quilting. The quilting is a bit spread out making this quilt puffy, fluffy and soft.
I used my fold over method to bind this quilt, so that the grey stripes bordered the front. I used a light grey thread to bind the edges. This quilt measure approximately 46" x 39 1/2".
I have been making very simple labels for this quilts this year so far. I like to put the name of the quilt, my name (Mad Cat Quilts), and the year it was completed. This label also has a message from our workplace to make it extra special for baby and family. With some labels I also include the month it was completed or add a special Mad Cat stamp.
Almost all my helpers worked on this quilt, but Tom was especially helpful when basting and quilting Baby, Birds & Stars.
This quilt was my March goal for OMG (One Monthly Goal), so I'm linking up with Red letter Quilts. And It's also on my Q1 list for the 2016 Finish Along.
I'm also linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, as this quilt was completely hand sewn.
My One Monthly Goal (OMG) for March is also on my Q1 Finish Along List.
Baby Quilt Commission #2 needs the quilting completed, bound, labeled, and delivered! I happily finished my February OMG, so I plan to keep up the good work!
Linking up with Red Letter Quilts OMG March Goal and Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching as I get down to work.
My February OMG goal is a gift, so I can't reveal the whole thing until it's been given. But I'm happy to announce it's finished!!
I'm posting this to the OMG February Finish Link Up. Head over to Red Letter Quilts to check out all the amazing February finishes.
I'm also linking up with Kathy's Quilts and Slow Sunday Stitching, as I put the finishing touches on this quilt. Keep you eye out for the reveal post soon!
I'm trying to get this WIP from top to finish by the end of January.
All my quilts are completely hand pieced, quilted and bound. I never show my piecing stitches, but I'm working hard on improving so here's a peek behind the scenes (seams?).
I'm working towards my stitches being more like the diagonal line as opposed to the horizontal one.
One of my quilty goals this year is to get at least one finish done each month. I have specific deadlines for some quilts, and I want to get my production up. Heidi at Red Letter Quilts is hosting a great link up: OMG (One Monthly Goal).
One thing I really like about OMG is that you can set any quilting goal, not just a finish, to link up with. This link up is all about encouragement to achieve your goal!! This brings me up to 4 link ups for the month, which serves another goal of community involvement!
I'm linking up with OMG today and with Kathy at Kathy Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.