Life in the Scrapatch

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Shhhh ... Butterfly is sleeping ...

This test quilt is interrupted by a very important cat nap!

Butterfly, who has not been feeling well, was no where to be found

and hiding somewhere in the cellar this morning.

In the afternoon she appeared for a snack and went outside for awhile.

My kitty looks to be feeling a little better.

I am happy that she decided to help me press my freshly washed fabric

so I am not going to disturb her.

I am testing another up and coming quilt pattern from my talented friend,

Jessica J.E. Smith @ The Quilt and Needle

As usual, I have too many thoughts and choices for fabrics.

Hmmmm ...

Leaf Symphony

These gorgeous, large scale fall leaf prints that have been waiting in my stash for a few years for the right pattern to come along?
???

... or ...

Shades of Summer

???

These lovely, shimmery, summery fabrics which my hubby loves?

I went to sleep last night ready to start cutting the leaf prints
this morning as soon as the pattern arrived in my inbox.

Instead of counting sheep, my mind counts my fabric blessings.

As I drifted off to sleep, I lovely parade of fabrics started
jumping over the fence saying, "Me! ... me!"

I went to sleep (with Butterfly cuddling against my legs)

dreaming colors and prints and

I woke up this morning with a new quilt dream in my mind ...
and my dear Butterfly nowhere to be found ...
so I spent the early part of the day calling her and looking for her.

Also, I went stash spelunking in my closets and drawers and came up with the second summer colorway.

While I continued to fret over Butterfly, I washed some of the blue fabrics that had somehow been put away without making
the customary trip though the washer and dryer.

When he comes home, I am going to show the pattern to my hubby

and let him decide this time.

If he likes the pattern, it will be the Shades of Summer
and this quilt will be started for him for Father's Day
and finished for his birthday at the end of August.

If he does not appear to like the pattern, I will start cutting leaves.

Despite being married for 32 years this summer and having attended
many, many quilt shows together, I still cannot predict for sure if he will really like a particular pattern or quilt.

Either color way will work just fine for me.

:-)

Friday, June 14, 2013

Random 5 / Feline Friday and Friends

(1) I am Pat and I am a "Spainaholic."

This is one of my favorite blocks.

The focus fabrics are from my favorite fabric designer, Kate Spain.

If you want to see more lovelies made by other Spainaholics

visit the Show and Tell

for the Kate Spain Blog Hop.

If you love fabric, though, you need to know that this support group is more of a step process to acquiring more fabric and projects

that you want to sew. Just saying ... ;)

(2) I love quilting curves.

I have just finished quilting this table runner for my son.

I have one of my June Goals done! Woo-hoo!

(3) I love sewing curves.

I love that Katniss loves to help me sew.

This is where I found the ruler and pattern that I used for the runner.

Option # 1 - grey center

Option # 2 - green center

(3) This is on my design wall and I need to stop dithering and decide!

There is a link to this Free Quilt Pattern HERE.

I love the colors and fabric in this top, but I am having a tough time deciding which center block to choose.
Option #1 is according to the pattern.
Option # 2 is my quilty design diva asserting herself.
This is more to do with my choice of fabrics for the test quilt I made
than with the original pattern design, which I really love.

If you wish to help me decide, please let me know which option you like best. You do not have to be a quilter.
Your opinion is much appreciated.

(4) These are Half-Square Triangles.

This is another "UFO" or "Unfinished Fabric Object"

in my sewing room that is still waiting to be sewn into a quilt.

I have ~~a few~~ ... um ... a lot of these.

I did a HST Tutorial last October when I made these blocks and

Free Quilt Patters posted a link to it on Facebook this week and

I have gotten over 2000 hits on this one post.

I am completely amazed by this ... =)

(5) I love Butterfly.

Both Butterfly and I are feeling a little

under the weather this week

and just want to cuddle in the quilts.

However, we want all our feline loving friends to know that

today on her blog we found that

Kate Spain has adorable kitties!
All the more reason why I <3 Kate Spain.

My quilty kitties and I are linking up with ...

R5F @ A Rural Journal

Thanks for visiting my scrapatch!

~ <3 ~

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Chelsea - Free Quilt Pattern!

Chelsea Quilt Pattern

It is sew pretty!

It is a Free Pattern from

Blank Quilting

Pattern Designed by my talented friend,

Jessica J.E. Smith

from

The Quilt and Needle

In March, I was lucky enough to be a tester for this pattern.

The pretty Chelsea fabrics were not available to me at that time,

so I gathered some fabrics from my stash and a nearby LQS

Green/Black/Gray/White Fabrics

I dithered awhile about choices and then thought I had them set,

but

when it came time to cut, I made one of those ~~mistakes~~ ... er ...

:) design opportunities :)

Really, I thought I had checked twice to cut once but I ended up rechecking twice to cut again with these

Final Choice Test Fabrics

I did like the results.

Here are my

Blocks

and ... um

Two Layouts

Option # 1 - gray center

(this is according to the pattern)

... or ...

Option # 2 - green center

(my idea design option)

So you see, I still have not pieced this top and finished this quilt.

I really would like to get this top pieced.

If you would like to help me decide whether to go with

#1 ... gray center

#2 ... green center

Please offer an opinion.

Your help is much appreciated.

Linking up with ...

and

:-)

Monday, June 10, 2013

June Goal Quilting Progress

Helix Table Mat

I have taken a short break from the purple wedding table quilts

to work on my June Goal for

The small table mat made with the extra block for the Helix Table Runner and Mat that is for my oldest son's birthday is done. This was my "practice" project, the one I always like to make to see how my thread, batting and quilting choices may work on the larger quilt. I like the blue/green/yellow variegated thread and I added a another layer of batting for the runner to make the quilting stand out a little better. I am also changing up the quilting in the center for the runner.