Monday, April 16, 2007

L-O-V-E

This post is about love. All sorts of love. I'm loving having my sweetie home, even if he was sick yesterday. He spent the day napping and reading in the recliner. The only good part was having Pokey curled up in his lap or at his feet.

I loved having Bonnie here. I told you that I got distracted from working on stringed diamonds. Bonnie and I decided to work on a project together. I've really wanted to see what my L-O-V-E four patch (like I used in Hot Crazy Love, only not that crazy) would look like in more traditional colors. We went to a couple of fabric shops and came up with these fabrics to enhance Bonnie's crumbs. There is a half yard piece here, a couple of thirds, lots of fat quarters, and a couple of Moda packets of 5" squares. I love the fabric that has handwriting on it (lower right) and the map with exotic places.

We threw in some of my bright fabrics as well, but only tonal fabrics, no novelty prints. Bonnie and I have different ways of working. She likes to sew the blocks, and then sew them into larger units (in this case, a 4-patch) as she goes. That makes me crazy. I love to play with the blocks and their arrangement. We made these my way, so that all our letters would get mixed in together. Here's Howler with our L-O-V-E blocks. These are 3.5" unfinished.

Bonnie realized that she needed to make this quilt top her own, give it that Bonnie touch. She started string piecing diagonally on squares, which were then set in Xs. Pokey is licking her lips in anticipation.

Bonnie sewing away.

And the completed center of Love on a Shoestring Budget:

Bonnie has a picture of her string Lone Star over at her blog.

18 comments:

The Calico Cat said...

Love the title, "Love on a Shoestring budget."

Joyce said...

I love it, appropriately enough.

Sassenach said...

Voila!
The string piecing really makes this work in the more traditional colors -- adds the jazz that brighter colors would have done....

Bent Needle's up and it's just for you. :-)

Finn said...

Hey Ton, love the new Love attempts. Bonnie's is looking mightly fine also..very much like her. *VBS* Glad you had such a good visit.
I mentioned you and the tutorials as part of my post today. I said I think I knew you well enough to make the comment. If that's not the case, please let me know..*S*

Am sticking a little 'goodbye' preezie in the mail today, not much, but just for you..*VBS* Hugs, Finn

atet said...

Wow -- I love the brights and that's what I tend to work in, but this one really does work in the more traditional colors. What fun, and what a great feeling of collaboration!

Quilts And Pieces said...

You two are such a team! Way fun! And I love that picture of Pokey laying there with DH. Oh that is adorable!

Tanya said...

I really want to try this! I LOVE it. I keep copying you Tonya. I'm trying to do a word quilt inspired by you but I get stuck. I need some individual lessons and advice! I don't want to be completely unoriginal but your quilts are so good it is hard to change even one thing to make it mine! Help!

Tazzie said...

How wonderful to have Bonnie come and visit. I love love love everything about your message, the quilt, the kitty, the fabric ... all of it!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Anonymous said...

the quilt is beautiful - but i really had to write because of that picture of pokey - sooo precious! just want to scoop her up and squeeze her! it's hard to take pictures that show a cat's personality so clearly...

Michelle said...

I love seeing your work! Beautiful and bright. Thanks for sharing it.

Lily Mulholland said...

Oh it looks great! I love what the string blocks set as x's does when it's all stitched together. How fab!

Love indeed.

Clare said...

I saw the words fabric in the QS in Bordeaux a few weeks ago. Was in 2 minds about buying it and decided not to (sigh).

Alex has just seen the photos of Pokey and has fallen in love!

Unknown said...

I have that handwriting fabric--just have to have anything I see with letters or writing on it.

And the L-O-V-E quilt--fabulous. I am packing away all these ideas in a corner of my brain, in order to have them later and brazenly COPY them!

Cher said...

thanks for sharing-total fun- totally great blocks/top....

ForestJane said...

Very nice work the two of you are doing... lots of love there!

And omg, what beautiful blue eyes there, on the closeup, so deep. You can tell that's one contented, loved, happy cat. Pokey'd almost be too pretty if it wasn't for that little off center black 'booger' on the side of the nose... lol

sewprimitive karen said...

Your photos are just excellent, did you ever see such beautiful cats and quilt blocks. How gorgeous the tops are. Oh, the cats are amazing. And to visit with Bonnie and create those marvelous blocks, what fun! Hope DH recovers soon.

Carol said...

Oh my gosh that is exquisite. Just gorgeous. As are your kitties.

Hedgehog said...

Glad you had a great visit. I just LOVE the LOVE quilt. Thanks for the ongoing inspiration.