Saturday, August 15, 2009

Cake

I completed two quilt tops this last week. I just needed to get borders on Cake, formerly known as Hope is a 4-Letter Word. Cake is so much easier to write. Anyway, this is a hint of what it looks like:

Does it makes more sense if I pull back a bit and you can see that the top is draped on the cutting table?

It was much easier to work while Lily slept peacefully in the quilt tree. Far too often she was in the way. Getting under:

or just on top

So the Cake top is done. I also completed another small wallhanging, a secret, but this is what it looked like in progress:

I'm hand quilting that now. So much easier to quilt a small quilt with the weather so hot. I pulled out all the name blocks ya'all sent me and have to admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. Aiyeee, another giant puzzle quilt. So I stuck them back in the drawer.

I played with fabric for another new wallhanging, this one very citrusy with lemons, limes and oranges. I think I'm boring Pokey:

Pokey is doing well. To clarify, she's doing as well as she can do. She still has all that damage to her kidneys - that never goes away. We go to the vet three times a week so she can get fluids. But she's happy and still the most energetic of our cats. Not that that's saying much - cats do sleep. Pokey is hunting socks this morning, although she refuses to play fetch with me. I throw a sock down the stairs and she waits for a few minutes--until I've sat back down and restarted whatever I was doing--before bringing it back up.

Have you heard about the Iraqi Bundles of Love project that Kristin La Flamme's husband is working on? This is a great short-term project to get sewing supplies to those who need them in Iraq. Kristin does a better job of explaining it here and here is a list of possible items to send. I gotta get hopping on my own bundle. I'm terrible about procrastinating and I knooow how slow the military mail system is.

Some quilty links for you. I'm enjoying Deb Rowden's Thrift Shop Quilts blog. The title pretty much sums up the kind of quilts that Deb buys and makes: utility quilts and making quilts from recycled clothing. I LOVE these blocks she's working on right now (here and here) a la Anna Williams.

Quilt Pixie has been using (and explaining) the quilt-as-you-go method for machine quilting her crumby alphabet sampler. very fun.

I gotta motor. Ya'all take care.

25 comments:

  1. I love how "cake" looks from the back -- the way those seams frame each letter is so fun :-)

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  2. As pretty as a stained glass window in a cathedral!
    You have been busy!
    I love the crispness of the red and white quilt too...which might be because I have been sewing too scrappy of late.
    Hugs to Pokey.....I can't even imagine your vet bill!

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  3. Mary C.2:35 PM

    Hey,
    Thanks for a peek at cake. Kisses for kitties.
    Mary C.

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  4. I love the stained glass look of quilt tops in windows. :-)

    I also love red and white quilts.

    Thanks for the Bundles of Love plug too. Boxes should start arriving in Iraq soon.

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  5. Your getting lots done Tonya! Can't wait to see your secrets! guess I will be buying the book! ;-)
    Looks all very exciting! I'm finishing up the two simply red quilt tops... I simply have NO REDS left... so great to use up scraps! hugs!

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  6. You've made great progress on your quilts. I've had a hard time focusing on my quilting today, so I really have to push myself to stay on track. LOL

    Lily looks like she's having fun and Pokey is ready for a nap. Maybe I could join her. lol

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  7. I can see my SOAR block! It's very exciting to see your progress on Cake--can't wait to see how you'll finish it off.

    I am now the proud owner of a sewing room, as of about 1 pm today my DH moved my sewing desk up to DD's newly emptied room. I look forward to my cat spending time in there with me too!

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  8. Hi, Pokey, love your yawning face. Time for a nap!

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  9. Love the picture of your yawning cat! Great progress on your quilt!

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  10. Thanks for the Pokey update. It's good to hear she's doing well with getting her fluids. Cake looks smashing! I can't wait to see it from the front, but it sure looks nice with the light coming through. Our quilt show today was a big success. Photos to come soon- and two word quilts a la Tonya!

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  11. There is a little trick that can be used to simplify the design of a stained glass. Thank's the info.

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  12. GREAT picture of the underside of your flimsy! And great shot of Pokey yawning too!

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  13. That quilt is going to be spectatular. And hello kitten, she's looking good

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  14. Thanks for the Pokey update. She has been looking quite lovely and healthy in all her photos. Love the cake quilt top as seen from behind. What a great idea for a photo.

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  15. Anonymous4:32 PM

    Hi,
    I'l from Illinois and am new to quilting...very new. I have put together a t-shirt quilt but am sending it to my sister to have her quilt it for me ( she is very experianced but out of state). Righ now I am in the process of gathering info on quilting machines/frames and which ones quilters use and/or prefer. care to share with me? Thanks so mych!
    Phyllis Fraider
    phylliscandles@sbcglobal.net
    I am also on facebook

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  16. Love the way "Cake" looks...and I see my Home and Make blocks! Yay! Very stained-glass-ish photo. Great name, BTW. I imagine all those name blocks will be quite challenging to put together, unlike Cake. That was smart to ask for some blocks that are easier to incorporate together!

    Thanks for the Pokey update. She's looking good, and happy, which are both good.

    Your secret WH looks intriguing...also with the kitty paw for scale! You're such a tease! I can't wait for your book to come out.

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  17. Cake looks great! Can't wait to see it finished! I love the pictures of your kitties!

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  18. I love the view. The light shining through makes it look like a stain glass. Since it even great from the back, it must be wonderful from the front.

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  19. I'm not surprised you put the names back in the drawer! You'll need lots of stamina (and cooler weather) to tackle them!

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  20. I thought of you yesterday while I was in the dentist's office! On page 47 of the July 2009 Architectural Digest magazine, there is a photo with an 1880's Pennsylvania quilt that has many blocks that say HOPE HOPE HOPE, and one side says CHARITY. It is just lovely.

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  21. I'm glad to hear Pokey is doing so well! I had several more years with my Cinder, after he first suffered from kidney failure ~ HAPPY years!
    Cheers,
    Dionne

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  22. Love the cheerful words, and a cheerful kitty helper makes it better yet. I am sorry poor Pokey still has to have hydration at the vets, poor baby.

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  23. can't wait to see the cake quilt! ti was fun to get a peek from the back.

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  24. So????
    What are ya doing?
    Is the cake finished baking?

    Waiting to see :0)...and being impatient about it too.

    Happy sewing

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  25. Aww Pokey is cute! Loved that yawning photo. I also love the words in the quilt. That is pretty unique. I've never seen that before.

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