Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Here Kitty Kitty

Here's the UnRuly Cat I finished yesterday. It's a big block 17" x 19" 


Yes, I know, all cats are unruly. But this one is UnRuly aka free-pieced and liberated. I am so happy with how this block turned out. I think the kitty is lively and happy. Kinda looks like a Japanese anime character.

The different chest "fur" breaks up what would have been a boring body and it was a happy accident. I didn't have enough of the red dotty fabric for the body but I did have two elongated triangles left over from piecing the chin. So I added the triangles to the tail fabric and voila.

I don't think sleepy tucked-up kitty worked as well:


Maybe the lack of contrast between the face and the body? Just too purply. And I definitely prefer a smaller nose.

I'm working on an UnRuly Cat tutorial but it will be a few days. It will include easier versions than these.

Thanks everybody who voted on the topic for the next book. And the winner is: Houses. It will be more than just houses though. More like Home. And I bet you've guessed by now that will include cats. And some dogs and I'm not even sure what else.

The fun part of it is that houses and cats can be Halloween too.

I'm hoping that ya'all will be willing to play along with me. Make blocks for a group quilt(s) again like we did with Cake and Slither Eek Boo? I know, I know, I haven't even put together all the last blocks you've sent me (still have a wonderful pile of names and of random letters and words). But those can't go in the next book, which is not to say I won't be finishing them and doing something fun with them.

So maybe, if you're interested, you could make me an UnRuly Cat? Doesn't have to look like mine, but has to be free-pieced. Let's say, max size of 17" length and 17" width but it doesn't have to be a square. And it doesn't have to be this big!

It can be a Halloween cat, but might just end up in a different quilt (not that there's anything wrong with that).

Meanwhile, work is progress on the UnRuly Quilter website. I've set up a specific spot where I can post the pics of finished quilts from previous classes and challenges. Anyone who's finished a quilt from any of these, please send me pics, would love to include them. I'm slowly adding tutorials - the one on UnRuly Basics is there.

Lots of fun quilts are being made in the current Liberated Amish class. I'm amazed at how many wonderful quilts are already finished and meanwhile I'm still goofing around with my (neglected) blocks. There's still plenty of "room" in the class and the top doesn't have to be finished until June, so please come join us. You have to send an email though if you're a "no-reply" - we've gotten a couple of those lately and have no way to add them to the class blog.

I've got errands to run. Ya'all take care.

38 comments:

Jewel said...

Love both the kitties :)

Just JaiCi's Crafts said...

very clever little kitties you have.

Sujata Shah said...

Tonya, You were not kidding! I love the cats! And they both have quite a personality!

Linda said...

Freakin' adorable!

AnnieO said...

Very fun felines! I like their attitudes :)

My quilting assistant very deliberately stepped on EACH of the blocks I had laid out on "her" nap area (of our King bed) and then settled at the bottom of the three rows (out of 18) that I managed to lay out after shooing her away about five times!

jude said...

ha. you know how i feel about free wheelin' kitties....

Kim said...

Oh cute...."tucked up" is cute too just not as flashy.....he's a more sophisticated kind of guy :0).
Yep you give me the tutorial and I'll be happy to send you a block :0).

Happy Sewing Tonya

Kath said...

What fun!

jim gonz said...

Very creative!! Just putting it out there, if you are ever in the need of someone to transport cars overseas, look up Auto Shipping Network. They do an impressive job.

Cheryl Arkison said...

Houses also means furniture, books, dishes, windows, doors, yards... Oh the endless possibilities!

Darling Millie said...

That top cat is ADORABLE! Love it!

Kathy said...

yes yes yes....lots of halloween cats and halloween houses.....could I dress up my cat in a halloween costume???

I been dreamin' for a while of doing a halloween cat quilt with all the kitties dressed up!

Teresa Rawson said...

I knew from the little bit that was peekin' around Pokey that it was going to be great, and I wasn't disappointed!!

Quilts And Pieces said...

Your cats are too cute! Your right, the different "fur" really helps!

Clare said...

I love the idea of Halloween cats. Any specific time scale?

Re quilts from previous classes. Do you want a pic of Liquorice Lane? I'll need to take a decent one though.

Halloween Houses will be finished soon too.

Chris Daly said...

Awesome! I love your unruly cats. Great idea!

Helen in the UK said...

The kitty block is wonderful! No wonder Pokey was jealous in your previous post and trying to distract our attention :)

Anonymous said...

I think the purple one looks great! Love his [her?] face. I think you just need to make the body shorter -- about even with half of the purple rectangle on the left. [Hold your hand over the bottom of the photo and see if you don't agree?]

I might be persuaded to try a cat block if you don't need it really soon.

~Erin

Sharon said...

Your kitties are too cute! I love the top one - what a cattitude! I'd love to play along with you. I have too many projects that I'm trying to finish, but what the heck, I'll throw in a cat block too.
BTW, your web site is looking good! Clean and clear, easy to navigate, with lots of wonderful pix. I think you're doing a good job with it.

Sharon said...

Oh, I forgot to say, Cool! Houses! for your next book. That will be fun. Lots of possibilities there. Let us know if you need house blocks too. (or whatever blocks) We love to play along with you, ya know!

woolywoman said...

Mice with bias strip tails?

Lynda said...

Cats come in all shapes and sizes, so don't criticise the purple cat - he can't help it if his fur isn't the shades you want! I loved all my dogs in my 'Woof' quilt, so go with the flow!

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Oh the free-pieced cats are just disgustingly cute! I once made an embroidered cat quilt.(Can be seen on my flickr page) The cats have funny faces and hats. You might want to give some of the kitties a hat...

Kristin L said...

The Red cat is fantabulous -- and you're right, it does look very anime. I think it's in the eyes. I like the purple cat too. But I think it's tail should have been more purply too; and maybe it needed a little wedge taken out under it's chest to show that it's curled up, not just unfinished. Good stuff!

Robyn - Coffee and Cotton said...

Love your cats...both cloth and real!
This is my first time at your blog - it's great!

PurplePickle said...

Happy Easter. I am making some unruly cats 4 u 2dy. When is the 1st book due out?
Mary C.

Yvonne said...

I love them....they are just too cute!

Yvonne said...

I love them....they are just too cute!

Bonnie said...

Your kitties are great. Plus your real kitties are great. I like the blog you set up for LibAm quilt challenge. I would like to do the same for a quilt along I started, but I couldn't figure out to let others become bloggers on the site. Could you let know how its done or where to find the info? I tried to email you from your profile, but my computer thinks that it is not formatted correctly.
email: bbbee@sbcglobal.net.
I would appreciated any help you could give. Thanks, BonnieB

Mama Spark said...

LOVE the kitties. Check out this blog and this liberated quilt. Amazing!!
http://www.teaginnydesigns.blogspot.com/

Dena said...

Love how the kitties turned out. Great job!

Duyvken said...

They're just so lovely!

Caron at Michigan Quilts said...

Love your kitties! Those turned out so cute!

Tanya said...

Unruly cats are fantastic!!! I will definitely be trying to follow this one. I'm looking forward to your tutorial but will give my hand a try as soon as possilbe.

Katie :o) said...

Oh! I love the kitties!!!! Your work is so bright and happy :o) LOVE IT!!!!

SewCalGal said...

Such fun. Great post, as always.

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Susan said...

What fun cats, the fabric ones and the real ones! So glad to hear that Pokey is feeling so well!

savoyarde said...

beautiful cat's congratulation