Avoiding the Dreaded Ys

Here's a little string star I made on Monday:

Can I say again how I love the shirts? The block just has a softer look to it than it would with typical fabric. loving it. Anyway, I played with triangles to piece this puppy so that I could avoid the dreaded Y-seams. I made the triangles oversized so that the star floats in what will probably be an 11" finished block. The final verdict: easier to piece but definitely more time consuming. I do like how the plaids look mismatched. I suspect I'll get better at it with practice.

Speaking of Y-seams, check out the quilt on the front of American Jane's Quilts for All Seasons

I think it's a beauty but eek, Y-seams. I'd have to come up with a different way of making it. I love Sandy Klop's use of color and fabric. This (mosaic tile???) quilt is my favorite in the book:

It looks like an antique but a bright and happy one that never faded. I haven't tried making any of the patterns or following the directions, but I love her technique for putting this one together. I'd never have thought of it - I'd have been sewing these things together in looong rows.

And for the Scottie lovers out there, I think this is my favorite quilted version of the dog ever:

See, I don't just blog about cats! Okay, I actually do. Speaking of kitties...

I told you about my allergy ordeal last post. Well, d'oh, I'm an idiot (you'll have to imagine the accompanying slap on the forehead).  I hadn't considered when was the last time I changed the filters in my air purifier. So I ordered new ones and Pokey found the box I'd casually tossed aside:

I love how she managed to get in the box at that angle - and have it stay that way. You'll notice shirt bits waiting for further dismantling in the foreground and Halloween quilts in the background (woohoo!).

Of course Lily had to come over - she's sitting on my cutting table that isn't long for this world (the cats managed to break the screws so the foldy table bit on the other side came off.)

This is just inevitable: