The Big Cat Crossing Quilt: A DrEAMi and a Finally Finished for the End of June

Last January, when I made my Staggered Strips and Squares Quilt,  the Hinto Minto, and posted the sort-of tutorial, my plan was to make another one showcasing the black and white Cotton + Steel Neon Snow Leopard print and some of my fun prints in my stash.  During the past six months, in between QALs, projects, etc., I only managed to cut and sew the strips for the first round and only found time this month to work on the quilt to finally finish it in time for the June DrEAMi link-up hosted by Sandra of mmm Quilts.

I modified the pattern for the Big Cat Crossing Quilt by:

• cutting the panels of the "Cat" print 8-1/2" x 12-1/2" because I really wanted to showcase this fun print 
• the 4-1/2" x 8-1/2" accent blocks were set vertically along with some of the 81/2" square blocks
• the quilt measures 54" x 72" (approx.)

I machine quilted wavy, organic lines with a variegated gray thread with white thread on the bottom and much to my surprise turned out better than I expected.  I love how these quilting lines look on the "Cat" print; it really gives them some movement.

Once again, there was some indecision on my part as to the backing.  I had some 60" wide black and white print from IKEA which I wasn't completely happy with using and finally made up my mind that I would. But then I decided to take one more look in my stash and found the black and white Cross fabric which I thought would be perfect since the quilt is called Big Cat Crossing. I didn't have enough of the Cross print so I had to make a pieced back, which is not my favorite thing to do, by sewing another black and white print on the sides.  Luckily, since I don't make pieced backs very often, I managed to  center the quilt top  evenly with the backing which I didn't think of doing when I was basting.

The Big Cat Crossing Quilt was bound in the Cotton + Steel black and white Netorious print.   I'm beginning to become a fan of machine binding, not because it's faster than doing it by hand but I like it's another way to accent the quilting by using the same color thread for the binding.

What a wonderful way to end the month of June with a DrEAMi!  If I can toot my own horn, this is a great pattern for the 2.5" strips you can find in your stash.

I'm one of the twenty-two Quilt Bloggers who will be participating in the Fabulous Freebies Blog Hop hosted by CalicoJean of MooseStash Quilting. The Blog Hop will be from August 20-24th and Bloggers will be posting their favorite online free quilt patterns.  I will be posting my Staggered Strips and Squares tutorial on Thursday, August 23rd and will include my Big Cat Crossing Quilt and another quilt I have in the works.  Details are still being worked out and there may be sponsor giveaways.

Finally, I like to give one last shoutout for June which is sadly ending too soon.  I am amazed that I was able to finish this quilt in the wonderful month of June which started very busy for me with the projects completed earlier in the month.  I celebrated my Golden Anniversary of my Sweet Sixteenth birthday (another way to say I turned 66), went on a eleven day road trip  and visited my friend Mary Etherington in Iowa, went to the Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE and finally ended up in Granby, Colorado where I discovered, The Fabric Nook, a gem of a quilt shop where I indulged in several fabric purchases.  We also made several side trips to Steamboat, where I met up briefly with a fellow Bee Blogger,  from 2017 and FB friend, Nancy Bekedam of Grace and Piece Quilting, visited the Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, where I was able to photograph my two "Colorado" quilts: Whitewater River Rafting (Regatta) and my Modern Neutral Jelly Roll Charm Chase next to a flowing river on a fence with barb wire--ouch, don't think that will happen again and a visit to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden.  Soon after we arrived home, my darling granddaughter, Micah and her mother came for almost a six day stay.  So I think I did pretty well with finishing the Cat Crossing Quilt and my June Quilt, my UFO finish for this month.

There's been enough excitement this month to hold me over for the next couple of months.  I'm looking forward to staying home and planning on finishing up some projects on my never-ending list such as quilting my Plus Playtime Quilt in which the link-up is in early July. Stay cool and dry since we Midwesterners having been experiencing too much rain and heat lately which is good inside sewing weather for me.

Linking up with: mmmquilts, DrEAMi June Linky Party, Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday 

A Finally Finish: The June Quilt

Last year, I participated in Crazy Mom's June QAL and I finished the top in July (you can read about it here) and has sat in the studio waiting to be quilted.  It was on my Quilty Confessions, UFO Busting List which I have to admit this list has been put on the wayside along with some of the other lists I made for 2018.  Even though the June quilt would have been perfect to finally finish in June, I still hadn't plan to quilt it until I happened to come across a photo of the top on my Pinterest board this past Tuesday.  My eyes immediately saw the quilting lines, just simple diagonal and horizontal grid lines and I was suddenly in the mood to start machine quilting.  It also helped that we were experiencing days of heavy rain which is perfect quilting weather for me.  So, with less than ten days left in June, my June Quilt was rightfully and finally finished during her namesake month.

The machine quilting was an absolute breeze and made me wonder why I waited so long.  But it's a good thing I did because I only started machine quilting the Jacqui Gering and Christa Watson method of starting the quilting on the side rather than the center.  In the past when I did grid quilting and started in the center, there was always the inevitable puckering and pinches when quilt lines intersected and for some reason when you start the quilting on the side, this doesn't happen.

I chose to use black thread for the quilting which went well with both the top and the perfect backing which I love.  Last year when I was on my fabric diet and  really didn't want to purchase any new fabric, I did break down to buy more of this fabric since I didn't have enough of it and didn't have any other fabric in my stash which would work as well as this print did.

The binding was done with the happy green polka dot fabric which is the same print Crazy Mom (Amanda Nyberg) used in her June Quilt in her book No Scraps Left Behind and was generously given to me by my good quilt friend Mary Etherington who got me involved in participating in the June QAL.  I normally don't machine bind quilts which are for me but I had to so I can show off the black thread some more.  

And now for some glamour shots which were taken on Saturday, our first day of sunshine and no rain.  The grass was so soggy and there was no way I was going to lay it down so I thought I would use my cute bicycle as a prop to hold the quilt.  It's sad to admit that I don't ride this bike which was a birthday gift from my hubby two years ago.  Three years ago, he gave me a choice of either a new sewing machine or a bicycle and it should be no surprise my Juki 2010Q came home.  The next year, I had no choice and I found this bicycle waiting for me on the front lawn.  Her name is Banana and it has some really pretty patchwork details on the frame which still doesn't inspire me to ride it.  My old legs need a bicycle with gears since we live in a hilly area and the cruiser is only good for level roads (at least this is what I tell Hubby).  I thought my vintage looking quilt would look pretty with my vintage looking bike; they go together, don't you think.

And another photo with my metal farm animals.  I've been wanting to use my metal goat, which I purchased when I was in South Carolina in April, for a photo shoot with one of my quilts and I thought my June Quilt which also has a farm vibe would look good with it.  I haven't named my goat yet but Mary Etherington suggested Susannah which is the name of her dearly loved and departed goat which when she was alive was how Mary and I became friends since I was such a fan of Susannah.  My hubby still talks about the time Susannah butted him and is just glad that this goat won't, so he thinks.  Since Mary did give me the happy green polka dot fabric, I should name my goat Susannah.  I also think since I have some blocks left over from the June Quilt, I should make a small quilt to place over her back and sides; won't that look cute?  I would love to keep my goat out on the front porch, decorated with quilts and all, but hubby is afraid of it disappearing because Susannah is just that cute.

I'm so glad I finally have a UFO quilt to cross off my list; would you believe it's only my second UFO finish for this year.  I have ten more on my list but won't be working on anymore for the rest of the month since my dear, sweet granddaughter, Micah, is arriving next week for a six-day visit which means there is no chance of quilting in the forecast.

Linking up with:  Tish Adventure in Wonderland, UFO Busting, Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Oh Scrap!, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday and Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop Friday 

It's Squirrel Time!

By squirrels I don't mean the four-legged ones, but I'm referring to the image many of us quilters envision when it's time to play in the sewing room.  I had to laugh at myself when I first saw Louise's latest post title: A Whole Family of Squirrels and really thought she was going to show some actual squirrel photos.  It started me wondering how they got on her boat but quickly realized after seeing the first quilt photo she meant quilt projects. I've been busy catching up on my QALs this past week and am now in pretty good shape so it's time for me to let the Squirrels in for some DrEAMi projects. But before you see my squirrels, I should show you my progress on the three QALs which I'm currently am participating in.  This is going to be somewhat of a long post for me but I figure since I'll be leaving for vacation later this week, I may not be posting again for awhile.

Classic Meet Modern QAL (hosted by Kelly of My Quilt Infatuation)

May Blocks:  Crossroads (right) and Double Arrow (left)

June Blocks:  X-Plus (left) and Ribbon Star (right)

The Classic Meets Modern Quilt so far:

I am now ahead of schedule and will link up my June Blocks later this month.  I am loving the way the quilt is looking and I am really tempted to sew the July Blocks now.

Plus Playtime Quilt Along (hosted by Sandra of MMM Quilts)

This QAL started on May 1st and as of June 1st all I had done was choosing the fabric. I was gifted with a shopping spree at The Red Hen Shop where I found the wonderful gold print (upper right corner), RJR's Confetti Basic which reminds me of the color of a Crayola Crayon box and was the perfect color for the main background color.  Once I had this fabric in place, the other fabrics came together quickly which are from several fabric lines:  Lily and Loom's Square One, several Indah and Mixology prints which were used in Sandra's Free Fall QAL from last year.  And like the Free Fall quilt, I didn't have enough of the other background fabric and so I made do with two different blue prints:  AGF Allover Bartack Printed Denim and Wilmington's Navy Essential Tossed Triangles (upper left corner).

With my color diagram which I sort of followed, Sandra's instructions carefully read and marked with notes, and the strips numbered, I first proceeded cautiously and made the first block.  I really had to pay attention to all of this because it was easy to be confused since the blue background in Sandra's instructions were going to be gold in my blocks and the yellow background in her's were going to be blue.  In addition, I alternated the blues and had to make sure I used the right blue for each strip.

OMG, was this a fun block even with all of the nuances I created.  

I was so hooked after I made the first row which is all I needed to do to be on schedule. This is such a fun pattern and sews together very quickly; once you get into a rhythm, you get into a zone.   I didn't want the fun to end but I had to go to bed since it was 1:00 a.m.  I decided I needed to finish the quilt the next day because I knew it would be hard to resume the rhythm process and get back into the zone.

I have a flimsy now which means I am ahead of schedule of this QAL.  I love the colors and believe me when I tell you the yellow pluses are not as fluorescent as they are in this photo.  I will say after I made the first row and did not like the last plus block I made with a blue and white print, I did not hesitate to rip it out and change it to another blue with less white because I knew it would bug me later.  There are a few other pluses I would have like to switch around but can live with the way my Plus Playtime quilt turned out. This pattern is so clever and while I was making the blocks I kept wondering how ever did Sandra came up with this idea.  The Shadow Quilter, so aptly named by Kathleen, deserves the Nobel Piece Prize for this pattern. It's really good for the brain cells and I really know my increments of threes now. It can be addicting--after I was done, I really wanted to make another one right away but sadly will have to wait another day. I am looking forward to hanging this quilt up once it's been machine quilted--I already know there will be straight and curvy lines involved.

Fireburst Mystery Quilt Along hosted by Tish's Adventure in Wonderland

I really did not think I would have time to start working on this QAL which started also on May 1st, with days left before we hit the road, but I surprised myself.  The fabrics were chosen last month which are from my Lonni Rossi and gray stash but sat on the shelf until Sunday.  This QAL really has an easy schedule since completion is until January 1st and I could have waited but cutting directions have been out since May 4th and piecing instructions just released last week.

I will say that I'm glad I was behind schedule and did not do the cutting until Sunday, because I realized when I was reading the piecing instructions that the above patches could be die-cut and that's what I did.  Thank you to my Sizzix HST and trapezoid dies.  Once again I learned my lesson when die-cutting non HST patches, like the trapezoid and HRT, you have to pay attention how the fabric lays on the die, it's all facing up or facing down depending on the direction.  You cannot fanfold the fabrics like you can with HST.

I'm now on schedule with the Fireburst Mystery QAL and there's no way that I can get ahead since after all it's a mystery quilt and the instructions are only released once a month.  I think I read somewhere that Tish could be bribed with chocolates.

During the midst of working on these QALS, I did find time, since it involved TV watching and upstairs sewing, I worked on these two DrEAMi projects which happened because I came across the fabrics while tidying up the studio:  Ernie strips made from Denyse Schmitz fabrics and lots of green HRTs inspired by a recent acquisition of some green batiks from Sandra of MMM Quilts. She has once again enabled me with another project by with some my collection of green fabrics given to me over the years from my dear Quilt Partner-in-Crime, Carol.  I'm thinking of creating another title for Sandra: Master MMM-nabler; really she has released some squirrels in my studio several times this year.

And finally, I have a new road project which involves appliquéing 2" feedsack circles made years ago onto 3-1/2" squares. Recognize them, Susan? I'll be carrying this project in my vintage Moda oversized, metal lunch box which makes a pretty good base when appliquéing in the car.  I couldn't decide on what I wanted to bring or to make while on the road this time and I thought I wanted to work with new fabrics but the feedsack circles spoke to me when I came across them, again, when I was putting something away. My plan is to make nine patch blocks with these circle blocks and hopefully I will be able to share a test block soon.

Now, it's time to say That's All Folks!  Sorry for writing such a long post but I am feeling a sense of freedom with the QALs done for now and I have time to work on other projects before any new squirrels find their way into my studio.  I'll be busy but am in a Happy Sewing frame of mind and hope this will last awhile. And now the mountains are calling me and I must sew, whoops, I mean go.

Linking up with:  Cooking Up Quilts, Main Crush Monday, My Quilt Infatuation, Needle and Thread Thursday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday, Busy Hands Quilts, Finish or Not Friday

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