Cat Braids

This little quilt has been on my design wall forever. You think I'm joking, I can tell.

I was gifted the cat panel (about 10x10.5") for Christmas 2008 and I stuck in on the far side of the Design Wall waiting for inspiration. Last year I finally decided to copy the braids of the panel as the border and was lucky enough to find the right colors at the LQS.

At some point I posted a pic of the 4 braids and the panel and asked for public opinion. Erin (a non-quilter at the time) told me that it needed a brown border, colored similar to the cat, but the quilt stayed on the design wall for months.  This past weekend I finally decided it was time to finish this little gem and I agree that it's much better even tho the brown isn't a perfect match.

My question for y'all now is how to draw this up in EQ??!! I tried for a while and finally just used graph paper to figure out measurements because I couldn't find a non-overcomplicated way to do the partial borders. TIA!

And, thanks to a great tip from Janet, I was able to finish a second TATW block in record time. I still think it's fiddly to sew together, cut it, frog it and sew it back together (I know how the Hawaiians felt) but I think it's looking good and will continue to make more blocks.

Janet's tip? Lay out the tubes ahead of time so that the seam you need to frog is at the top (or pick any side) of the layout and then just frog away...no having to *remember* which one you just did. I know, you would think I could remember during the 5 seconds it takes to frog...but I can't and that's that!

Design Wall Monday - 2/4/13

I putzed around the house this weekend between the cold weather and feeling crummy. I did finish up several small quilt tops, which I'll show you later this week and (of course) I worked on hexies but I also continued prepping for retreat by cutting basket blocks for leader enders and I also made my first Trip Around the World Block.

I found the TATW block just a tad fiddly - and I'll be honest, it's entirely because I frogged 2 strips sets apart at the wrong place so that I had to resew and then frog them in a different spot. Hopefully the next block will be easier. I am not yet 100% sure this is coming on retreat with me as I want something a bit relaxing...I'll have to make a few more blocks to see if it gets easier.

No matter what, I am happy to share my one TATW block on my clearest-it's-been-in-months design wall :^)

Feline Friday - 2/1/13

Shadow?      Did you say you can see my shadow?

Please tell me it isn't so cuz if that Punxsutawney dude see's

HIS shadow tomorrow we are doomed to 6 more weeks of this white stuff.

Say it isn't so my little feline friends!!