Another oldie that I loved

I write this title and am not sure if I am referring to the quilt picture or the person I gave it to many years ago.

I found the cat fabric made by Red Rooster and outer border by Moda in a small shop in Phoenix AZ when I was out there working one summer. The antique stuffed cats reminded me of the mother of a friend of mine when I was a child. Pauline had a wonderful house filled with antiques and collectibles and one of the things she collected was stuffed tabby cats made from fabric panels. I don't know when the panels were originally printed, but they were reprinted in... I believe the 60's. Anyway, Pauline would find the cats at sales, then people would bring her cats they found at sales and she ended up with many many stuffed tabby cats. About 7 years ago I went back to my hometown in Western New York, reunited with Laurie my childhood friend and when we went to visit Pauline she had all the cats lined up on the stairs to the second floor of her house (now unused). They were looking like they had all been coming downstairs and stopped for a short sit and then you walked in!

So when I saw this fabric I had to buy it and make Pauline a quilt. I bought all there was of the cat panel and it was just enough to make this quilt. But once I got it made, I loved the quilt so much I searched for months on ebay until I found more of the cat fabric. The seller had a large quantity and was selling it whole piece. So I now have 9 yards of the cat fabric in my stash!

I mailed the quilt to Pauline that Christmas and do I have to tell you she loved it? I visited the following summer with my son Stephen, we road tripped the day after school ended from Illinois back to Western New York and of course visited with Pauline and saw the quilt spread over the couch in her home. We were there to shop the 100 mile yard sale and Pauline and Laurie and Stephen and I really did most of the miles! Well, don't you know Pauline gave me a couple of her stuffed cats to bring home. I was so touched. Seeing them justtakes me right back to being a kid.

Pauline passed away early this year. I regret I didn't get back again to see her. But she was a wonderful woman and mother, who never failed to make me feel as special and cared for as her own kids. Some day I'm going to have to make that other quilt for myself and put it on the bed with Pauline's cats and enjoy the many happy memories of my youth and Pauline.

Quick Update

Well - it's almost fall in Illinois, in fact with cold weather this week after Gustav's rains blew through here it really feels like football weather! From running the AC one day to wanting a fire in the fireplace the next night - it's quite a change!

I finished my Scraps to Treasures challenge quilt on schedule but can't post a picture yet, because the challenge is not closed. That will be in two more weeks I think. I've been busy unpacking fabric from the garage into my new sewing space and getting rid of lots of old stuff. A major remodel is a great opportunity to identify how much you really can live without!!

I also finished my flutterbye block swap on the HGTV boards and someday will get those blocks put together into a quilt top!

The attached picture is my first HGTV swap quilt from when I joined the boards about 5 years ago. It is an Autumn Log Cabin (queen size) and I love it - I keep it on my bed in the fall. Right now it is in the family room and after many washings it is so soft and snugly. The blocks are signed by the women who participated from all over the country so it's a nice trip down memory lane when I look at it.

I also finished a table topper for my brother this week done in beautiful batiks that I bought in Boston last month and I have signed up for a new challenge using the Surf and Sand collection from Marcus Brothers. It is lovely blues, taupes and cream in retro designs and paisley. I used it for a throw for my SIL this past winter (which I mailed away without taking a pic!) and I loved it , so I am happy to be in this new challenge. I am supposed to have 8 blocks done by mid October! EEPS!!!!

After that it will be the RMHC Crayola quilt which is due in December, I have my pattern ready, I planned it in EQ5 (my quilt design software) in fact I designed two - one for the charity and one larger for me to keep!

Thanksgiving we are heading out to Seattle for a visit with my brother and his family. It is sure to be a good time and I will get to make a mess in his kitchen instead of in mine!! I am shipping out a spare sewing machine and fabric in advance so I don't have to carry it on the flight and hope to put some things together for his home while I am there! I'll leave the machine for future trips.


Stephen will be 21 soon, so I hoping to finish his Celtic quilt that has been waiting over 2 years to be quilted.....part of a long line up, but his is getting moved to the front of the line. Hard to believe 21 years have just flown by, but I am very proud of him and the man he has become.

Well - That's it for today! More soon!