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.