12 Days of Christmas -- and a Dreidel?!

Housekeeping...

I fixed the link to Christine Thresh's web site in the PJ Week #4 post -- if you were looking for her bra block pattern (or any of her other great patterns), the link is now correct.

Just some responses to comments:

@ Dorothy: thanks for the ladder idea (I wish I had thought of that!)... but I don't get the tutus... I ended up using some leftover flannel from another project, that happened to already have some strips sewn together. His quilt looks like Daffy's, except in Thimbleberry flannels from a few years back.

@ Nellie: I considered making a quilt for my sister's dog (who, despite not being allowed on the furniture, seems to spend a lot of time on the living room sofa!), but that was too much work for the time left. She's getting a butterfly softie to rip apart instead ;)

@Sheri: My previous cat would have done just what your Jingle did -- she preferred cold or glossy surfaces (like magazines or newspaper inserts), and probably wouldn't have much cared for a quilt either. I didn't hold it against her, though -- she was such a sweetie!

A little bit of nothing...

OK, I know this is goofy... but I DID sew it tonight, so I might as well show it to you.

My George absolutely loves quilts (as do many cats, I know), so a while back, I made him a little quilt of his own. I mostly throw it on whatever piece of furniture is currently his favorite -- it collects the hair instead of the sofa or chair that way. Infinitely more washable, and it's cozy for him. His quilt is pretty darned ugly, though, and my mom makes fun of it regularly.

I decided I'd make little quiltlets for my mom and dad's cats for Christmas, since they're also huge quilt lovers. The quilt I made tonight is for the kitten (whom I've never met). She's a little tabby, and my mother, in a fit of complete insanity, named the poor thing "Daffy Dilly." (It was spring, and the daffodils were out...) This kitty deserves a special quilt, just for that, don't you think?!

Anyway, I knew I had some cute daffodil fabric, but when I actually pulled it out of the closet, there wasn't even half a fat quarter left. A little creative piecing did give me two strips approximately 18" wide. I grabbed some other yellows and florals, and just stitched-and-flipped this little kitty quilt, right on batting and a plain yellow backing from a curtain project gone terribly wrong. I thought I might satin stitch or applique her name onto one of the strips, but decided that was just overkill!

Now I have to make one for their male cat Jacob... wonder what he would like on his quilt?!

Week #2 Challenge -- FINISHED!

Here's my diptych for the Project Runway Week #2 Challenge. I traded the wool star on the tree for the cute button that says "Believe" (leftover from some other project) -- gives it a little more character and a much-needed darker hue.

The snowman (well, it looks more like a snowgirl to me, with the button snowflakes) has hand embroidery for the eyes, eyebrows and mouth, then I hand tack stitched the cheeks and nose, too. That was more a function of not having the right color of thread for machine buttonhole stitch!

I photographed the pair atop the book the pattern came from... I decided that way I wouldn't forget to tell you source! The pattern is actually for coasters, with an additional layer of felt on the back, but I decided to make ornaments instead. I just have to add a hanger of some kind. But I'm still calling this one finished :)