Momma's little helpers (*cough*choke*)

[catcrazylady]

Yeah, right!!!!

What have I been doing with myself? Well, I wasn't going to show and tell until it was done but it seems to be taking longer than I planned and I can't keep it to myself any longer.
In between volunteering for the shelter, being sick, and jumping through hoops for the unemployment office I decided to make a quilt. I have pieced many quilt tops but I have never quilted one before. Spring came and I needed to do something crafty and fun so I decided to make a kitty quilt. I now have half of it actually quilted!!!! I find that amazing with all the help I'm getting! Soon, I hope, I will be able to show a finished product but for now I want to share just a few pictures of my helpers. I just know I would never get this done without them!;)

I made all my blocks and laid them out on the floor to arrange. Sammy has always been my biggest helper and has "helped" me with many quilt pieces.

Sammy studies the situation
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/p43e165927c34d035a59b98ea976fe711/f4775719.jpg

Faking me out and acting like he's not going to do anything bad.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/p2647dfe3396658a936f1743b42e656ab/f477571d.jpg

I knew better than to leave him alone but I had to go to the restroom and this is what I found when I came back.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pdd0ccf37304ba8259696df2357ffe21d/f4775727.jpg

I shewed Sammy away and put everything back in it's place for the next testers.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pecde00912c620d2c983c9557b690b806/f4775756.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/p305994540fafd347ec87d4b9293d7e21/f4775751.jpg

I finally managed to get some blocks sewn and got it all pinned for quilting when it needed to be tested again.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pe4f20501e9a4052b9ea85f9564f67d0a/f4775742.jpg

When I finally got the first section quilted I began sewing on buttons for eyes. Leroy and Magoo had to inspect and make sure I did it right.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/p2d76d6129a84cf1bb1310a895ab5e8b4/f4775739.jpg

Leroy kept grabbing my thread! He didn't approve of the eye color I guess.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pd299b878eabb47fa022602bba022a0aa/f4770982.jpg

I finally got the top section completely quilted and it had to inspected again.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pb79398f6f8c1ee98c61150b122ffec0a/f47708bf.jpg

Daddy walked by and gave Stubby a scritchie and she gave the first elevator butt on the quilt
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pdc9f763a011915713480595c2d260647/f4775749.jpg

Well, that is what I've been "trying" to do these last two weeks! It really looks like cats though because they are already covered in hair!
My helpers and I will keep you posted on our progress and hoepfully we will be able to show you a finshed quilt one of these days!

[kimlovescats]

Lisa, that is GORGEOUS! Wow, you are so talented!!! I wouldn't know how to even begin a quilt!!!:eek:

I giggled out loud when I saw the after-bathroom-trip picture! How hysterical!!! Guess Sammy thought the pieces were already sewn together???:eek: :rolleyes: :D :D :D

[K & L]

Lisa, that's going to be just beautiful and I'm sure you appreciated all the help in making it!:D

[catcrazylady]

Originally posted by kimlovescats

I giggled out loud when I saw the after-bathroom-trip picture! How hysterical!!! Guess Sammy thought the pieces were already sewn together???:eek: :rolleyes: :D :D :D

Actually Kim Sammy knew exactly what he was doing! He has done this to every single quilt I have ever tried to work on. He would have been very dissappointed if it had all been sewn together!:rolleyes: He did this more than once but I only took this picture. He loves it when I sew and he just can't wait until I lay it all out! BRAT!;) :D

[jazzcat]

Wow!!!! That is gorgeous Lisa!!!! I'm so impressed!

I enjoyed all the helper pictures too, LOL!!!!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I AM SO IMPRESSED !!!!
Wow LIsa, that quilt is gorgeous !!!
What a great idea to use a cta-pattern! I leanr quilting during our 2 years in the States, and I made 2 quilts so far: one with samples, and one with "log-cabin" (all blue). It is a heck of a job, and it takes lots of thinking to get the colours right, hey!

Good luck with this quilt! I cannot wait to see the finished product!!

[Soapets]

With all that wonderful help. you should be DONE with that beautiful quilt by now! :D WHY aren't you?:confused: I would think that all of that help would make things go MUCH faster, not slower---maybe you have a different final goal than the "helpers" do!?!:D

[jenluckenbach]

Beautiful quilt ! Your kitties are too funny. :D

[chocolatepuppy]

Too funny, the kitty 'arranging' the quilt! It looks beautiful, btw! :)

[christa]

I LOVE IT!!!

Oh Lisa, it's so beautiful! I'm so proud of you! Didn't realize you were a quilter!!!

I LOVE to quilt! Piecing a quilt together is my favorite part though . . . I usually don't hand quilt them. Did you hand quilt this one???

I found out pretty quick that I couldn't lay my pieces out in the floor though! You are very brave! I had to start laying mine out on the bed with the bedroom door shut! Otherwise, I'd have blocks strung all over the house!

Great job!!!

[catcrazylady]

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on the "partially finished" quilt. I knew you guys would like it since it's cats!:D

Christa my grandma taught me how to piece quilts when I was really young. I love piecing them but have never quilted before. She and both hated the quilting part!;) She always sent hers out to be machine quilted. I am machine quilting this one myself. I'm doing it in sections so I can handle the bulk. So far, so good!! Even I can't believe how well the quilting is turning out. I have a long way to go yet but I'm pleased with the beginning.

For anyone who likes to piece quilts there is a wonderful web site with tons of free quilt patterns. A lot of them are paper pieced and some are way to involved for me but there is a lot to choose from. In the drop down box choose patterns galore.

www.quilterscache.com

Make sure you go to the last page of the instructions on any that you like and she will show you how it looks when finished. Most of them have links to actual quilts that someone has made from the pattern. It is a wonderful site! This pattern is called "Wild cat"

[mina'smomma]

Ok Lisa now you have me missing my sewing machine. I love quilting and just haven't had a lot of time to do it in.

Hey question do you think its possible to quilt regular fabric and adia cloth together? I want to make a quilt for the boss with a set of praying hands I'm cross stitching for him.

[catlover4ever]

Wait just a minute....I've been framed!!!!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pdd0ccf37304ba8259696df2357ffe21d/f4775727.jpg

Does anyone really beleive that I could do something like that!!!!

Lisa, that is just simply beautiful. I wish I had talent like that.

[PJ's Mom]

LOL :D

You are so lucky to have such precious helpers. :)

[Laura's Babies]

Wow! I am stunned! That is beautiful!!! Hurry and finish so we can see the finished one.. Isn't it amazing how you learn these things about everyone that you never knew? Little snippets of information that completes the person you only thought you knew!

I am TRYING to gather up enough flannel fabric with cats on it to make a rag quilt to raffel or sell to make money to support helping the homeless kitties but finding the fabric is a problem! There just isn't much flannel with kitties on it! My sister in Florida found some and sent it to me to help with the project but it is slow going...

Anyone here have any flannel scraps with cats on it?

Lisa, you are a wonder!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

That is such a neat quilt, Lisa! I love quilts, but unfortunately, don't have the time or patience for it right now. My Grandma was a big quilter and my mom has gotten into it the last few years too. My Grandma made each of her granddaughters a quilt that they were to get on their wedding day. Well.....since my wedding day still hasn't arrived, my Grandma gave it to me early. ;) Here's Peanut, about 12 years ago now, inspecting MY quilt to make sure all the stiching were done correctly.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pbc7fbdae207a7e7c64c897792d3680e6/f475e2ff.jpg

Oh, and the quilt is an embroidered picture of each of the state birds - that my Grandma embroidered. She had lots of time on her hands. ;)

[Don Juan's mom]

I knit baby blankets and afghans for Project Linus (www.projectlinus.org (http://www.projectlinus.org) ) and for gifts. Don Juan "helps" by grabbing the yarn, giving me dirty looks when I bump him with the needles, laying down on partially-finished projects so that I can't turn them, and laying down on the instructions. He also protects me from repetitive-stress injuries by climbing up on my shoulder so I have to stop knitting. :D :D

Liz

[catnapper]

I missed this earlier! :eek: I love the quilt, and love the helpers. Leroy, please stop making putting on the eyes so hard!

[catmandu]

THAT LOOKS,AS THOUGH,YOU CERTAINLY HAVEA LOT OF CHIEFS,THE CATS,AND ONLY ONE INDIAN,YOU.WITH THIER HELP,IT ONLY TOOK ,HMMMM,TWICE AS LONG,BUT THE PROCESS,I AM SURE,WAS A LOT MORE FUN.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/catphotos1116.jpg