One Cool Cat - Quilt that is and more!

I'm a happy and proud member of my local quilt guild, The Croatan Quilters. It's a wonderful group of some delightful friends. Being around creative people is always good energy.

Last Tuesday night was our monthly meeting and I asked our President, Vicki, if she would bring her cat quilt so I could share it with you. Check this out!

This is a paper pieced quilt. That's Vicki. All the tails of the cats intertwine. Cool huh?

What is really amazing is the size and number of pieces in the tiny cats. My finger gives it scale. Oh my gosh!

I love the border fabric

and even the back of the quilt is so totally cool! Doesn't it make you smile? Vicki is a long arm quilter, so she quilts many projects for guild members. Not to mention, she is a great president.

Next is one of my long time girlfriends, Peggy. She shared a quilt she is making for her grandi-daughter.

She incorporated fabrics into each half square triangle (I'm having a migraine over those points) which represents her granddaughter.

It is Fun indeed. This will be a graduation present.

Peggy is an amazing quilter. Not only are her points PERFECT the back of her quilts are so amazingly neat and tidy. Yeah, yeah...she totally ROCKS! :) :) :)  (Special hugs to Peggy and her husband, Pete, for going back to the church to rescue my lost earring. Love you both bunches!)

This next quilt was shared by Renee. It's a double wedding ring made by her aunt and finished by her.

This quilt especially touched my heart because I'm an Auntie. Here is the remarkable story from Renee."

To the best of Aunt Norma’s knowledge, she thinks she started the quilt top in 1933 and that is the date that we put on the back of the quilt.  She did the top before she got married.  She is one of my father’s older sisters (but not the oldest)  There was a 20 year difference between Aunt Norma and my dad.    My grandparents on that side of the family both passed in 1960 when I was two years old and so I don’t remember them.   Aunt Norma took over the “grandmother” role for my siblings and I.

Aunt Norma  worked in a sewing factory for over thirty years and would bring home scrap fabric and other remnants.  When I was a teenager, I wanted to sew and so Aunt Norma took me to town and purchased patterns for me and then let me pick fabric out of her stash.  She got me sewing and was always enthusiastic over whatever I made.   After retiring, she still continued to sew and would do craft shows up into her 90’s.

As I said last night, my mom was helping her clean out closets in 2000 or 2001 and they came across the quilt top.  She did not think that she could finish the quilt  and told my Mom to give it to someone who would.   It came to me, I added the backing and batting and finished it in 2003.  I gave it back to her and it became “our” quilt.  She had it for about eight years and decided to give it back to me so that nothing would happen to it when she was gone.  

Aunt Norma is 99 years old today and still doing well.   I am an Aunt to 10 nieces/nephews and a Great Aunt to 7 nieces/nephews.   I think that Aunt are special people and I hope my nieces/nephews will think so too.   

I think it is a neat story and it is special because it is mine.   Someone is the back of the room last night commented that it was a real 1930’s quilt, not one made with 1930 reproduction fabrics which I that was a neat comment.

It was a honor to finish it for Aunt Norma."

Thanks so much for allowing me to share this story Renee. I think it is so wonderful! Happiest of birthdays to your aunt!

Next we have a colorful quilt from Marianne. She made this for her grandibaby. The colors make me happy!

Mary Kay, seen here peeping out from behind her quilt, also made a quilt for her grandibaby. So sweet!

Barbara shared a super cool table runner. I know all you modern quilters out there are going crazy over this piece!

She also shared this piece which was a block swap by guild members.

There was one block left over so she incorporated on the back. Wonderful!

Jackie shared this embroidered flower quilt. (She looks so cute peeping over the top of it)

Kathie, one of the most hilarious, make you almost pee your pants from laughing friends, shared this piece which she used to teach young children about the letter "Q". She explains to us how she should have made the block color darker, but the kids enjoyed it anyway. Oh and hugs to her cat, Nimbus. He's awesome! :)

This is Holly's mom, Marlis (I don't know how to spell her name, but will find out). Marlis visits every winter and everyone looks forward to her arrival. She is one talented lady! She shared with us a quilt challenge from her guild up north. They took photos from a book called, Earth from Above, and used it as inspiration for an art quilt. Major cool! She also gave us a quick tutorial on her awesome shadow chenille vest.

It was a fun meeting indeed. Well, this Wednesday is the big day. Our first project in the Fellowship of the Flowers will be revealed! I can't wait to show you!

Here's a little hint...the project was inspired by the TV show, Downton Abbey.

See you back here on Wednesday!

xx,
Michelle and the Bunnes