Update on my Timon quilt

I've made more progress this year than I imagined!
This is the last panel I need to assemble to finish the top. Someone asked me "what are you planning for the border"? I was so surprised because all these years I've been focused on finished the image

Timon Likes It!

He is the first to use my goofy little rag rug!

WIP Weekend 8-26

I finally got the top done, the border is a little different than I had first imagined it. I sandwiched it together and am ready to start quilting it.

Also am working on my Timon quilt at a feverish pace again! I am glad I am inspired to keep going on it.

I now have two more of these areas filled in and currently working on Timon's left eye

Paper Piecing Thoughts

I've been working on my New Timon quilt for nearly five years now. As I sat this morning while watching my favorite weekend program, Sunday Morning, I was carefully taking out the basting and paper from the completed squares. At that time I realized that I have handled each little square several times while assembling this project.


I suppose that is why people are amazed and shocked when I tell them what I am doing. Some just shake their head and mutter under their breath that I am crazy. Other quilters tremble at the awesome task I've taken on. Since I have no deadline I feel none of these things. The process is a means to the end I am trying to accomplish - a painting in fabric. It is my most complicated and biggest project yet using English Paper Piecing.

So, let's see how many times does each tiny square get handled?
Mental handling:

• Developing the picture (at least 15-20 versions are created)


• Seperating the seperate colors


• Picking the fabrics that will go with each swatch

The physical handling:

• Cutting the fabric out


• Pinning each piece to a paper layout


• Cutting the paper backing


• Ironing fabric to paper


• Basting each piece
  
• Pinning the basted square down on a layout board


• Sewing the pieces together


• Removing the basting


• Removing the paper

Final Assembly (yet to be completed)

• Sewing on a border


• Creating a Quilt Sandwich


• Hand quilting the quilt


• Adding the binding


• Taping off all the cat hair


• Adding the label

So far I've counted 18 individual handlings of each piece of fabric, including the assembly. Nine are just for the actual squared of fabric. That's 18 x (count of squares) = a jillion times I have done something with quilt.

Not that I am appologizing for how long it takes or making excuses, but doing this count sure puts the process into perspective!


Stay tuned to when I count how many I've actually made.....

Whew!

I haven't sewed all week! I really wanted to cut some fabric this weekend to make up the Block of the Month for our upcomming guild meeting. Well, didn't really get to it, but did manage to make TWO 4 inch cuts from two different pieced of fabric on Sunday! Whoo-hoo!

I know I *must* finish those blocks this weekend and will have to insist on a bit of time to do it. I am really not complaining at all, I just love having the company. Just no quilting this month.

Wait, I take that back, I've been working on my Timon EPP while watching TV and hanging with the family. Am making great progress on the top. That excites me to no end because I can actually imagine what it will be like to quilt the top now!

I'm Home!

Some one overheard my mother and I talking and asked if we had gone on a quilting cruise.... We just laughed and said we made it into one! We stopped at all the quilt stores we could find, four, and one more north of Seatlle .... Glorious!

I will share my pix a little later on, but here is a teaser.....



Me, sewing during my plane ride home...

Timon & Printed Bed Sheets

Timon has decided in the last month that this printed bed sheet is either the enemy or absolutely fascinating

This is not the first time he has gone after the little flowers on this sheet set. Not only does he always "help" when I am making the bed, no matter what the print is, but he will attack these particular flowers at all times of the night. (peaceful rest is not an option for me, I guess)

What is he trying to tell me?
"What are you thinking by displaying such a crazy floral?"
or
"I just love these flowers, if I could only peal one off and *really* play with it!"

More Cat Pictures

Tucker REALLY likes his quilt!

It may not be my best prize winning quilt ever, but I sure to get a treat everytime I see the boys rolling around on it!
And Timon likes to be UNDER it!

Oops, did I wake you?

Timon & Tucker's Bed Quilt

It will be mostly Tucker's Quilt since I've positioned it at his favorite spot on the bed.

Can you see my "excellent" quilting? I did only what I had to hold it together, will see how it goes through its first washing, I may need to add more. The corduroy is the perfect fur magnet too, not sure if this is a good thing or not.

Anyway I finished it last night and it removes two items from my UFO list .... Yeah!



Click on Tucker to read about my progress on this quilt:

Last Night - Surprise

Around 4:00 am I could hear the strangest noise, it sounded like someone had left a dog tied up next door and it kept whining to get their attention. It was this pitiful whimper. I woke up and sat right up in bed, I knew that I couldn't allow that poor animal to sit outside! How cruel!

Well, as soon as I woke up I could see Timon asleep at the foot of my bed. He opened up his eyes, yawned, stretched and blinked. And I realized.... That pitiful whine was Timon Snoring!!!!!!! I just gave him a good pet, laid back down, and laughed myself back to sleep. Who would know that I have a cat whose snores can wake the dead!?!?! The darling....

WIP Saturday

So far this is what I was working on this weekend:

I organized my scrapbook of quilt notes for my projects


New Timon is making good progress


And, my daffodils may not have bloomed yet (soon, I am sure) but I found a hyacinth that decided to bloom in a corner of one of my planters!

Working on Pieces & Pinning

I set up my work place on the kitchen table downstairs and I manage to baste a few squares everyday. Everything will be pinned down on their boards in no time so I will have sewing to take with me where ever I go.



The lower left is the board I pin the basted pieces to so the stay in order until I sew them together
The lower middle is my ironing board with my Clover iron next to it.
Upper Left & Right are the section of the image I am sewing with the cut fabric pinned on a paper map.

Cats and Quilts

What quilt is complete without a cat to inspect it????

Flag Quilt just before quilting the "sandwich"


Where is Timon? Oh! THERE he is!


...and this what I found when returning from lunch.... comfy yet?


...oops, took a lunch break again here, maybe I can sew and still not disturb Timon, because he really looks like he want to here...