Friday, August 19, 2011

My Entry Pets on Quilts 2011 Contest

If you  are a follower of my blog, you know that I'm a cat lover, cat(s) owner, feral cat colony manager.  So, it was only natural that I wanted to enter Sew Cal Gal's 2011 Pets on Quilts Contest. 

 This is Roxie ....and oh, how she loves to eat.  She's sneaky too....and I hear her crunching in the night when I leave food in her bowl.  I raised her by bottle after her Mama abandoned her at 4 days old.  This particular quilt was made by my daughter as a gift to me after we had been to the International Quilt  Show in Houston.   It says "We went to the quilt show and all we got was everything!"



Here's a couple close ups of the details.....beads on the shoes, ribbon, threads, ribbons, buttons for the eyes....on the 3 Cats who went shopping at the Quilt Show.






Roxie was posing so well for me, I got another Kitty Quilt for her to "inspect".  You do know she's one of my "quilt supervisors", don't you?
This one is called Beach Kitties and I used it for a quilt class in applique that I was teaching. 



I hope you can see the fabric in the background of these blocks, as it's fish underwater. 



My other two cats, Braveheart (the KING)  and his sister, Princess, were getting jealous of all the attention Roxie was getting during our photo session, so here's  Kitty City.  I think this is my favorite quilt of all time that I've made, except for my King Size 1000 Pyramids quilt.

Each block depicts a different cat in a different profession; artist, beauty pageant winner, fireman, Dr., bird watcher, Sheriff, Chef, Pirate, Carmen Miranda, Amelia Earhart, etc.  I bordered it with dimensional prairie points and cat paw fabrics.




Sorry, they're a bit blurry 'cause I was paying attention to the cats....not on my picture taking.  Besides, I have to hurry and get this blog post finished to have time to enter it in Sew Cal Gal's contest...yikes! 



Here's a few close up  pictures of the Kitty City blocks.

Miss Kitty USA

Pierre' the Chef


The Sheriff.




The Bird Watcher


If I haven't bored you senseless .......YET, .....there's more to this Kitty City quilt than meets the eye. 

Did you notice the fruit bowl in the Carmen Miranda block? 

Well, after I was finished with all the detailed quilting (you can see some of the different background quilting in the close up photos) when I was trimming some threads, I cut a small 'v' shaped  hole in the sashing on the bottom of that block.   I was just heartsick, 'cause I was entering it in a Quilt Show that next week. 

I called my sister, told her what happened, and was almost in tears.  She came right over (we live about 1/2 block from each other) and took a look at it, and said......"well, looks like Carmen's fruit bowl spilled some fruit"   She told me to think "outside the box" and I did. 



The fruit appliques falling from her hat and underneath the block were added to cover up the small hole. 

 I added a fish bowl to the Chef's block, a bird's nest to the Bird Watcher.....etc., and what started out as a BIG boo boo, ended up  adding more interest and uniqueness to my Kitty City Quilt.

I was even more pleased when it won a 2nd place ribbon in the Quilt Show.



If I had a glass of wine, I'd  toast to everyone reading this blog....."Here's to quilting, here's to our beloved pets, and here's to winning a prize in the contest, but most of all ....here's to Sew Cal Gal for doing such a great job organizing this"! 
When it's time to vote on
Sew Cal Gal's blog, I hope you'll vote for me.  Thanks.







Thanks for visiting.




32 comments:

  1. Oh you have lots of helpers! Adorable quilts.

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  2. What beautiful cats you have and beautiful quilts too. I think you could have a traveling cat theme quilt exhibit that tours all the great quilt shows. Love it.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  3. These are wonderful. Wishing you every success in the comp.

    If you haven't already produced a pattern for these, you should. They're the most original quilts I've seen in a long time. I'm sure patterns would be snapped up.

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  4. What wonerful quilts, specially the first one.

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  5. Lots and lots of help in your sewing room! Love your quilts too!

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  6. I just love your cat quilt.. and your chubby kitty...

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  7. I'll toast with you, this show has been so much fun. I've used to applique to cover a boo-boo, and thank goodness it works and does make the quilt better. Your quilt with "we ended up with everything" made me laugh, so true.

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  8. The quilts are fun. Roxie looks so soft and cuddly. Braveheart and Princess seem to like the quilts, too.

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  9. Wonderful quilts and such a good story about taking an accident and using it as an opportunity. Your kitties are sweet hearts. Really love the kitties in swimsuits quilt.

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  10. Lovely! and also a great SAVE on the quilt with the applique. I love thinking outside the box!

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  11. She is beatiful! And all quilts are great! Congrats! A hug!

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  12. Judy, the cats and quilts are super. I am so glad you take such good care of your cats, and they show their appreciation by modeling for you!

    PS. I took your advice and unclicked "keep me signed in" and had no problems leaving a comment.

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  13. Great story...glad that you got 2nd place...and the falling fruit is cute!

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  14. Great helpers and terrific quilts! Love the cat professionals!

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  15. LOVE the quilts!! The cats are pretty cute too. :)

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  16. Very creative cat quilts. And your kitties seem to approve!

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  17. Love all your kitties! Now those quilts are awesome. I really like the Quilt Show one!

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  18. Love your cat quilts! Very creative! Thanks for sharing!

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  19. ha, ha I LOVE your quilts!! Too cute.

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  20. Great quilts & GREAT quilt story! That sister of yours is handy to have so close!!

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  21. Great quilts...you got my Cat VOTE!! Paulette

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  22. Meeeeooooow purr purr purr! Hugs Naomi

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  23. Sweet! I love anything KITTY!

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  24. Your quilts are just wonderful!! My kitty was hand raised, too, from hours old. His story is on Lilypadquilting if you would like to read it!

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  25. Thank goodness for cool headed sisters. Your quilt did turn out fantastic. Congrats on winning 2nd place!

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  26. You have some wonderful kitty quilts! And of course some beautiful kitties.

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  27. These are darling quilts. I love the applique fix you made. Really fitting.

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  28. I love your cats' names :) Aren't they perfect companions for quilters?

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  29. Great cats and great quilts :) A winning combination!

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  30. Hermosos tus quiltas y tus mascotas!!!
    Saludos desde Argentina!!!

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