Cutting Up

 Good morning, my friends! Is it starting to feel like the same old, same old yet? I'm not quite there yet, but things feel a little more settled-down to me. It's the calm before the storm of new carpet installation in a couple of weeks. My monthly pedicure is today, and so I'm venturing out for the first time in several days. When I'm finished with that, I'll make a quick stop at the grocery store. If I pick up just a few things, we won't have to go back until next week.

There was a slight change of plans yesterday. For one thing, the kitties made a new year's resolution to switch places for morning sleeping. Sadie took the top rack of the kitty pole.

Smitty took her place snuggled up under the flannel quilt.

As for me...I said I was going to start on this year's Rainbow Scrap Quilt...the Cats in Pajamas. This pattern is from Elizabeth Hartman. I've never done one of her patterns before, but I've seen them many times.

But before I could get started on that...remember this panel I showed you last week?

It's for a Dot-to-Dot Quilt-Along from Angela Walters. I'd kind of forgotten about it until the first video was released yesterday. Yikes! I didn't even have my panel sandwiched yet. 

If you're interested in this quilt-along, it's completely free, and you don't need the panel to participate. I liked the panel, and so I decided to go with it, purchasing the small panel. There are also borders that go with it, but I'm sticking with just the panel. So before I could do anything else, I needed to sandwich my panel.

I'd already selected this fabric for the back. It's been in my stash since time began.

I wanted something pretty plain and simple so the quilting will show up well on the back. My piece wasn't quite wide enough, and so I added a pink strip down the middle.

Now that's ready to go. I hope to get a start on it today, but that might be pushing the limits of my time.

With that finished, I could start on the Cats in Pajamas. I'd selected this background fabric from my stash of cat fabrics. It's a little more pastel than it looks in this picture. It too has been in my stash since before recorded history.

There was a lot of cutting to do before I could sew a single stitch. I've cut all the background pieces for the cat blocks. I didn't cut the borders or the sashings. I'll hold off on that until all the blocks are made. Probably, I have enough fabric for both, but I don't always finish up the way the pattern tells me. I know...such a rebel. Here are all the pieces for the whole quilt, cut and labeled.

From there, I was ready to cut the pieces for the cat and his pajamas. I decided to start with a gray cat. He'll be wearing green pajamas.

There wasn't much time left in the day, but I started by sewing the face.

Before quitting for the day, I'd finished the front half of the cat.

There should be enough time to finish him off today. And then I'll get going on the free motion challenge.

So, I'm writing fast this morning. I still need to eat some breakfast and then there should be enough time for slow-stitching before I need to get myself around and go. Aside from my pedicure and a grocery stop, there's nothing else on the day's agenda. Sue and I are having breakfast on Friday, and I'll hand off the Ties & Tails quilt for her hubby. What remains of the week should be pretty quiet.

How is your back-to-normal looking now? Did you start any new projects in the new year?