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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Anvils and cats

Today I have spent making Oriental Anvils. Boring, boring, boring. I had this bright idea last year about joining a swap with an on-line friendship group of mine. I don't do swaps. Why did I do this one? Hmmmm, maybe it was because I thought it would be a nice way to start using some of the Japanese fabrics I started collecting (while in Japan) in 1998. Maybe I was just crazy. Well, of course, hubby would say the latter, rather than the former. So. I've been sewing anvils. Oh, I guess I already said that. Guess what I've been doing for the last two days when I've had time? Sewing anvils. Is this boring yet? You should try sewing anvils. I'm not really complaining....it is nice to see some of these pretty fabrics again, AND I am sewing! But still, it's boring.



So after I had nine of them on the design wall, I decided to take the picture of them and import it into Photoshop to play around with them. You know - to break up the monotony. Maybe these blocks would more exciting, eh?

How about twirling anvils? Sounds sort of dangerous, I suppose.



Or what about liquid anvils? I don't know how effective liquid anvils would be if you needed an anvil. But I do like the look of the liquid colors.



What would you say to polar coordinates. Too much math? Maybe I just need to finish sewing the regular blocks.



And lest you think I am just too, too, too, traditional, here's my first maverick little quilt. I actually made a lot of these when I got going. I think I made about 3 of the cats, or at least until I ran out of the cat fabric. Then I moved on to wacky looking "popsicle" characters from the first Michael Miller fabric I remember. Everyone we knew who was having a baby got one of these wacky character quilts.



close-up of the little fish that was quilted, and the fading.



Now that mine is all faded from numerous washings with my own grandchildren, Clyde has adopted it as his own. A wacky cat for a wacky quilt.

Oh, and if anyone is wondering how big Clyde is, do this math problem. If a cat is lying on a quilt where the blocks are 7" square and the sashings are 2" finished, how many more anvil blocks need to be made. I mean, how big is this big lunker of a cat?

11 comments:

Kairle Oaks said...

Now that's what I call a CAT! How many more anvil blocks? :-) My pink and brown Chexx Mixx are starting to get boring, but my girls keep cheering me on.

Carolyn said...

I love your anvils, even if they are boring to make! The fabrics are beautiful!

Darcie said...

I don't know. You can call me crazy...but I see a really cool, contemporary, artsy facial structure lying in the "liquid anvils." I love it!

Glad you're trying to lift your spirits and battle your boredom, Sharon! They really do look gorgeous!

Laura said...

What a fun post! Thanks for sharing your boredom with us, and Clyde is gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Sharon you are funny! Love the Picasa anvils LOL. The Japanese anvils may be boring to sew, but they sure do look pretty :-)

Joanne said...

I don't know how big Clyde is, but I love the look he's giving you, as if to say, okay crazy lady leave me be and go back to your anvils!

Finn said...

That is one big cat..and definitely giving you the evil eye for disturbing his nap! Love the anvils...sometimes a persons just gotta do what a person's gotta do...right??? *VBG*

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

*LOLOL* Anvils in a blender! I love it!!!!! And yes I know how that feels, that's how this pink and brown DJ feels to me right now...maybe i should put it in the food processor!

Bonnie

Tonya Ricucci said...

Your Clyde looks like the twin of my obese black cat Howler, who weighs well over 20 lb.
The anvils are pretty. Boring to sew, definitely.

The Calico Cat said...

Awww what a cute kitty on a cute cat quilt! (I have a charm of that in my cat charm quilt!)

Quilts And Pieces said...

I love the liquid swirling ones! Very cool! Actually the normal ones look great!