Batik Catawampus :WIP

Hi, Today I am sharing my latest quilt project. In the last two weeks, I have finished off and hand delivered the last two quilts that were to be Christmas gifts. With that task completed, it was of course time to cut out fabric for a new quilt.

I have chosen to make the queen size of Catawampus by Freckled Whimsy. The queen size is supposed to be 100 inches square, so I thought that should actually work as a quilt for our new king size bed. This pattern is set up to use Fat Eighths precuts and the designer has a really neat way about cutting all the needed strips and squares from the fat eighths. I won a Fat eighths set of Color Theory by V & Co. back in December. The designer shows her quilt made from V & Co.’s Simply Color, which is one of my favorite but is basically no longer available. My fat eighths set is of the whole line of fabrics but is not enough to make the queen size. I did multiple calculations and figured those fabrics should make a 90 inch square quilt, since I want larger than that, I will set them aside for another project.

When I first saw the pattern in our local quilt shop, I thought it could look lovely in batiks. So I pulled all of my available batiks and with some careful cutting, I managed to cut all my needed squares and strips. I have had many of these batiks since 2010 and have used them in three quilts now. It is pretty amazing just how far some fat quarters can be stretched (of course I did add a few extras along the way, but not too many.) I am now left with some tiny scraps that may be able to be worked into a string or paper pieced pillow ( like arrows or feathers.)

Here are all my pretties. There ended up being 27 different batik prints.

When I come across a new quilt pattern I like, it is fun and interesting to do an online search of Google Images to see what other quilters have done with the pattern. For Catawampus, I only have come across the designer’s version and one other so far, with the last one being made with a gray solid background and numerous bright prints (not batiks). I have decided to use a light gray with my batiks.

This quilt will certainly not be lacking in fun colors. Gray will help hide the cat hair. Buddy, the Maine Coon seems to be molting quite badly and of course loves to lay on our bed or all my quilt projects.

I hope to be able to get some  of the quilt blocks made to show yet this week. I have 6 yards of gray to cut into all the numerous background strips. I have one project I need to start and finish before I can start my quilt sewing. I am making a piped cushion for a bench for my grandsons and their Mom. It’s 12 by 40 inches long and needs to have a zipper placed in it somewhere. The cushion that came with the bench was not to her liking, so I am in charge of creating a custom one to replace it (from cell phone photos and a carpenter’s tape measure). So wish me luck. 🙂 I am off to make 6 yards of bias binding/piping.

I am linking up my new quilting project and it’s fabric pull to various weekly linky parties. Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Sewing,

Shelley