I offered to make a block for Julie at My Quilt Diary. She started a project of making stars to represent her blogging friends. Hmmm.... I consider myself one of her blogging friends and it might be interesting to see what she comes up with for me (when she gets through her long list of friends) but I really liked the idea of contributing to her someday quilt.
"I'll be happy to make you a block!"
Julie took me up on it and then I had to figure out what kind of block would represent me. Maybe all quilters ought to give this a think through... Do I want to make a cross?... I'm Christian. Do I want to make red, white and blue?... I'm American. Do I want to make cherry blossoms?... I live in Japan. Do I want to make a kitty block?... I'm a cat lover....but I'm also a dog lover too...
I decided that cat lover is the most obvious. Embroidered? Appliqued? I don't think Julie had any specific requirements except for measurements. Paper pieced?
Well, that measurement requirement was one reason I went for paper piecing. You can't beat that technique for working with small pieces. And Julie wanted a 4 inch square inside an 8 inch star.
I found a pattern that I liked. Cat. Sleeping cat. GREAT! I live in Nikko, Japan and the town is famous for the Sleeping Cat carving on one of its famous shrines. Julie will get the connection between a sleeping cat and me living in Nikko.
My major problem was that the paper piecing pattern was for an 8 inch square. So I shrunk the pattern on my scanner! Now I had the right 4 inch square size but I also had MINISCULE pieces to sew.
I also tried to go authentic (always a mistake) by making a white sleeping cat whereas all the sleeping cats at MY house are brown or orange. I absolutely couldn't find a black and white piece of fabric that would make the same markings as the Nikko Sleeping Cat, so I made my own. Hmm. It looks like that cat has a frilled collar. Well, it is ORIGINAL. And come to think of it, the real Nikko Sleeping Cat doesn't have a tail... but mine does...
Let me tell you, shrinking an 8 inch pattern makes for many possibilities of error. I had to toss my first attempt and try it again.
The star part of that block is a fabric with an oriental feel to it... A bit of gold in there hopefully like the Nikko Sleeping Cat carving. And I did sew the star by hand so that it will be easier for Julie to include it in her quilt.
Okay Julie. My block is made and it will get in the mail to you today! I hope you can use it!
Now for the rest of you. What block would YOU make to represent yourself if given the challenge?
10 comments:
Your block is lovely!
>^-^<
I love your block! It's very Tanya!!
You went all out giving your block meaning. At first it seemed a bit over the top, but you know it looks great. I hope Julie's other blocks are so well done and meaningful. Make yourself a cat block while your fingers remember what you "learned". For that matter why not make a cat block for each of your kitties?
Oh Tanya, that is absolutely PERFECT! I didn't even need the explanation. You think things out just the way I do. I have gazed at that sleeping cat in every season of the year, more times than I can count. You don't need to go out and get another cat that matches. I love it. And I love you too.
Lovely!! I bet she'll be able to use it in her quilt and it'll look gorgeous. :)
Wow wow... that is absolutely perfect. Everything is representing yoursef, Tanya. Julie is surely love it. And loves you too ;)
What a lovely idea to make a block that represents you,and it's worked out so well. I do wish there were more small paper piecing blocks available, yours looks so good tucked inside the star. As to what block I'd choose, I've thought cat, dog, garden, family, but I'm afraid I'd have to go for the obvious and do a sewing machine.
This is so clearly a reference to the sleeping cat. no, not a frilly collar! really works so well for being patterning on a cat. We have had several around this neighbourhood that look like that.
Sandy in the UK
What a beautiful block. Sew creative.
Wonderful! It represents you well, and, finishing it by hand, represents Julie. She has already made a block for me. She used teapots and a vintage sewing machine. She also used the design from both of our blog backgrounds. It really tied us together. PS: I love the new wonky shelf Tetsu made.
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