Stitching for the dogs

At Len’s feet is a quilt I made for him using some horribly faded curtains. To make the quilt, I just removed the tabs and inserted left over batting (you know, the 6 or so inches left over from other projects) between the curtain and the liner. I didn’t bother stitching the batting strips together first – it is for a dog, after all. Then I machine quilted some diagonal lines. It will stay in his crate – hopefully, he won’t eat it.

I have a large collection of worn out jeans  - think 5 people over the past 25 years! I hate to throw any sort of fiber away (surprised!?!). I’ve had all sorts of ideas – bags (haven’t started), quilts (just some blocks cut so far). Finally, I’ve done something – a dog bed.

I started last fall - just need to put it together.

I used the legs for the top (see how they are tapered) and sides and a piece of decorator fabric for the bottom (or I guess the dec fabric could be the top). 

I'm using scraps for the stuffing. Bag on the left is full of t-shirt scraps. Bag on the right is full of bits of fabric too small for a crumb block, selvages, small strips of batting, etc. I'm using a piece of tightly woven muslin to make a pillow insert. Do you think this will be a  huge mess when I wash it? I figure I will have to check the lint trap often.

pillow insert 

My stuffing wasn’t quite big enough so I made another quilt like the one I made for Len (that takes care of half the curtain and a noticeable amount of scrap batting) and put it inside – a zipper is on the back side of the bed. 

Penny tests it out.

I’ve also been mending the colonial popcorn spread, stitching hanging sleeves onto show quilts and started my little pin cushion-

It is Small Token from Blackbird Designs.

My daughter is home for spring break and she is keeping me very busy. On Sunday we went downtown to the National Archives and the Portrait Gallery.

 National Archive Building

 Portrait Gallery

On Monday we visited a thrift shop where my daughter hit the jackpot. Unfortunately, a couple of items require alterations and guess who she wants to do them. I told her she at least has to watch and help.

I visited 3 chapters of Quilters Unlimited this week to sign up volunteers for the quilt show in June. I visited 3 other chapters last week! It is very interesting going to different chapter meetings- they each have their own personality. One was very chatty. The guest speaker was first on the agenda and I thought they were being kind of rude, but then they continued chatting while the president and everyone else spoke so I guess it is just their way.

I’m very excited about our show this year. We have almost 700 quilts and wearables entered. The show is not judged or juried. I love this. It gave me a lot of confidence as a new quilter to see quilts hung that I felt I could have made and to see quilts I could aspire to and in some cases be in awe of. Members of QU can enter up to 6 quilts. I entered 4 – the pink and brown 9-patch snowball, the string, northwinds, and the puppy dog quilt my daughter helped me with.

I’m thinking of making a little red and white quilt since I not going to the American Folk Art Museum show in NYC the end of the month. Does anyone else feel compelled to do this?