Instead of doing one of the many other things that I should be doing, I just spent the best part of four hours this evening planning the layout of a new charm quilt that I’m going to attempt to sew over the rest of the weekend. Once again my chronic procrastination has got the better of me but hey, I consider it more of a prioritisation of my limited free time (on the contrary, when I’m at work I give it my all and frequently have to be reminded to do things like eat, or sleep, or maybe wash even, or sometimes when I’m really into it, someone has to make sure to check on me every half hour just to make sure I’ve remembered to breathe). But anyway, I’m HUGELY excited about this project as patchworking was one of the things I couldn’t wait to get back into after all my hobby time was taken up last year with wedding planning, and before that with that grad school thing.
It all came about from visiting the local patchwork shop late this afternoon to get some fabric for Paige’s Halloween costume (she’s going to be a pumpkin), and they’d just recently received delivery of the Moda “Shangri-La” by 3 Sisters charm packs. They’d been so popular over the past week that they only had three packs left, and as it was just five minutes before closing, I had to make a very quick decision: 1) Treat myself to a glorious new craft project to thoroughly enjoy and make me very happy and pleased, or 2) drive home with a feeling of regret and work out a way to possibly persuade Mutti that she really needs to make the 45 minute journey back to the shop first thing on Monday morning, and whilst she was there buying her as-yet-to-be-determined essential patchworking item, could she possibly pick up the last three charm packs for me too? As you can imagine, the decision was a tough one 
So three charmpacks and four hours later, and this is the provisional plan: each pack contains 48 little 5″x5″ squares of different designs (totaling 144 squares), so I decided to make a quilt that is going to be 11×16 squares, or approx 4′x6′ incorporating the seam allowances which will be just about perfect for a lap quilt. I’m so pleased with the fabric designs which are in tones of browns, reds, golds, ivories, dusky blues and sage greens, and there’s not a single swatch that I don’t like which is really unusual for me. Initially I laid out the colours all randomly but it didn’t feel right, so I followed my instincts, and arranged them so that they’re in light-dark couplets (making diamonds) concentrating the browns and reds to the outside, fading into the greens and blues and more of the ivories in the middle.
However, the planning and designing was not entirely straightforward as not before long, I had a keen little helper who wanted to carefully examine up close every single patchwork square that I laid down, sometimes overriding my choices and repositioning various random patches to suit his own little whims:
You can tell from the sheepish look on his face that he knows that he’s not supposed to be sitting on there, *on* my carefully laid out patchwork squares- the slight backward glance, the wide eyes, and the ears pricked slightly forwards…yes, in his whole 18 years of feline life experience, he knows all too well that there are certain things he’s not supposed to do, and in his whole 18 years of feline life shared with us, we’ve learned to recognise that look on his face when he’s up to mischief.
But he does so enjoy craftwork. Although he loves a good bit of fabric laid out on the floor, he also thoroughly enjoys a good bit of knitting too.
We sometimes think that maybe he thinks he’s helping. Like here, he’s holding up the knitting so that it makes it easier for Mutti to keep the tension in her stitches:
I mean how could one possibly knit with the sweater just hanging off the needles, I mean like really? In his mind he has clearly assumed a very responsible role. He takes it very seriously too, keeping very still, and with a marked look of earnest concentration on his face.
It’s the same expression he had this evening whilst he was helping me with the patchwork (well, the parts of the evening when he wasn’t actually ON it itself), so clearly he was of the impression that he was very much needed for this particular task at hand. How bright he is and tuned into our needs!
Bless him! And thankyou Barnaby, without your help I’m certain I wouldn’t have done it in four hours 
Born to wear pretty dresses and Barbour jackets and skip through muddy English fields in a pair of Hunter wellies, Nin is now a 30-something British Ex-Pat living in the urban wilds of Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area. She likes cake and chocolate and is on a quest to find the perfect Stateside cream tea.
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22 Responses to “A new craft project”
Great photos, site, quilt plan. Too bad Bossy doesn’t know a thing about procrastination. Nope, not a thing. But she’ll look it up in the dictionary. Maybe tomorrow.
I, too am addicted to patchwork! I haven’t been able to stop lately! from patchwork coaster to placemats to baby quilts.
I’ve been eyeballing those charmpacks. they seem to be a great deal! are they fast with the shipping?
I just rerecently attempted hand quilting the top of a quilt.
Oy!!! not fun, that! although, it comes in handy if the hubbie is watching something on the tube that is of no interest to me.
enjoy the rest of your “crafty” weekend.
Oh, Barnaby is so helpful, just like all cats. They need to be in the middle of things and the center of attention, as long as it suits their whim. My cat, Kissa, is not a lap sitter though. She just likes to sit very near or on top of your papers and stuff. I have been thinking lately of getting out my quilt top that I almost finished a couple of years (!!!) ago. I need to do the binding, that’s all. I have a another to put together too. Fall is coming and the weather is starting to change. I like your patchwork colors, they somehow look romantic and soft.
Oh Oliver..er Barnaby is such a sweetie. I love to knit and quilt.
I am so much better at knitting and quilting than I am at cleaning.
I think there is something wrong with me :o)
Your quilt looks so lovely and fun!
I like sewing straight lines :o)
p.s. I found your engagement pictures!
They are fabulous!!!
This comment does not really go to this post, but I’m not sure where to put it:o) I’m so glad you stopped by my blog because now I have found yours and I am bookmarking it! There is just soooo much on here–great links to blogs with great photography, tips on blogging, some of the most gorgeous and romantic wedding and engagement photos I’ve ever seen, and I see some familiar names here, too. I’m up past my regular bedtime, and there’s just too much to see all at once, so I will definitely be back!
Thanks for dropping by my blog and saying hello! I am enjoying reading your blog and looking at all of the beautiful pictures! Your cat is so cute and hilarious~I laughed out loud at the pic of him sitting and staring at the wall with his ears back! Ha~ha! I will be stopping by often to see what you and Barnaby are up to.
This mad me laugh so much! I have just started to knit my mums Crimbo pressie and that cat has been most helpful, particularly in passing the wool to me with his paws! The quilt sounds like a lovely project - crafting is so relaxing when you’ve had a hard day (apart from cross stiching, which makes your eyes bleed). Can’t wait to see the finished results
I LOVE BARNABY!!! Does he get paid for all the help that he gives?
I just am in love with your photography Nin, it’s so nice to come here and stare at your photos.
Thanks for the stop by my porch to chat.
*muah*
Michelle
Barnaby is so fricking adorable! Those pictures are priceless. I wish my kitty would sit on my lap like that!
Barnaby looks so wise … as if he’s stitched a thousand quilts!
Thank you for stopping by my blogsite. As I returned the favor, my heart leapt for joy to see your patchwork quilt in progress! Oh, how I love quilting but have far too little time to do it. Last weekend I picked up some quite bright fabrics for my second grandbaby’s quilt. I tend to do soft pastel fabrics for baby quilts, so this is quite a change for me…but I’m excited about it!
Also, I am in love with your cat! We so so wanted an orange and white cat when it was time to adopt a new family cat, but a precious long-haired gray and white tiger striped kitten fell into our family this summer. He is such a sweet good natured little guy that no one is complaining that he isn’t orange and white….hehe!
Blessings,
Tammy ~@~
That quilt is going to be beautiful. The colors sound very nice!! How will you do the back? Do you hand quilt it?
Oh, and my cat does that exact same thing, rearranging the fabric for me as to say that he thinks it looks better his way. He often takes a running start and nose dives through the squares. It is incredible. As soon as that fabric goes down he is there!
Oh dear! I think i might love Barnaby more than my own!! Oops!
Thanks for stopping by, and I must say I love the ginger cat - so cute!!! QUilt colours also fab - very Halloween
…I loved the story and your color choices for your quilt! I too have a “Barnaby” of sorts, ‘cept his name is “Gabe”…He lays on my fabric as I’m working or sometimes he’ll reach out and hold my tape measure still while I’m trying to measure out something! It’s too cute - it almost looks as if he does it on que!
…Are you gonna post photos of the quilt as you’re working on it? Please do! :o)
It sounds like there are quite a few crafty felines around the place! What a lot of kitty talent!
I will most certainly try to take some pictures as I go along. I’m hoping to get most of it stitched by next weekend, when I will return to the patchwork shop and investigate fabric for the back. I’m thinking of doing a pieced back so that it looks pretty on the other side too, but I’m not yet sure how I’m going to quilt it. I’m using my grandmother’s old handcrank machine for the patchwork as my lovely new Pfaff is back in NorCal so I may end up quilting this one by hand.
Oh no! Barnaby must be in cahoots with the cats in the local shelter, who seem to be calling my name (”sucker!”) every time I drive by. We have two dogs, four chickens, a hamster and a fish, but I am wanting a cat so badly right now! If I can only get over that hump of litter-box cleaning…
PS- Love your blog! I’m adding it to my list of daily reads!
Kim in NC (Carolinagirl on MaryJanesFarm)
[...] of my Barnaby-helper, my patchwork quilt is running a little behind schedule as I planned last weekend to go and buy fabric for the backing, [...]
LOVE THE QUILT! have you seen Wendy’s quilt??? check it out!!!
http://www.knitandtonic.typepad.com/SimpleRagQuilt.pdf
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Oooh, I like that! Thanks for the link Stella, it looks very inspirational