Hello, and welcome to a weekend update with Bonjour Quilts! Plenty to read and photos to scroll through, so grab a comfy chair, a refreshing drink and read on…
What I’m sewing…
After keeping these blocks in a box for many months, I’ve finally moved on to sewing my scrappy Bottomless Bear Paws blocks together.
This quilt is not being made exactly according to the pattern as I’m going super-duper scrappy. But I did use the instructions for the smallest (of 3) block size for my blocks, so that made life easier.
I also used the instructions to cut my edge and corner setting triangles, so no math for me. Huzzah!
I fussed about with the layout for ages and then just got tired of trying to be clever. I went with some lines with pink centres and then used the other darker blocks to fill it in. The last step was to put a round of low-volume Bear Paws around the darker blocks. These low-volume blocks then faded into the patterned edge fabric I’d chosen.
Once I’d finally settled on a layout I labelled my rows and took a photo preparing to sew them together. Lucky I took a photo because the cats have been trying to thwart me sewing this together at every turn.
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Yes, these evil, horrible little pests:
Just disgraceful. This was what I came back to after a quick break in the kitchen:
Then, after laying the whole thing out again I went to check on the dinner for about 10 minutes. I came back to find the patchwork exactly where I had left it, but someone had tiptoed into the middle and placed a perfectly formed little poo in one of the Bear’s palms. Rude.
I did not think to take a photo of it (you’re probably happy about that)! Anyway, I knew I had 3 left over blocks so I just wrapped that little poo up in the block and threw the whole thing out. But honestly, that’s just spiteful! And I still don’t know which one was the culprit.
So despicable:
Like butter wouldn’t melt – but we know better.
Since then, the cats have taken to running down the hall and using the half-sewn together quilt top like a slip-and-slide. I get the feeling they really aren’t into Bear Paw quilts.
But I will prevail and this top will be sewn together shortly. Yay!
Around the Interwebs…
Now that Spring is springing in the Northern Hemisphere, don’t forget this scrap-friendly flower patchwork block tutorial.
If you’re looking to restock your solid fabric collection, Fat Quarter Shop has 20% off Bella Solids for the month of May.
The deadline to submit a quilt for the International Quilt Festival is May 15 – check out all the details here.
Some pretty, free form embroidery sounds like a lovely, stressless way to be creative.
I love Natasha Coverdale’s gorgeous, floral art.
Reader Quilts…
I always love to see quilts you’ve made from Bonjour Quilts patterns so please keep sending them in! Either email (Kirsty at BonjourQuilts dotcom), or tag me on Facebook or Instagram.
Sally sewed up a sparkling green Diamonds in the Deep quilt – gorgeous!
Cindy’s Scrappy Lattice quilt is delightfully dramatic. This could be a good one for team colours (football, college/university, etc).
And just because it’s always fun to see something sewn up in completely different fabrics, here’s Beth’s version of Scrappy Lattice, which is equally wonderful. I love how you all put your own spin on these quilt patterns!
And I’ve shown Cheryl’s Scrappy Lattice before, but it’s so clever it deserves another show. I would never have thought to lay out the sashing fabric in such a fun way – she’s a genius!
Speaking of the differences that fabric can make, Beth made another of my patterns a while ago – the Scrap Magnet quilt. I love her dark and broody background with bright colour pops:
Very different to the rainbow-on-light-grey direction I took my original version.
And finally, Anne sewed up a delightfully colourful version of the Colour Explosion quilt. I love the quilting so much! This baby quilt has a free tutorial here, and there’s also a paid pattern with 3 sizes in the shop.
Chez Bonjour
Today there is a federal election in Australia and oh my goodness I am so ready for it to be over. (I love Australia and I love democracy, but the constant advertising is wearing thin.) It will all be counted and decided by the time we get up in the morning. Fingers crossed. In Australia it is compulsory to vote, so every citizen aged 18 and over will have cast their ballot.
I think the reason it’s worn particularly thin for me is one of the fringe parties got a hold of my mobile phone number and they have been sending me their campaign texts. Argh, they are asinine and sadly, they are legally allowed to do it. There’s no way to opt out once they aquire your number. I won’t mention this candidates name, but if you’re Australian it rhymes with Chive Calmer. (I will be calmer when he stops texting me, grrr.)
In more exciting news, our lime tree (3 years old now) finally has some fruit, yay! It also has grasshoppers attacking the leaves, boo. As long as they don’t mess with the limes I will concede some leaves!
Cats’ Corner…
In my opinion the best balm for election stress is a raft of cat photos. Shall we indulge?
Tigger (orange) and Lulu (brown), our Burmese cats, are half-siblings. (Same dad, different mums, but they were raised in the same litter to even out the load on the mums.)
They are best friends who sometimes bite each others’ faces. Eh, it happens.
ATCHOOO!
Ahh, do you feel better? I know I do!
Have a great weekend
That’s all from me for today. Wishing you a wonderful weekend, hopefully with some sewing or crafting of some type. It really helps you stay sane, seriously! I’ll talk to you again in a fortnight.
Until next time,
Kirsty x
Am new to your blog, rad it this morning and really like seeing your quilts and your cats. Live in State of Georgia, USA and do enjoy making quilts, not big ones but mid- sized to use as throws. Look forward to reading your future blogs.
Delightful post! My opinionated orange cat felt that perhaps if you had renamed the pattern Cat Paws it may have been spared. Thanks for the quilting inspiration and charming read. Your cats are elegant.
My friend and I watched 3 episodes of Yellowstone and thought STUPID. We switched back to repeats of Outlander.
Love the cats! The pictures are very calming. We call my neighbor’s cat “Rent-a-cat” because she’ll visit with us but then go back home to her people for food. And, she does not bring us any birds or mice she kills.
Thanks for always having interesting patterns for us to try!
Well, we’re committed now Karen because we watched the first season. I don’t understand how they’re getting away with murdering so many people! If I was from Montana I’d be a bit annoyed at the representation!
With the bizarre world I am living in lately it is such a contrast to hear of compulsory voting. Here they are just trying to make it more difficult.
The kitties were clearly freaked out over the politics and just acting out. This week will be much better for you.
Great post.
Thanks Bernie, hope you have a fantastic week too.
I love the pictures of your readers versions of your quilts. The scrappy lattice ones this time are just lovely. Isn’t it interesting how sometimes they can look like completely different patterns just because they are made with different colours. Thank you for sharing them.
Hi Lee, seeing all the different fabric choices is my favourite thing about the reader quilts, hands down. Some of the combinations and placements are so clever, or so design-changing, that it makes me say wow. It’s wonderful how each quilter interprets a design and I’ll never get tired of seeing it!
Thanks for the wonderful blog and hone stories as well! Love your patterns and you always make us feel like family! Having had cat in the past I feel your pain (and joy) We will just chaulk it up to cats sleep almost 15 hours a day so he must have been sleep walking! Love your pattern – always so impressive – you make the patterns so easy to follow!
I think you’re very generous with your sleep-walking explanation Joan. I suspect it was Tigger making a passive-aggressive statement about me rousing on him when he jumped up on the kitchen bench!
It’s time for me to admit that I save your newsletters and take screenshots of your cats. I am cat-less at the moment, and it’s not settling well with me. Your photos are priceless and your quilt is beautiful!
Hi Sheila, it’s hard when you miss having a pet but the conditions aren’t right to get one. Our kids really missed having cats when our last two died at the ripe old age of 19. We were renting a house that was very cat-unfriendly (as we prefer indoor cats) so we couldn’t have any. The neighbour had an outdoor one though and sometimes the kids would hang out on the driveway for ages hoping to catch a glimpse and steal some scratches. I will do my best to keep the cat pictures coming so you can live vicariously through us – although you won’t have to put up with the errant poo!
Love the antics of your fur babies.
Glad our Election is over too. I’m with you on that.
I’ve still to make one of your Quilts. It’s been cut out for 2 years , maybe this year I’ll get to put it together. Love the area you live in too, When do you get to sew looking at that view all the time
Hugs From Brisbane
Hi Roslyn, I hope you get the time to sew your quilt together, I’d love to see it when you’re done!
I really enjoy your blogs, patterns and cats. I have a 16-pounder who loves to wake me up during the night or early morning. She has toys in the sewing room to keep her occupied while I sew. They are great company.
Holey moley, Lois, that’s a big cat! Is it a Maine Coon? You could use her to press your seams open! :) Very helpful!
LOL … I LOVE YOUR CATS! poop and all. (obviously very opinionated about that block)
Ha, yes one of them had some strong opinions on my layout, obviously! Message received, loud and clear :)
Kirsty, I look forward to your emails and the quilts. But I love the cat pictures. It is hard to believe one of those innocent little darlings did something like that. Maybe they were a little jealous of all the attention the quilt was getting. Have a great week. Patricia
You might be on to something there Patricia, they can get a little miffed if they perceive a lack of attention. Every now and then our bedroom door will be shut overnight and Tigger will run in grumbling at us when we open it in the morning. The only reason we shut it is sometimes he comes up to check we are still breathing at 3am, which is not the best when you need a good night’s sleep!
Hi from Canada,
We just finished and election as well here . I agree on the advertising being very very annoying. My question to you is how is mandatory voting enforced?
Oh yes, I was reading about your election as it happened. The mandatory voting is enforced by a fine. You have to enrol to vote when you’re 18, then you go on the electoral roll. If you don’t vote I think you get a fine of around $200. If you don’t enrol I imagine they eventually catch you as they cross-reference with all the other government agencies you need to use to live (medical, superannuation, taxes, etc). So I guess technically you don’t have to vote if you don’t mind paying 200 dollars every time!
Your blog about the cats made me chuckle several times as I was reading it! Thank you for that early morning laughter!
You’re most welcome, Dee, thanks for dropping by!
I have to say the story about your cats and the bearpaw quilt tickled me to pieces. I have 3 cats and they are just like yours. Getting into mischief as often as possible. Love the quilt by the way!
They keep us all very entertained, although I do wish they wouldn’t mess with the quilts. But we love them so!
No way could either of those sweet babies leave a poo on a quilt block! Lol. I love your blog posts, I really do look forward to them. God bless you Kirsty!
Rose
Sounds like they’ve got you fooled, Rose!