Finally Showcasing My 'Even The Dog's Got Two' Quilt

For the longest time my husband, Simon, kept commenting that I made quilts for everyone else but not for him.  I didn't pay any attention until the day he said

"everyone else has at least one quilt except me, even the dog's got two".

It couldn't be denied, the evidence is right here on this blog:

 Tatty's No Bind Pram/Stroller Quilt Tutorial

Play Quilt And Matching Dog Set

I needed to put matters right.  

I think I'd been putting off making him a quilt because I knew Simon would probably like his very own space themed Star Trek or Doctor Who quilt but there's no way I'm having anything like that in my living room as I have to live with it too. I'll leave you to make your own mind up whether I'm a total control freak ex-interior designer or maybe I just don't love him that much - either way, this is the plan I came up with.

For some time, as they wore out, I'd been collecting Simon's cotton and linen shirts and linen trousers all in shades of blue and brown so even when he's off to work he always co-ordinates with my apartment colour scheme.  At the same time, I saw a sample quilt hanging in a Manhattan quilt store for a  Pleated Patchwork class by Andrea Deal, you can see Andrea's quilt here on her website. The quilt is from the book Modern Neutrals by Amy Ellis @Amy's Creative Side and I knew this would be a perfect way to use the shirts/trousers and I think the quilt has a very strong masculine design too.

Here's a handful of photos taken as the process was ongoing

Other projects kept taking precedence over the quilt and although it was meant to be Simon's Christmas present I didn't actually finish it until Boxing Day (that's the day after Christmas Day celebrated by Commonwealth countries) but the good news is, Simon was thrilled with it.  I think I should tell you at this stage that I did also make him a travel bag lined with Star Trek fabric that I'll share with you another time so don't judge me too harshly as totally inadequate wife material (though I did say 'lined with', well I draw the line at it actually being visible!!!).

Obviously, over winter the weather was dreadful and I never got around to taking photos of the quilt.  I did pass comment that possibly the quilt should never actually be used as if it ever needed washing I really didn't want to stand and iron all those pleats back into place.

So this is the bit of the story where I totally get my comeuppance.

Our new pup, Watson, threw up on the quilt.
He committed his crime on a Saturday when I was working at the quilt store and Simon set to, washing the quilt and tumbling drying the life out of it till it was bone dry.  Every crinkle and crease were well and truly fixed in place, no iron was sorting out that mess.

Here's the only photo that exists of the quilt in its perfect, pre-washed state, taken by Nellie at our February NYC Metro Mod Quilt Guild meeting.

 .

Last week we finally had a few days of brighter weather, suitable for taking quilt photos.  I quickly rewashed the quilt and while it was still soaking wet I ironed it.  I was amazed how perfect the pleats still were, washing didn't affect them in the slightest and they required minimal if no ironing.  The most difficult part of the quilt to iron was the back - it's made from Peppered Cottons and no amount of pressing can make it look pristine as you're always pressing against the lumps and bumps of the pleats on the underside.

Ironed as best as I could manage I left the quilt to hang dry overnight and here are the pics from its photocall last week:

The quilt is really heavy and incredibly warm.  I guess the quilt top is actually three layers of fabric due to the way the pleats are created and the pleats themselves probably trap air and, therefore, heat.

This pic shows how difficult it was to iron the peppered cotton flat but you can also see how I've quilted it - either side of the ditch to create the square design and to avoid sewing over the pleats and spoiling the texture and effect of the quilt front.

So the long-suffering Simon, at last, has his own quilt to stay warm under on a cold winter's night, finally a happy ending ...

well, that's not quite how it is ...

there's two little people who have their own ideas about the new quilt on the block and they're not moving anywhere fast.  

Poor Simon, maybe I'll make you another quilt sometime or maybe you're just not meant to have a quilt at all? x

Find out more about the life of this quilt here:

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This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

A Knitter's Dream Basket

So in the run up to Christmas my daughter, Flicky totally shocked me by announcing that not only was she knitting a scarf but that she'd joined a knitting group and taught some of the other girls at uni to knit too.  If you read my Lion Brand Yarn Studio post back in August you'll remember that she wasn't interested in knitting!

Well, I'm thrilled; some of my craftiness is finally rubbing off!!!

So for Christmas, I decided to surprise her with all the knitting and crochet goodies she could need to develop and continue her new hobby.   I figured she'd need a basket to keep everything tidy and to match her uni room so I made her her very own Knitter's Dream Basket using the Divided Basket pattern by Noodlehead.

The fabrics are Bluebird Park by Kate and Birdie for Moda

The basket was really easy and fast to put together and Anna's (Noodlehead) instructions are excellent and very clear.

I made a matching yarn bag so Flicky can knit on the plane without the ball running away down the aisle - it's just a regular pouch with a grommet on one side to feed the wool through.

 

Then I made her a matching tea cosy - can't think of anything better than knitting with a cuppa.

Tea Cosy and lots of new wool

So the Christmas pressie was a huge success and we've been back to the Lion Brand Yarn Studio twice since stocking up on extra wool and more needles.  

Current 'Zodiac' Window Display

Flicky's turned her hand to cabling and made a cabled headband and even Tatty's got involved eating her way through two sets of Flicky's bamboo needles (I did warn her that bamboo was a mistake as I'd had a similar Tatty experience with my own bamboo crochet hook which I wrote about here!).  

It's hard to knit with a Tatty dog on your knee!

I've been busy knitting myself - a really simple and quick Spice Berry shawl from Black Sheep & Ewe, had it finished in a day and I've received lots of compliments from CQ staffers and customers alike which is very welcome and makes you feel great.

Heading off to Vogue Knitting Live in Manhattan next weekend and guess who's coming with me???  Yep, Flicky - someone pinch me - maybe one day she'll even make a quilt!!!


Click the images below to read more about other Divided Baskets I've made.




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