latest WIP -- a double-sided quilt for my 12 yr old

[Nancy H.]

...and it needs a name!

-- front

-- back

I'm thinking maybe "His Favorite Things" or something.

This quilt, front and back, was pretty much designed by my 12 yr old. He described what he wanted, showing me on-line photos of video game images as needed, and I converted his idea into an EQ7 design/layout, got his approval, and off I went. Working on quilting it now - just going to do ditch work across the diagonals of the front (the pinwheel blocks), but all the way across, both directions. That should be plenty, but if it looks skimpy at that point, I'll do one midway between each as well.

using gray thread; it's all I have in sufficient quantity at the moment! eek. Never imagined quilting would use so much thread -- or rather, the faster pace of machine piecing/quilting means I go through so much more thread in so much shorter a time!

I improv pieced the cat on the back, as none of my orange (scraps/stash) was wide enough -- I had several fat quarters, but the body is 28" wide. Oops. Fatter than a fat quarter. So I cut them all up and pieced them all back together and improved the whole cat

I have to say, these collaborative efforts between me & my boys are so very fun. Although, I think I will not do a double-sided quilt again any time soon. Worrying about how quilting the front will look across the image on the back.....eek. Luckily the gray thread blends pretty well -- small stitches, and the dark green back is flannel, so it just sort of nestles down in there. Whew!

anyone have name ideas? The front is video game images/symbols; the sword is hand drawn and then appliqued on. The back is a cat from his favorite book, and the frame around the cat is various cat fabrics - his favorite animal. And orange his favorite color.

Appreciate any other helpful comments as well

[Nancy H.]

I love your latest quilt, and double sided too - my favourite. I am surprised that your 12 yr old hasn't named it...

As for getting through thread faster - you are using twice as much with a machine anyway. But for quilting designs even though it is double sided, you just have to decide which is the dominant side that the quilting will be worked from and keep your fingers crossed (althought not whilst you are quilting, obviously :wink: ) that it will work out just fine on the other side. Or you put in much more planning for the designs to work out back to back. Personally I have gone with the 'fingers crossed' method, but also I had lots of small piecing on one side where the quilting doesn't really show, and large piecing on the other side and the quilting was worked out to enhance that side which worked out just fine.

How about 'Cat Scratch' - you can get scratches from swords as well as cats... a bit lame I know, better go back to the above suggestion of getting the owner to name it. :wink:

[Nancy H.]

Heather,
this turned out very nice and I could not help but think of "o gato no quadrado" in Portuguese!!!

cheers
Jeanine

[Nancy H.]

Great ideas, ladies! thank you! Rosemary, I hadn't even thought to ask my son....what a brilliant idea! I'm sure he'll have a thought or two....

I forget about the bobbin meaning I'm using double the thread; that's true! whew! now I feel better. I was wondering, seriously, if I was just doing something odd or something. AS for the quilting, yes, the "cross your fingers" method works well for me I'm very much a "done is better than perfect" style quilter, in case you guys hadn't picked up on that yet!

Jeanine, I'll ask him about the Portuguese title; that's so cute! I'll ask him.

Thanks for the kind words I'll post pics again when I get the quilting done; hoping to have time to work this weekend.

[Lois B.]

Heather,
this turned out very nice and I could not help but think of "o gato no quadrado" in Portuguese!!!

cheers
Jeanine

Translation please! Great quilt. Thanks for sharing.

[Rita C.]

Great quilt Heather. Can't think of a name but I am certain your son will come up with one that he likes. Here in Dublin 'The Scratcher' is a colloquial name for 'the bed'.

[wendy w.]

Smashing you involving your son.

[wendy w.]

Heather,
this turned out very nice and I could not help but think of "o gato no quadrado" in Portuguese!!!

cheers
Jeanine

Translation please! Great quilt. Thanks for sharing.

Lois, it means cat in the frame.

My son thinks "Legend of Zelda's Cat" which is the name of the video game (Legend of Zelda) + "cat" so, I guess we're going with that!

[Lois B.]

Rosemary was so right to know that your son would know the name. Now it's even more special and more colabrative too. It's so right that one of the hardest things is to name the quilt. Perhaps we should look for outside help with that more often.

[Susan B.]

What awesome memories are being created. The boys may grow up to be quilters

[Susan B.]

What awesome memories are being created. The boys may grow up to be quilters

I think this son, for sure. He has made a few small projects already, and often directs me on helping him execute his plans for homemade gifts and things. I love sharing this with him in particular -- he is the middle son, so it is extra nice to have a special bond with him like this.

[Susan B.]

Re translation - it actually means cat in a square which was my first thought in Portuguese!
Jeanine

[Susan B.]

Great name, and since he helped to design it, It seems obvious that he would have ideas of what to call it. Onwards with quilt for son no.3 now?

[Susan B.]

Yes, Rosemary, onwards for son #3 now He wants a different video game quilt. Fabric has been bought and will be cut today or tomorrow. Got the quilting done on this one and Caleb (the 12 yr old) slept under it last night

Here he is all snuggled in bed, going to read some before lights out.



Jeanine, thanks for correcting my translation! Not sure what I was thinking!

[Susan B.]

What a terrific picture! The quilt does look like comfort.