After making the bear using Cuddle fabric, I wanted to make more. So I went back to Paulas’ cat pattern to make another cat.
These are the scraps, yup, even cuddle sheds like crazy, but it’s not flimsy like most minky fabrics.
I went through a lot of these lint roller sheets.
I like using a touch of quilting fabric and since the person who is getting this cat doesn’t have any small children, I can use these eyes.
Flat cat.
Begining to bulk up.
I used more than one bag of polyfill. I think it’s because of the Cuddle fabric, it has more give than quilting cotton.
Love how the tail stands up in the air.
I love working with Cuddle, people are making garments with this, but I’m just loving it for stuffed animals. Which means I’ll probably be making more soon.
And here’s the label.
Two critters together, I may be giving the fox as a gift as well….
Leah
I have already made the cat, now onto Fifi the Fox. I have no idea if I am giving this away or keeping it for myself. I guess it won’t be a baby gift since I’ve put on those ‘safety eyes’. They aren’t safe, doesn’t matter how I install them, even if I add glue to the process – a baby can chew those eyes off. 
The body is complete, just waiting for the stuffing.
What a difference fiber-fill makes!! 
I have made many stuffed animals, some better than others. Paula has a real understanding about the shapes and how to render them flat and yet, they sew up into remarkable three-dimensional creatures.It’s a small thing, but the ears have real personality.
I need to order more labels.
Just to leave you with a happy smile.
I gave them to Roberta, every year she puts them out. Nice to see them getting used.
This year as I was wrapping gifts (Hanukkah comes much earlier than Christmas), I had a very special gift in mind.
Here she is opening her present.
Yup! The Urbanology Red and White quilt I made, it has moved to it’s permanent home.
Roberta was speechless, it takes a whole lot to get her speechless.
Best of all, cuddling up on the couch under the quilt.
A quilt made in 1988 for the centennial of Chatsworth. This really caught my eye and I wanted to spend time really studying the book. But the volunteer wouldn’t leave me alone and kept on talking about what interested her. The one interesting piece of information she did give me is that this is the first quilt that Zena Thorpe worked on. Yes, she was in the book. Zena in a legend, when I first went to the SFVQA there was this rockstar Zena, she was from Chatsworth England and had moved to Chatsworth CA. 
Kudos to the Chastworth Historic society, for saving this home and turning it into a museum. Like most of these museums, a lot of the original items are long gone, so they fill the house with ‘period’ pieces they find. This old wood burning stove is a treasure.
They put quilts on the beds! I doubt this is an early 20th-century quilt. Yes, it’s a log cabin, yes, I adore those pompoms used to tie the quilt together.
It just looks too new, but the fabrics are not quilting cotton. Looks more like wool suiting fabric. Very cool.
This is probably an early 20th-century log cabin quilt. It is falling apart, the fabrics are a mix. Shirting, silk, gingham. Much more authentic to the period.
Someone donated a spinning wheel. Not because Minnie spun fabric, but because, it fits with the theme.
This Home treadle sewing machine was probably like something she would have owned.
So beautiful for a simple workhorse.
The information plaques are really there for the children who come through with their schools. Which is a very good thing, everyone should learn the history of their area, especially when these days Chatsworth is simply suburbia. I do enjoy the mention of crochet work.
No, Minnie’s father didn’t make this, that pearl cotton is too new. But it would have been fun to see what he did make. With no electricity or running water, it’s nice to know he found please in making something delicate with his hands – a real break from working a farm.
I don’t even know how old this sign is, days? Weeks? So I went to International Silks and Woolens instead. Costumer service will have an effect on my buying habits. I picked up a few knits, really nice quality. I asked one of the salesmen if I could leave them on a cutting table while I continued to shop, he wanted to cut them right away, I wanted to wait. I was then looking for shirt material, thinking of plaids.
A really nice plaid I bought downtown last year. It even has a gold thread running through it. Festive! As much as I enjoyed my latest class, I also love my serger so on the shirt I decided to do the felled seam after serging, not folding over.
I agree, a full felled seam is beautiful, but I’m the only one who sees it. So when the mood strikes me I’ll use it, otherwise, the serger is a great tool.
I was being very careful about matching the plaids. Somehow when I inserted the collar the left side ended up lower than the right. Good thing I checked!
I was able to fix it without a problem. Experienced seamstresses make mistakes all the time. It’s knowing how to fix them that matters.
I’m not sure you can tell, but I cut the plaid collar and stand just a tiny bit smaller than the previous shirt. Most people may never see the underside of the collar, but I like the contrast.
Another fun thing with plaids is playing with bias, in this case, the pocket and the yoke.
I could have really spent the time and had a center seam going down the middle of the yoke and had the plaid mirror image. Then again, I think this looks just fine.
The front matches beautifully! I am so proud.
Another very successful shirt. I love how sewing has enriched my life.
Took my tripod out in front of neighbors houses, the ones who have lovely Christmas decorations.
I do enjoy combining fabrics, not just in my quilts but in clothing as well. 
On to another house. Can I tell you how pleased I am with the sleeve slit, the pleats, and the cuff? I have tried more complicated slits, it’s not worth it, as I get older I am learning that simple is often the best. 
This is probably more about the decorations that the shirt. How many times do you need to see a shirt.
Ok, one more since I am very proud of how clean and professional this is.
I do try to accessorize well. How cute are these owl earrings with the shirt?!? I bought the earring, couldn’t resist.
When I was in Albuquerque I was wearing one of my handmake shirts, of course, one of the sales-women at a quilt store had to inspect every aspect of it. She was impressed, but she recommended taking Pam Howards’ class on 
The fabric is a Liberty Lawn, this style print is much more indicative of Liberty. The fabric is beyond amazing for a shirt. Lighter than quilting cotton, it is lightweight with a tight weave. I loved working with it. The pattern itself is a little simpler than the one I’ve been using up until now. Since I love sewing these shirts out of prints, I see no reason to go back to a pattern that has a separate placket, or a fancy sleeve vent.
I usually don’t put on a pocket. I did this time for two reasons, I wanted to follow Pam’s instructions to see how it’s done. I also worked hard to make sure that the print flows without a break.
I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the collar! Turns out, working slowly and methodically, doing some hand-sewing as well leads to much better results than fast and quick techniques.
I’m loving the sleeve vent, pleats and cuff as well.
When sewing, I am always using my serger to achieve nice clean seams. In this class, I learned how to sew the shirt with fell seams, even the sleeve. The inside is as neat as the outside. Pam joked that one could wear the shirt inside out. 
The button plackets.
The side seam where it meets the sleeve.
Inside the cuff and vent.
I’ve been sewing clothes for the cooler weather, and we get a heatwave.
This is a Liberty Corduroy, a very soft, pin wale, it’s not heavy at all.
You can see how tiny the wales are on the back of the fabric. This deserves a hand-sewn hem.
I love the print! Not the cutesy flowers that Liberty often does, but bold shapes and colors.
I made this in time for Thanksgiving, but as yet, I haven’t worn it, that darned heatwave!
There are so many things I love about Christmas, I get to enjoy other peoples lights and trees. So I had a lot of fun making these, even if I did give her a hard time.
These were the ones I made.
She did hand embroider them herself, so it’s all good.
This is a view that anyone driving on the 5 Freeway, is very familiar with. The end of the LA Aqueduct. Sometimes water is being aerated down both spillways, today it was clearly not. The water goes under the freeway to a very large holding area, which these days is covered with large black balls to prevent evaporation.
We walked up the very northern part of Balboa Ave, I had thought it ended at Foothill, but now, it makes a loop around. There is plenty of large warehouses and a few housing communities. Most of the water is pumped through these massive pipes, all the way from the Owens Valley.
Gotta love the bombastic name and gate in front of one of these complexes. The street is named Nicklaus Dr. We soon found out why.
This area was intended to be a planned golf community, with the course designed by Jack Nicklaus. They dug up a pond and lined it with heavy plastic, which surprisingly enough has survived all these years. I bet it had water in it last winter when we had heavy rains.
They also paved pathways for golf carts, although they don’t want motorized traffic on them now.
Someone planted bougainvillea Since these are native to Mexico, they thrive out here without any care.
Gazania, another domesticated plant that manages to thrive with no care.
Looking up at the final water tower of the aqueduct itself.
Down at the water splashing and aerating on it’s way to the sanitation reservoir. These days people love to bash the aqueduct and its designer, William Mulholland. Me, I’m grateful to both. LA would never be what it is today without the water. I love this massive, crazy megalopolis. Sure, these days much of our water comes from the Colorado River. Why is it that people are so impressed with ancient world engineering (Machu Pichu, the Pyramids) but dismiss modern day wonders? I’m impressed with them all.
The Los Angeles Freeway system is a wonder unto itself.
Cars on the freeway and a Metrolink train speeding by on tracks.
Massive power lines are overhead. Part of the power comes from the aqueduct and hydroelectric power. Walking under them is a little disconcerting, the hum and crackle of the massive power running through those wires are very noticeable.
I saw a couple of these boxes, fuses just open to the elements. Maybe they are completely non-functional, I hope so.
We walked alongside this condo complex. It faces the freeway and all of the noise, but at least in the back, they have this lovely expanse of grass. I hope people take advantage of this.
Look what I found! A quilt! It looks handmade. I didn’t dare touch it, who knows what kind of germs are on it. But a quilt, out in the wild.
It was too early for tacos, so instead, we found a cute coffee shop, Coffee and Cream, in Sylmar. We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the mural, as well as a conversation with a fellow cyclist. I don’t ride bikes, but Joel does, so they had a lot to talk about. As I said, I love this crazy megalopolis.
We used to go visit my cousins, but these days with all the kids in town and five grandkids, I’ve been hosting the dinner. I had fun making the tabletopper, finding a new way to fold the napkins and making a fun centerpiece.
I brine and roast the turkey upside down, which is why the breasts aren’t crispy. But they certainly were moist and yummy.
Alongside some of the traditional foods, I have added roasted Jerusalem artichokes. This is a nutty flavored tuber that is perfect for a fall meal.
Then the family arrived, and the mayhem began. It’s wonderful having a house full of noise, joy and good cheer.
I set up the camera for a family photo-shoot. In order to be able to use the remote, the flash is disabled. Which meant the smallest motion became a blur.
It is easy to see that Cameron is a perpetual motion kind of kid.
We all had a wonderful evening as a family, that is what really matters.