I’m learning all kinds of new things about blogging. Yesterday I discovered an online Quilt Show just for bloggers! Prizes and everything. So of course, I have to enter. And because I am – you all get to enjoy the show too! As of right now, there are 390 entries to the Show. (Update: I am entry #392) Here’s the link….
My entry is “Starring Buckwheat.” Many of you have seen this quilt and know the story. But for those of you who have not, today’s post is all about this quilt.
Buckwheat was a very special kitty in my life. But then again, in my life, all kitties are special! I got him as a tiny kitten in 1986, before Boo was even a twinkle in his Daddy’s eye. Probably before Boo’s Daddy was a twinkle in his Grandpa’s eye or even before his G’pa was…… well, you get the idea. In 2003 as I headed off to the Houston Quilt Festival, Buckwheat was not doing very well. He was 17 years old and that’s quite old in cat years! So Dear Hubby took him to the vet as I headed off to Houston to see the quilts. 2 days later while in Houston, I received a call from the vet, saying that Buckwheat was doing quite poorly. Hubby told me to hop on a plane and come home, so I did. This cat was my baby, after all. We went straight to the vet when Hubby picked me up at the airport. I won’t go into the details of that visit. It was a very tough day for me! The next morning Dear Hubby insisted that I go back to the quilt show! I know it was just because he didn’t want to watch me cry the rest of the week. Thought I’d be better off crying with all my friends. It was a good distraction and Hubby was right in sending me back.
While at Quiltfest, I saw the pattern for this quilt. It was a Block of the Month. I kept going back and looking at it again and again, thinking that if I signed up to do this, each month when the block came I’d be able to see how well I was progressing in my grief for my little guy. It was my first BOM by mail. Well, the first month, I dutifully did my block when it arrived. And the second. And then the third block sat until the fourth block arrived. And as always happens in my life, other quilts took priority and this quilt got set aside. So the blocks piled up (see my previous postings about “piles”) and this quilt became my Go To Project for Retreat. “Starring Buckwheat” went with me to every Bee Retreat between 2004 and 2009! I wanted to change up the border at one point from what the pattern was. So I took a poll from everyone in my Bee (those at the retreat that year and those at home following via email) on 4 separate border ideas. Then I promptly threw all those out and went with something totally different. That’s just the kind of gal I am. I told them up front that I reserved the right to change my mind.
This is also the quilt where I learned how to do piping.
See the little lime green edge between the border and binding? Piping….. and I love it. This was recommended to me by the longarm quilter who quilted it for me and I will definitely use it again and again for a little extra touch to special quilts.
I finished this quilt just in time to enter it in my local Quilt Show in 2009. I didn’t tell the gals from my Bee that I’d finished it after retreat that year. One of them immediately asked what I’d work on at retreat now. And one actually walked into the Quilt Show, saw the quilt and turned to me and said, “Who finished it for ya?” The nerve!
The quilter, Sheri Mecom, quilted faces on all the kitties. Here are some up close pics of the quilt so you can see the fabulous quilting:
And even closer of the face….
Each of the black kitties are a different black on black print. And with the faces in the quilting on each kitty, it is quite spectacular in person!
My sister informed me at the quilt show that I have the dates wrong on the label. That Buckwheat was born in 1986 and died in 2003 and she is right! I haven’t yet changed the label, but I think it’s going to be a simple “cross off the old dates and write the new dates above” fix. It, too, has become a funny story about the quilt! How could I have gotten the dates wrong? Senior moment, I guess. I just noticed that means the “Began Jan 2005” is wrong too and needs to be 2004……sigh…..
I hope you’ve enjoyed “Starring Buckwheat” and a trip down memory lane with me. And my first online entry in a Blogger’s Quilt Show! I can’t help but wonder what other blogging surprises await us in this new internet world.
Happy Quilting!
Barb
Just Sayin' Sew 
What a great quilt and story. I had a special kitty at one time, too. KC…I miss him to this day. I’m glad you shared this story with those of us who never heard it before…
Wonderful quilt! What a nice way to honor your cat. Our pets are so wonderful, they love us no matter what.
This is so cute! I love the little paw prints!!
What a lovely story. Our pets are so special aren’t they!! Love the quilt too. You must be really happy to have finally finished it!
Your quilt is adorable. The quilting is lovely too!
Too cute!
Fabulous! I love it! The paw are darling and the quilting, wow! I am about to post my cat quilt for my sister’s two cats! Very awesome! Great! and thanks for sharing!
Very beautiful quilt work !
Beautiful quilt. I remember Buckwheat and Boo hiding out under your bed one time when you and your parents were. What a neat story about his final days!
Actually that was Buckwheat and Spanky hiding out under the bed at Carol’s house when we visited. Boo and Buckwheat never met! I got Boo about 2 months after Buckwheat died. Boo and Spanky were together for 3 years – until Spanky died at age 20! We believe in cats with long lives here.
Dear Barb,
Love the wonderful tribute to Bucky. Could you tell me who the designer of the pattern is, I woud love to make one to remember my beautiful girl Marigold who has gone over the rainbow bridge.
Trish http://www.quittalesandcattails.com
You just brought a big smile to my face! Adorable! Love the quilted faces!
What a lovely quilt and beautiful story.
Love your quilt! Great story too!
That was a great story and a WONDERFUL quilt! Love the quilted faces on those cats!
Omigosh, this has got to be the cutest cat quilt I’ve ever seen! I LOVE the little paw blocks at the sashing junctions and the quilting is fantastic. Details on the cats’ faces is just perfect. Piping is a very nice touch–I need to learn to do that.
Being owned by a cat myself, I understand your grief over Buckwheat. It’s terrific you could channel that into this wonderful quilt. I’m sure he would approve.
Great quilt, great story! Thanks for sharing!
What a precious quilt. Love the little paw blocks. The story is beautiful. My quilt also has kitties in it. Great job.
great quilt! amazing quilting!
Love the quilting!
Margaret
http://www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com
Uber-licious quilt. Love the label too. I’m a kitty lover as well. Sew On!
I love this cat quilt! What a striking colorway and I like the piping and outer border, they are definitely fine additions. Many special cats have been in my life, but my longest one was Denys, my orange and white tabby who was 15 when he had to be put down. I still miss him a lot! Thanks for sharing your quilt’s story 🙂
Enjoyed your beautiful quilt and the story behind it! What a great tribute and keepsake of your kitty that was your inspiration for this one.
Blessings & Aloha!
(still trying to make it to more great blogs on this Quilt Festival. Hope you can take a peek at mine and if you do please leave a comment on my post, so that I know you were there :o) so glad to meet you!)
I really do like this…and I have to tell you I had a cat that I had for 17 years. If you want to read about him go Here.
If you want to see my quilt entered for this Blogger’s quilt festival go Here.
Oh, if you haven’t seen them, google ‘Simon’s Cats.’ Then click on videos…anyone that has cats loves them…