I'm posting pictures of the blocks I'm working on so you can see. They are not finished. I'm still doing the blanket stitch. But I feel sort of insecure about the "knot" my sewing machine ties. I can tell it to tie a knot, and the needle goes up and down three times in the same hole. But when I clip the threads, they still seem as if they are going to come apart. Soooooo . . . I've been putting a little dot of "Fray Check" on them. I can't see it on the block as it dries invisible. But, as a beginner to this, I'm wondering if there is any reason I SHOULDN'T do this. What do you think?

You are doing a marvelous job. My grand daughter said the cats are groovy (spelling). If you mean the knot at the beginning and ending of the blanket stitch I use it all the time and haven't had any trouble so far but now will check them more carefully. Is this a cat of the month pattern? My grand daughter would like to have a similar one so just thought I'd ask. She has to go on my list of quilts requested.

Thanks. So glad about the Fray Check. Sort of helps me not to feel like my underpants will fall down, if you know what I mean.

The pattern is called "A Cat for All Seasons" pattern design by Patrick Lose, C&T Publishing. It is an excellent pattern, with clear instructions and good illustrations for the pattern pieces. I like it especially because the pictures are already reversed for you. (I've done some where I had to remember to reverse them myself.)

If you have trouble finding it, we could do a swap or something because I doubt I'd make it twice.

I made that exact pattern for my mom. She loves it!

Kool kats!

Great job! Fray check is good, use it.
judee

Pretty cool. Are all the stripes and circles pieces to appliques on?

Yes, everything you see is a little applique piece, including the whites of the eyes and the black irises. Still, I found it to be such a lot of fun to do. I couldn't stop. I'm generally not a person who enjoys tedium, but this was fun. Maybe it's all the bright colors.

Just one extra little tip that may make the world of a difference. It did it for me. Set your machine on straight stitch and take 5 or 6 stitches along the edge of your applique piece. Change it back to blanket stitch. Stitch the blanket stitch all around, even over th area that has the straight stitch. When you are done with the blanket stitch, change it back to straight and take a few straight stitches on the edge of the blanket stitches. Your start and end will be secured and it will never fray. It takes a few changes from straight to blanket, but worth it. What machine do you use? I use a bernina and with the Temporary Altered Memory your blanket stitch goes back to the size you selected initially.

Maria

Thanks. What a great tip! I'll give it a try. I too have a Bernina, which I've had for about 4 months, and I absolutely love it. It's a simple matter to switch stiches (say that five times fast).