Our cat also likes the pins. I have to be really careful to keep them put away from him. He has started chewing the fabric, but am starting to put everything away, now that he is in the house more with Fall-Winter Weather. Anything with quilting, he loves!! Mariah

My cat, Daisy, loves boxes! I have several shoe and computer paper boxes for her to choose from, when I am done for the day in m sewing room I put a few on top of my project for her. I have learned to store my thread and bobbins in cat proof containers. Thread bird nests are pretty but not salvageable.

I gave up and donated a cardboard cutting board to Seamus (he had pretty much trashed it already). When I leave the room, I open it over my table. He will never stay off the table, this just provides a barrier. I plan a whole day of cutting when my daughter is home so she can keep him busy. It is amazing how we tolerate things from our furry kids that we wouldn't have let our human kids do!!

My cat had a paper bag he would put "treasures" in. Usually anything I had been doing during the day. One time I could not find 3 yards fabric. Sure enough he managed to get it into his bag. His favorite thing was pearl necklaces. He hide my grandson's pacifier in his bag one time. I sure miss that cat.

A quilting friend of mine keeps her cats off of quilts on her longarm by putting pieces of tin foil across the quilt. The cats don't like the sound of the tin foil. So that may also work for keeping them off of your cut pieces as well.
Mary C

Don't let them chew and swallow leftover bits of thread or fabric! You may end up like a neighbor of mine whose cat kept choking, went in the a GI series and ended up with a huge operation to extract half-chewed-up stuff, and in addition to nice soft fabric they retrived little bits of plastic hockey players from one of the kid's games, and thread everywhere. Yuck!

I AGREE.....the thing i most have to keep track of and hide when i'm not using it is my pin cushion !! My cats are living confirmation that their brains are only the size of a walnut !! ;) I love them dearly....but facts are facts.

I'll second this one too....with our one cat, it was our DGDs little stretchy hair ties. The surgery was VERY VERY expensive !!!....but at least she survived.

I always keep the door to my sewing room closed. My cats love to investigate everything. But, I love them anyway.

I like this idea. When our DS was living with us, his cat decided that the quilt on my LA would make a great hammock. Boy, did she get a surprise when it collapsed beneath her. I use Red Snappers to hold my quilts, which also kept the quilt from being damaged too much, just some shredding on the end where it pulled out.

Yes, I know this one! -- I totally forgot that when I was laying out my big quilt I pinned every single square to the floor or a blanket. Between me needing to reach the center to make adjustments and the cats those squares moved so much!

What is the name of thatquilt pattern that is in your photo? I love it.
Robin in TX

My new sewing assistant is so diligent that I find I have had to also force her to take a break at times. LOL Here is my solution and so far it's working pretty well. I think it would defeat the fan also.
I took a heavier vinyl table cloth from the thrift store (a vinyl shower curtain would also work) and cut it into sections that I can use to cover my work when I am away from the sewing room. I have a long narrower piece for the ironing board, and some different size squares and rectangles for my sewing desk, cutting board and such. Just lay them over the work, and remove when I return. Miss Maple will lay on the covering but has yet to think of trying to remove one of them.

Unfortunately I can't have cats due to one of my dogs, but my dogs also reek havok on my quilts. When I have my big board out for various reasons there is always overhang just long enough for them to rub up against over & over to make sure everything is covered in dog hairs UGH you should see my lint trap on my dryer lol.

These stories are hilarious! One thing my older cat does that we've learned to live with is she loves to chew on plastic. We have to be really careful about leaving out plastic bags. I don't know why it's so soothing to her :)

Robin- Were you asking about mine? If so it's called Lotus from Jaybird quilts. It's my current project, making it for a wedding gift in November. My MIL just sent me a walking foot so now I can get started on the quilting!! :D

I only wish placing items on the ironing board were sufficient to keep my cats off things. They are brother & sister rescue Bombay cats. One of the characteristics of the breed is that they are jumpers, or should I say "leapers." We have an antique armoire that is 7' tall. In the first month, when we couldn't find him, I happened to look up to see his tail casually swishing back & forth as he watched the world from over the edge!

I have a friend with a number of cats and she has several screen doors in her house that are used for cat control. I thought it was a great idea. Air and light still flow through the door but the cats are contained. It also adds a quaint look to the room.

Call me funny....I don't permit the animals into my sewing room for the reason of all that hair loss. They stop right at the doorway and watch me. Works well :)

How wonderful! I wish my cat had a consistent stash place. I know he collects things and I found a neat little pile of my jewelry and hair ties under the bed once, but I haven't found another stash since then. I know its out there somewhere. . . .

My kitties are not allowed in the sewing room. Chloe, my 7 year old calico female, eats thread every chance she gets.

I get soooo hot in my sewing room and I have to close the door because of cats and dogs. I have central air, but it's not enough. I want to buy a standing air conditioner for my sewing room. But I also like the idea of a screen door! It would keep it cooler in there. What a smart idea!!

My cat ate thread and nearly died, so please be careful. She had surgery and it was touch and go for weeks. Now she's ok, but I keep her out of my sewing room. According to the vet, it's as common as it is dangerous -- with dental floss, too. My cat also loves (loved) taking pins out of my design board. Please be careful.

I had a friend who had cats and had to barricade her sewing room with a screen door just as you walked into her house! I thought that is one reason not to have cats or dogs in the home! I would rather not stress out about pets and worry what they can do to my home!

We always have at least 2 cats (and 2 dogs) this is what we do with 'everyone'. From day one, there are some places that are forbidden. Bit of a trial in the beginning, but they do learn fast.

I don't have cats, but a few years ago I was cat-sitting for my sister's two cats and was living in her flat for a month while she was away. I used the dining table to sew and would just turn a laundry basket upside down to cover my "work in progress" when leaving it unattended.