Easy Cat Nap Quilt

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Click to see larger view

This quilt uses only squares and rectangles, and introduces a fun technique for making accurate half-square triangle blocks, popularized by that great quilt teacher and author, Mary Ellen Hopkins.

Fabric: below are fabric requirements for the coloring shown above. You may choose to do the "Scrap Cat" (right), in which case you just need scraps to make up the amounts below. (Note: yardages allow a little extra for shrinkage and waste.)
Cats: 1/2 yd.
Background 1/3 yd.
Window sills and border: 1/2 yd.
Sashing and Inner border: 1/2 yd.
Backing: 1 1/4 yds.
Batting: a piece at least 40" by 40"
2 1/4 yards ribbon to tie bows under each cat's chin.

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cat quilt block (Click on pic at left to see fabric block -makes a nice pillow too!)

Make four 14" blocks. For each block cut:

For Cat: 

one 6 1/2" by 11 1/2" rectangle; 

one 3 1/2" by 5 1/2" rectangle

two 2 1/2" squares

For Background:

one 5 1/2" by 2 1/2" rectangle;

one 6 1/2" by 5 1/2" rectangle; 

one 2 1/2: by 2 1/2" square;

one 11 1/2" by 2" strip; and

two 13" by 2" strips;

 For Window sills cut one 14 1/2" by 2" strip

For sashing between the blocks: cut two 14 1/2" by 2 1/2" strips and one 
30 1/2" by 2 1/2" strip.

For inner border: cut two 30 1/2" by 2 1/2" strips and two 35 1/2" by 2 1/2" strips. (Tip: alternatively: cut sashing & borders longer than needed and trim to fit after stitching each side.)

For outer border: cut two 35 1/2" by 2" strips and two 38 1/2" by 2" strips.

Instructions for making the cat block: Use 1/4" seams throughout.

  1. Making the ears: Take the 5 1/2" by 2 1/2" background rectangle and the 2 cat 2  1/2" squares. Fold each square in half on the diagonal and press.
  2. Lay one square along right edge of rectangle right sides together. Sew down along crease (blue line in drawing).  
  3. Fold square back along sewn line to create cat ear. (If desired) trim bottom 2 layers 1/4" from seam line.
  4. Repeat for left ear. 
  5. We'll use this same technique to round the cat's back: Take the largest cat fabric rectangle. Place the 2 1/2" by 2 1/2" background square along the top right corner right sides together. Fold square in half on the diagonal and press (Blue line at right).
  6. Sew along crease. Fold back background square to form rounded back. Trim bottom 2 layers 1/4" from seam line if desired.
  7. Join the ears to the head: Line up the cat's ears right sides together with the 5 1/2" by 3 1/2" cat rectangle. Sew with 1/4" seam.
  1. Join head to background:  Place background 6 1/2" by 5 1/2" rectangle on top of head right sides together along 5 1/2" side.. (Head should be 5 1/2" by 5 1/2" at this point.) Sew head to background using 1/4" seam.
  2. Join top of cat block to body:  right sides together pin top of cat back to bottom of cat head. Stitch using 1/4" seam; open out.
  3. Following picture of quilt above, sew 11 1/2" by 2" background strip to right side of cat; then the 13 1/2" by 2" top strip; then the left background 13 1/2" by 2" strip.
  4. Sew window sill strip along bottom of block. Block should measure 14 1/2" square.
  5. Cut ribbon in fourths. lay across bottom of head. stitch down middle. Tie into a bow.

Assembling quilt top:  Use 1/4" seams throughout. Follow diagram of quilt above. (Or, for printable version click here.)

  1. Stitch one 14 1/2" by 2 1/2" strip to right side of 2 cat blocks. Sew other two cat blocks to the other side of short sashing strips. Sew long sashing strip (30 1/2" by 21/2") to bottom edge of a cat block pair. Sew second pair to other side of sashing strip.
  2. Sew  30 1/2" by 2 1/2" strips to each side of quilt.
  3. Sew 35 1/2" by 2 1/2" strips to top and bottom of quilt.
  4. Sew two 35 1/2" by 2" strips to each side of quilt.
  5. Sew 38 1/2" by 2" strips to top and bottom of quilt. --Top is complete!

Quilt and bind top as desired.