Yesterday, I don’t know what got into me . . but I woke up and said “Today is the day I am going to quilt the blue, gold and red top.” I knew that meant spending a day in the sewing room with Boots but I told myself . . I am not letting one little kitten keep me from sewing!
I also knew that once I loaded the top, I had to finish it and get it off the longarm. Leaving the batting hanging out unquilted would have been a huge mistake . . and a lot of fun for Boots.
I filled my squirt bottle and got to work!
Quilt Top
I was surprised that Boots paid so little attention to the quilt and the batting. I was doing a panto and what did catch his attention was the laser light. He first saw it from under the machine and I knew that was going to be trouble. A couple of times he hopped up onto the table and attacked the laser light as I was following the panto. I hated to squirt him with the water bottle since we had played with him with a laser light and he wouldn’t know the difference in the one on the quilting machine versus the one we’ve been using to play with him. I gathered up all of his balls and every time I would see him fixing to jump on the quilting table, I’d toss a ball across the room. He soon lost interest in the quilting machine laser light.
At the end of the day, the top was quilted and even trimmed.
Quilted!
It felt good to be back in the sewing room, even with my rambunctious little buddy. The plan for today is to continue knitting on Dreambird!
Mary in VA says
Good for you! Boots will learn the difference between the two lights. Glad today was better than yesterday.
Helen Koenig1 says
Hurray!!! Sounds like a strong positive to me! And that top is STILL one of my favorites! (and, yes, I DO say that about most if not all the quilt tops I’ve seen!)
Tammie says
Judy, I just love, love, love your Boots and chicken stories. Having had both I catch myself saying, “I know how that feels” and laughing. I know you get tons of “cat advice” on your comments but I think if I was a cat or a chicken I would by far want to find my way to your house. You’re doing a great job! One of my cat’s favorite times were grocery shopping days and doubled paper bags (remember those) were empty on the floor. They would run in them like a cave and every time the paper bag made a noise they would attack it. They played until all the bags were put up and I’m sure they couldn’t wait for the next shopping day. I haven’t thought of those memories until you got Boots. Thanks for bringing them back : )
Katherine says
I think you are on the right track with distracting him. Kittens are a lot like toddlers. Boots will eventually grow out if wanting to get into everything, though he will have his moments for years to come.
JudyL says
Even though he’s a bit difficult, I love watching his enthusiasm for everything he does. Vince is correct . . he’s just a little kitten! Boots probably would like to change a whole lot of things about me but he accepts me as I am and I think he loves me as much as I love him. There’s something to be said for that!
Glen in Louisiana says
I know it seems impossible to some of your readers, but you can most definitely train cats. The principles are much the same as dog training. You do have to tweak some things, cats are less motivated by food than dogs so finding something that is more attractive will work. Like your tossing of his toys stimulating the prey response to distract home. Like you would do with a pup chewing on your toes.
I have trained dogs for 38 years, and have also worked with my Clients cats as well for most of those years. I specialize in helping my clients create animals that are a joy to live with so they don’t end up in the local kill shelter.
JudyL says
I am not a professional trainer of any kind but I believe that to some extent, our animals pick up on our personalities. I have a very high energy level and move non-stop at a fast rate. I believe Boots picks up on that and thinks he has a “partner in crime” with me . . and maybe he does! 🙂
Rhonda says
That quilt is beautiful. It looks like expensive tiled flooring. Great job!!
Joanna says
Judy,
YEAH! You are back to quilting and you’ve out-smarted that little teenaged kitten! Grabbing all his balls and tossing one to distract him before he made his jump for the laser light–PERFECT!
Enjoy your quilting!
Joanna
Linda in NE says
That’s a very striking quilt. It always feels good to get one quilted, off the frame and trimmed, doesn’t it.
Annette says
Your quilt is lovely!! There is hope for Boots!
Sherry Moran says
I’m so glad today was better! Good idea to distract the little guy. I would hate for you to
not want to be in the quilt room with Boots!
This is one of your prettiest quilts – of course, I
say that about each one! Have fun, you two!
Linda in TX says
Canned air, Judy. That’s what I use when my black and white goes for trouble (she’s about 8 or 10 years old – sorry to tell you that). She hates it so much that all I have to do is reach for the can and she stops whatever hell she’s inflicting at the time. She even runs when I blow out my machines. On the plus side, she’s got a lot of personality and energy and I love her madly. (I only squirted her on the rear once – after that, the noise did the trick) And your statement about human and cat personalities —– I’m gonna have to think about that one. You could have something there.
Nancy Angerer says
I have just one word for you — beautiful! Glad you got some quilting done.
Susan says
Wow, great! You must be happy to have gotten some quilting done on that frabjous machine.
Mel Meister says
I love this quilt!