kitty stairs quilt

You may have seen it on the sidebar already, but I wanted to post about Quilts, Baby!, a new baby quilts book from Lark, edited by Linda Kopp. I've contributed a pattern to this book, but before I get into those details, I want to say how much I like the other patterns in the book. Lark really did a great job in putting this together. They wanted us to focus on fresh quilt ideas that a beginner can handle, and I think the book really hits that nail on the head.

I am in very good craft blog company in the book. if you have a minute, check out the sites of these other great quilt makers:

• Aimee at www.dreamfollow.com
• Laura at www.lkdDesigns.etsy.com
• Julie at www.julieknoblock.com
• Carly at neststudio.typepad.com
• Laurraine at www.patchworkpottery.com
• Glynis at www.dandelionquilts.com
• Kajsa at syko.typepad.com/syko/
• Erin at houseonhillroad.com
• Victoria at thesillyboodilly.blogspot.com
• Jude at judestuecker.com/
• Marne at www.heylucy.net/
• Malka at stitchindye.blogspot.com/
• Christina at jamtartbaby.etsy.com (not up at the moment)

For my quilt I did a traditional bricks quilt (easiest one in the book!), and then turned the "bricks" into the idea of stairs, because playing on the stairs is really fun. Then I made little redwork kitties who galavant up and down the stairs—they march, they slide, they jump... The cartoon-ish kitty shapes are easy to adjust, if you want to customize one. Or, if you hate cats, you could change the ear shape and make a dog/mouse/bear/etc. It was a lot of fun to make.