Quilt Finish - Poker Tails

This weekend I finished my quilt with the two dogs.  I'll eventually explain the name, so hold that thought.

It's a small wall hanging, 17" x 30".

This part of the quilt is from a pattern by Stephanie Nordlin, named Sirius Fun.  You make two dogs, cut them in half, then swap their parts.

I did a satin stitch with embroidery floss for the nose, but thought it easier to glue on those eyeballs instead of using little pieces of black fabric like she did.

The dogs were done using fused applique.  I scribble stitched the edges with matching thread, then free-motioned in black around the outer edges to add just a bit of dimension.

I didn't want two tiny quilts with no borders, which is what the pattern showed.  Nor did I want to just stick two dogs together on one quilt with nothing in between.

So I added some large borders and four log cabin blocks.  The dog print fabric was my focus fabric.  I used it as the basis for my color choices as well as the fussy cut centers of the log cabins.  Two of the featured dogs are in this large top block, framed in warms colors...

... and the other two are in the large bottom block, framed in cool colors.  

This block has a narrow sashing strip of black fabric with dog bones.  I meant to put it in the top block, but I made them on separate days, and I forgot to use it.  Oh well.  I think I prefer the asymmetry it offers; otherwise the two blocks would be too similar.

Here's the back.  I used the black bone fabric for the sleeve and the binding.  It was really old, so I was glad to use most of it up.

The label.

The label is a pocket, with a card tucked inside.

Inside the card, I taped this cartoon from Rubes, which I call Poker Tails.  (Be sure you click on the link so you can read the cartoon.)

The excited tail thumping of the dog in the cartoon brings to mind the perky, wagging tails of the dogs in the quilt.  I suppose the quilt should be called Not Poker Tails, but that sounds odd.

This is my favorite cookie jar.  I found it at an antique store about 15 miles away, didn't buy it, and as soon as I got home I had buyer's remorse.  I called them and had them hold it for me, then ran back the next day and bought it.  

It looks like I'm not the only one that likes it.