The Comfort Zone: The Geocaching Quilt Unveiled

Just over a month ago I put out a request on this blog for comments on the design for a geocaching quilt. We saw a similar quilt up for auction at the NCGO Fall Fling back in September.  We didn't win the auction, so we decided to take a crack at making out own.

Last night we unveiled it at a local geocaching event. I dubbed it "The Comfort Zone."

My wife is an accomplished quilter, a true lady of the pieced cloth she is.  She did the majority of the work.  I helped with the design, and picking out the fabric.

You can see the details of the quilt in progress on my wife's blog here.

The quilt has many of the symbols associated with geocaching:  A hiker, a satellite,and the geocaching logo.

The quilt also has a few unique features:

• The quilt is trackable.  On the back is the tracking code.
• The quilt is also a moving cache on opencaching.us.
• A cache needs a log, so my wife put in a tan coloured panel on the back that folks can sign (with a sharpie) to prove they saw it.
• The quilt has supports for a rod so it can be hung up and displayed.  So it is also a wall hanging.

I will, hopefully, be bringing this quilt to any events I attend, so be on the look out for it. Any cachers who visit me at my home will also be able to sign the log, and discover the trackable.

I'll leave you with one last image, from last nights event, and the first unveiling of The Comfort Zone:

Quilt Design: Opinions Requested

The auctioned quilt we wish to ripoff, cause we're jerks, thats why.

To Whom It My Concern,

I request your opinion. but first, the all important interesting backstory.

At the recent NCGO Fall Fling geocaching event (see details here), a geocaching themed quilt was up for bid at the silent auction.  We (my wife and I) tried to win it, but alas it was not meant to be, and we went home empty handed (at least as far as quilts are concerned).

Fortunately my lovely wife +Debbie DeBaeremaeker is a handy dandy real life experienced quilter.  A bona fide lady of the pieced cloth. She has graciously offered to make me a replica geocaching quilt of my very own.

This morning we went out and purchased some fabric to make said quilt.  (yes, I actually went into a fabric store with the intent of coming out with fabric I personally spent my own fun money on.  Crazy eh?)

I also came up with some design ideas. Problem is that I like several of them.

Below are four of my designs. Three are variations on a theme, and the other is a direct rip off of the Fall Fling quilt.

I am asking you (yes you!), dear reader, to toss in your two cents (via the comments section) which design you think is the better one.

So here are the designs:

Design #1:  Hiker, two satellites, geocaching logo.

Design #2: hiker and single satellite

Design #3:  Solo hiker

Design #4:  Geocaching logo

So what do you think?  Let me know in the comments below.  I will be posting pics of the quilt itself when it is finished, tho my wife is currently working on another quilt, so it may take a while... stay tuned!

Batman Quilt

My wife started quilting last year and so far has made quite the collection of quilts for people.  When she asked me what I wanted in a quilt there was only one answer:  Batman!  So she got some Batman fabric and quilted me up a very nice quilt that is currently hanging in my cube at work, and like the real Batman, provides a vital and important service to the citizens of Gotham my work space.

You see, my cube backs onto the games area in our office space (every office has a games area, right?) and between the games area and my desk is a glass wall.

The glass wall has, from time to time, protected me from flying ping pong balls, but it does nothing in the way of providing privacy.  As it turns out, and completely unplanned, the Batman quilt fits the glass wall perfectly, and now I have Batman protecting me from the evils of flying plastic balls and providing a comforting sense of privacy.  Once again, Batman saves the day!

The quilt is awesome :)  It has gotten several gushing compliments from my co-workers, and I proudly attribute the work to my crafty wife. Thanks honey!

For more information on the making of the quilt, see my wifes entry in her blog here.