Want to learn how to make a quilt with an easy online workshop – totally free?
Sign up for Let’s Make a Quilt here. You’ll learn how to get started, the tools and supplies you’ll need, and how to make a quilt from start to finish using Quilt As You Go and applique with fusible adhesive.
It’s the easiest, most fun way to make an applique quilt. You can do it!
I love black cats! I grew up with two of them (Nasty and Gandalf) but I didn’t include any in the Cuddly Cats Quilt pattern because it’s tricky to do the eyes. All the cats in the quilt had simple oval eyes. Having the eyes match made all the wildly different cats look like they went together, but they wouldn’t have shown up on black faces, so I didn’t include any. I also didn’t use any dark grey or brown for the same reason. (This post shows you a quick and easy adaptation for dark eyes on dark faces.)
So especially for Halloween I created this spooky black cat applique – a single block applique pattern – with huge luminous green eyes. I love her! And the pattern is the same size as the blocks in the Cuddly Cats quilt so you can mix and match if you like. 🙂
There’s a tutorial here with instructions for making a hanging sleeve so you can make your block into a Halloween wall decoration. It’s easy!
Here’s how to make the block. (This video shows all the steps for working with fusible adhesive – if you’ve never done it before you’ll find it helpful.)
Step 1
Download the template pieces here.
Step 2
Trace or print the pattern onto the paper side of the fusible adhesive.
I use this printable fusible adhesive so I just printed out the page. No tracing!
The image has already been reversed, so just trace or print. If you’re tracing, be sure to trace the facial features too. You’ll need those for Step 4.
Step 2
Rough cut around each shape and fuse it to the back of your fabric.
Leave a little bit extra all the way around - a little extra extra (at least 1/4 inch) where there’s a dotted line, like the top of neck shoulders and the base of the ears.
Step 3
Cut around each piece neatly. Cut directly on the solid lines.
Leave a little seam allowance on the dotted lines - the top of the neck and the base of the ears will tuck behind the head.
Step 4
Remember when I told you to make sure you traced the facial features in Step 1? Now you’re going to use that. Hold the face up to a window so the light shines through it. You’ll be able to see the lines, and the adhesive will stabilize the fabric so you can trace on it without it crinkling up.
Since this is a dark fabric, I traced with a white chalk pencil.
Here you can see all the tracing I did – without the light shining through.
I traced the whiskers and mouth exactly, since I’ll be stitching over those lines. I traced the nose a little smaller, and just marked the corners of the eyes to help me position the applique pieces later.
Step 5
If you’re doing Quilt As You Go (I did) then you can quilt your block before adding the applique. So easy!
I used a bunch of orange scrappy strips all sewn together for a super textured background, but you can use just one solid square.
Cut your background fabric and a piece of 100% cotton batting 11 inches square.
Layer the block with a piece of 100% cotton batting. Quilt any pattern you like!
Find all the Quilt As You Go tutorials here.
If you’ll do the quilting later, simply skip this step.
Step 6
Peel off the paper backing and arrange the pieces on a background block. Tuck the ears and the neck behind the head.
Remember - all the dotted lines indicate where pieces tuck behind other pieces.
Fuse the pieces in place.
Step 7
Outline all the pieces with black thread and a simple straight stitch – or choose your favorite decorative stitch.
This video has some tips for outlining those tight curves.
Done!
Want a handy dandy PDF of this entire post – with all the instructions and all the links to additional tutorials? Sign up for the Shiny Happy News here and you’ll get the PDF in an instant email. If you already get the newsletter, you can still enter your email address to get the PDF. The newsletter system is smart and won’t sign you up twice. 🙂
If you’re making a one-block project, go ahead and finish it up!
If you’re making a bunch of cats to join into a quilt - have fun!
What can you do with just one block pattern? Tons of things!
Check out this page I’ve been slowly building – 100 Things to Do with an Applique Pattern. 🙂
Have fun! And share a photo of what you make! You can share it in the Shiny Happy People group or tag it with #shinyhappyworld on Instagram.
Happy stitching!
Best,
Wendi
Thank you for the cat pattern. I love cats. Mine are Tootie, Max and Sissy.
🙂
love this cat he’s so mischievies
🙂
Wendi this cat is so cute. I love it. I will be making this soon.
Thanks so much! 🙂
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I’m sorry but I don’t understand what you mean by subscribe first. I became a subscriber to your YouTube videos and then a member to your web-site in one day. the pattern I downloaded (SpookyCat & Coffee sleeve) did not have the full size there for me to printout and cut from. What happened?
So you were able to download the patterns, but they were missing the pages with the pattern pieces? That’s very strange. It sounds like something may have been glitching – I would just try it again. The instructions and patter pieces are all in one file – the pattern pieces are at the end. And make sure you give it time to download the entire file – sometimes it takes a few minutes, depending on the speed of your internet connection.
Thank you for this pattern! I love black cats and have had several. My current companion is named Shadow. He is the most curious cat I’ve known
LOVE this black cat! Can’t wait to try it,this will be my first applique. My black kitty named Salem passed away & this will be a great way to remember him. Can u pleasuring one for a bulldog? My Matilyda just passed away Feb 3rd & I’d love to do one of her & this c a t! Thank u! Loving it site & everything about it!!!
I’m so glad you like that black cat! I have a pattern for a bulldog too! It’s one of the blocks in the Puppies quilt and you can find it at http://wendigratz.wpengine.com/store/products/puppies-quilt-pattern-workshop. Happy sewing!
Thank you for the Cat pattern. Its too gorgeous. 🙂
I’m so glad you like it! 🙂
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Thank you so much for the great pattern. I love your blog. You are a very talented lady!
Thanks so much! Have fun with the kitty pattern. 🙂
Thanks for posting this very cute spooky kitty pattern. I used it to make a pillow cover for my 3 year old granddaughter and it turned out great. She loves it.
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Hello 🙂
I discovered your site through International Quilter’s Assn. and I’m so happy I did! Your patterns are absolutely adorable {hmmm.. my exclamation point is showing up as a lower case ‘L’} Anyway!! {see? hahaha}, my youngest daughter has TWO black kitties – Pierre and Cowboy – and I am so excited to make her two of these with purple-ish / gray batiks for backgrounds. The only thing I’ll change is for one kitty, one of the ears I’ll flop over as Cowboy has a funny ear. That way they will always know who’s who. hahaha
Now I’m going to go search for the kitty quilt you mentioned because my oldest daughter has ….. SIX kitties. Yeah. She and her hubbie are such sweethearts and suckers for a sad sack story. All rescue cats.
Thank you [exclamation point]
Patricia {aka: Ivy’s Grammy}
Welcome to my Shiny Happy World! 🙂
Thanks for sharing the cat pattern. It´s beautiful.
Wendi,
Thank you for your tutorials. I am a new quilter (retired and needed a hobby-$$$). I’m going to use your technique. You have inspired me.
Blessings,
Marcie
Thank you so much, looking forward to stitching this out. Love cats
Hi! I’m just crazy about your patterns…Love them all 🙂 Cats (i have Mr. Frodo and Mr. Eddie) monsters, birds, forrest animals, dogs…Love love love…greatings from Denmark. from Marianne