Using original artwork printed on fabric, this quilt will tell a modern tale of why the cat wasn’t included in the Chinese Zodiac. There are several traditional versions of how this happened, but this version will be different, based on the imagination of a very creative young writer.

The artwork will be drawn by Allena (Lena) Hail, a 16 year old girl. Lena’s mom, Carole, is a quilter and very supportive of her daughter’s creativity. The story will be written by Heather Rose, a 17 year old girl and Scarlett’s niece.

The quilt will be made by Scarlett, featuring the artwork on the front and the written story on the back.

This collaboration came about because of the interest all three share in Japanese anime and manga(graphic novels). Heather introduced her Aunt Scarlett to manga several years ago, and in return, Scarlett has been teaching her niece how to quilt. Lena is one of Heather’s longtime friends, all of whom call Scarlett “Aunt Scarlett”.

Lena’s interest in drawing has taken her from pen and paper to the use of a tablet with her laptop. Drawing on the computer, she will create all thirteen of the animals represented in the story: Dragon (see image in folder), Rat, Sheep, Ox, Rat, Boar, Dog, Monkey, Snake, Rooster, Horse, Rabbit and Cat.

Heather is a creative writer, her work ranging from short stories to poetry. Using the artwork drawn by Lena, she will write the story for this quilt.

Scarlett will use an inkjet printer to print the artwork onto fabric, which will then be appliquéd and pieced together to form the whole quilt. Embellishments may be added as she works on this project.