Wendy Williams Round the Garden June OMG

Here is the background I dyed for Wendy Williams Round the Garden wool applique quilt.  I hand painted this cloth with a blue in the center a Kiwi green circle and a mauve exterior.  I ran out of the dye paste for the exterior and had to remix.  My second mix was not quite the color of the first so it is a bit blotchy in places.  I was not sure if I should use it as I am not in love with the fabric.  I decided to go with it as the wool on top is to be the real star of the quilt.  We will see what happens,  I am attempting to complete the first interior quadrant of the circle this month.  This should be fun.

This stitch was created by bobbin work.  I put some Ricky Tims white Razzle Dazzle in the bobbin case and white Sew Sassy on top.  I used a 100 top stitch needle with stitch number 1328 on my Bernina. The stitch is one that emulates a running stitch.  The pattern indicates that you should use a running stitch to demarcate the sections.  I tried it on a sample thinking I would adjust the length of the stitch.  I was very surprised with the curly cue result.  I decided I liked it and proceeded to stitch.  Unfortunately I stitched one of the lines in the wrong place so I had to unstitch and restitch where it needed to be.  The holes from the stitching are quite large so I may have to add some stabilizer or something on the back.  Most of if will be covered with applique pieces so I will worry about that later.

The flying geese are all added and here is when I noticed that the horizontal line was misplaced.

 I fixed my mistake and added the wool for the tree along with stitching the edge of the green border.  I made the top edge wavy so I decided not to stitch it.  Now on to the isosceles triangles. 

The quadrants are now delineated.  Now to focus on upper right section. 

Sew Spooky Finished!

 This pattern is by Arlene and Melissa of The Quilt Company out of San Diego CA.  There is another shop in Pennsylvania called The Quilt Company but it is not the same people.  Sew Spooky was a BOM but you could also buy the complete kit, individual block patterns or  the complete pattern.  I bought the pattern and the fabric accessory packet.  I did not buy the buttons that went with the kit.  I substituted buttons that I happened to have already.  I did not have an owl button so I stuffed and appliqued an owl from my backing fabric in the window of the barn. 

I backing is based on Judy Sisneros book 9-Patch Pizzazz.  This is a great way to blow up a standard 42-44 inch yardage of cotton so that it can fit the back of a quilt.  I will do this again in the future. 

The designer used appliqued bats and stars in the border.  I opted to use the black chevron border and I quilted the bats in the border.  My bats are tilted this way and that to look like they are flying about.

I quilted a cow jumping over the moon along with some stars.

Next to the candy corn on top I quilted ghosts and next to the candy corn in the bottom I stitched owls.

I stitched pumpkins around the quilt house.  My quilt lifts up to reveal a spider and web underneath.

                     

Around the barn I quilted bats.

Around the Jack o' Lantern house I quilted candy corn and script that says Trick or Treat.

 The Ghoul School is quilted with skeletons.

 The raven topped pumpkin block has a quilted cemetery.

And the witch house has quilted script that says "If the boot fits cackle"  along with Lori Kennedy's Spooky Spiders hanging from the moon and the broom stick. 

I feel that after this adventure I have become much more confident in my ability to successfully free motion quilt.  I have gotten over the fear of quilting.  I know it is not going to be perfect and I am having fun quilting my quilts.  Now to decide what to finish next.  I encourage you to join in the fun at Elm Street Quilts and make progress on your UFO's and share your finishes while seeing what others are doing in that regard.   

Sew Spooky Binding

I hope I have enough binding.  I tried to measure the linear length but since it is bias binding it was very stretchy.  I think it will complement both sides.  I have a queen size bat in a bag but I think I will head to Ben Franklin and get something off the roll.  I will leave this bat for a larger quilt.  BFN M

Sew Spooky: The Other Side is completed

I am having trouble getting a good picture of the back of the quilt I pieced.  I was trying to be very careful with the measuring, but I was still surprised that all the pieces fit.  I am proud of myself for that result.  I am going to cut the black and grey stripe fabric that was used in the chevron border to  bind the quilt. I have 27 inches left of that fabric and if my calculations are correct I should have enough. 76+76+64+64=280 linear inches are needed plus some extra for the overlap.  (The front of the quilt is about 72 by 60 so it is actually 264 inches.  27 X 2.25= 60.75 square inches per strip. 280\27 = 10.37 strips rounded up to 11.  11 X 60.75= 668.25 square inches.  27 X 42=1134 square inches so I have enough.   am happy because I so like to used striped fabric cut on the bias for binding.  It looks like a barber pole.  I think it will work well with both sides so that is my next venture.  On to cut the binding.  I will use the Fons and Porter triangle trimmer for this.  I love this tool.  BFN M

Sew Spooky: The Other Side

Here is the fabric that I am going to feature on the back of Sew Spooky.  I have this quilting book 9-Patch Pizzazz by Judy Sisneros for fast and easy quilts. 

 Here is my basic plan for the backing.  The L and upside down L will be of the above owl fabric and the insides will be filled with 9-patches of the owl fabrics and a gold fabric and a black fabric left over from the Chevron Border from the front.  I do not have the book with me so I am improving my way through the process with help from Pinterest and of course graph paper is my friend so can I really call this improvisational quilting.  I guess not. 

When I made the Chevron border I used patches that were 2.5 by 6.5.  When I went to trim, all the other widths (1, 1.5, 2)  could trim out to a 7.5 inch width; the 2.5 was a tad short, so I fudged it to make it work.  Next time those need to be cut 2.5 by 7.  I will try to remember that.  The above is me working out the math of it to see why it would not work.  At the bottom is my first thought for the back of my quilt.  Both are interesting choices. 

For the filler Patchwork above I am thinking about how to use the strips I have left over.  I think I will start by sewing them together in blocks.  Maybe I will get out my design wall today.

Sew Spooky Border Complete

The border is complete and I am well pleased with the result.  I need to decide upon a fabric for the binding and make the backing and I will be ready for sandwiching and quilting.  I recently read a tip from a famous quilter....I wish I could remember the quilter's name and credit the idea but alas I do not....oh well....anyway she said that to make her backing from standard yardage that she cuts diagonally across the yardage adds extra to fit diagonally through the middle of her quilt. I am going to try that and see how it works.  My thought was to use the extra pieces I had left from the chevron and put that diagonally across between the corners. 

Sew Spooky BOM

I have just  completed the top pieced border for Sew Spooky.  To make the chevrons I used my Accuquilt multi strip cutter (1, 1.5, 2 inch).  I also made some 2.5 in strips.  By using the multiple sizes you do not have to worry about fitting the pieced borders.  I got out my black fabrics cut five inch width strips.  I ribbon folded them horizontally across my 6.5 inch strip cutter then I placed layers of the 5 inch by 6 inch pieces on the multi-strip cutter and ended up with 1 by 6.5, 1.5 by 6.5 and 2 by 6.5 inch strips already to make chevrons.  I do not know how many to cut so I am going to resupply my strips as I go.

May OMG

I do not remember the name of this pattern.  I only have some of the pattern pages with the unfinished top.  This has been a UFO for some time.  I did not want to add the border that the pattern designer used (appliqued bats).  I went to see the AQS show in Paducah with my sister. That was a wonderful adventure.  While there we went to a quilt shop at some farm in the area.  The owner of the shop had a quilt hanging that was vertical strips of chevrons made from all black fabrics.  The owner explained to me that she had designed this quilt for a fabric company to show off one of their lines.  I remember thinking I would love that job and wondering how one would get a job like that.   Anyway....back to my quilt....I remember thinking that  on the perimeter I did not want appliqued black bats on light backgrounds- I would rather have quilted ones on black chevrons.  My only problem was  how to make the corners????  I think I have my solution.  My May OMG will be to piece the border for this quilt.