W.i.P Wednesday: In a Bind

3 Quilts.  740" of binding.  Hard deadline: noon Saturday!

There's still time to be entered to win this fabulous fat quarter pack!!!  Just link up at the Ghastly Gathering by midnight tonight.  Winner announced tomorrow.

Weekend Wrap Up

Well, I didn't spend this weekend at Sewing Summit but I pretended I was there;-)  Friday night I joined the lovely ladies of the BMQG for some sewing & shopping at the fabulous Gather Here Sewing Lounge.  I had backings on my mind and I found this perfect Alexander Henry print for the back of my Cracking Up quilt.

Saturday Audrey and I hit the Rising Stars Quilt Show and indulged in a little more retail therapy at the Sew Fresh booth.  We are now ready for some holiday gift making!

With all that inspiration I went nuts and made the backs, basted and quilted both my top secret projects.  I can't show you the quilts but here are the bindings I'll be tack, tack, tacking down this week:-)

Don't forget, I'm giving away this fat quarter four pack just for linking up at the Ghastly Gathering by midnight, Wednesday 10/17.  Winner will be announced on Thursday!

Linking up with amylouwho for #notgoingtosewingsummit

Cracking Up Quilt Tutorial

Something about the new Ghastly Angle print makes me think I'm going crazy and when I started slicing apart a perfectly good quilt top I knewI was really cracking up... and that just cracked me up:-)

Finished Size 54" x 60"

Cut the following:

As much as I love these Ghastlies prints they can be tough to work with.  You really have to pay attention to where you cut to capture your favorite motifs.  For this I used three readily available prints: Ghastly Night, A Ghastly Family Reunion, and the Ghastlies.  Each one has about a 12" repeat but here is how I cut each one to best utilize the print.

Ghastly Night is the easiest to work with because it doesn't nest the motifs.  Cut 1 strip roughly 12 1/2" x wof.  I cut both edges along the top of the door.

I wanted a wider band in the center so the Family Reunion strip is roughly 16 1/2" x wof.  At the top I cut 1/4" above Duchess Kate's hat.  On the bottom edge I cut 1/2" below Mabel's shoe.  Hopefully you can see what I mean in the picture. 

With the Ghastlies I wanted to cut so that Edward the Vampire would be in the center.  I cut 1/2" below the foot of the Vampire on the right and 1/2" below the foot of the Vampire in the center for a 12 1/2" strip.

Bramble - 2/3 yd.

(7) 1 1/2" x wof for Sashing

(5) 2 1/2" x wof for outer Borders

Ghastly Forest - 1/2 yd.
(2) 6 1/2" x wof

A Ghastly Angle - 2 yds.
(1) 6 1/2" x 64"

Seam allowance 1/4"

Make Vertical Sashing & Border Strips:

Cut one of the 1 1/2" Sashing strips in half.  Join each half to the end of another 1 1/2" Sashing strip so you now have two Vertical Sashing strips that measure roughly 1 1/2" x 64".  Do the same to create two 2 1/2" x 64" Vertical Border Strips.

Make Vertical Panel:

Sew the 1 1/2" wide Vertical Sashing strips to each side long side of the 6 1/2" x 64" strip.  Trim the top and bottom edges if necessary.

Assemble the Top:

Sew a Sashing or Border strip to the top of each printed strip according to the picture above.  Add a Border strip to the bottom edge of the last print strip.  Join the rows to create a single Quilt Panel.

I left the selvages on my strips as I sewed them together so now I needed to square up the sides.  Also you need to measure your quilt vertically and write down that measurement.

Find a good spot to split the Quilt Panel vertically about 1/3 of the way from the right side of the panel.  For me this was at 12 1/4".  Take a deep breath because you're about to cut up a perfectly nice strip quilt:-)  Cut the panel vertically at that point. 

Trim you Vertical Panel to the length of your finished Quilt Panel.  Sew the Vertical Panel between the two sides of your Quilt Panel and you're done!

Got something Ghastly you've made?  Link up at the Ghastly Gathering and be entered to win these 4 Ghastly fat quarters.  Winner will be selected Wednesday 10/17/12. 

W.i.P Wednesday: Sewing Stay-cation

This month has been busy so I haven't had much time to sew. Fortunately my DH took pity on my and gave me a sewing stay-cation this weekend. The weekend kicked off Friday afternoon with a trip to Quilter's Way to gather supplies... and a little stashing for inspiration;-)

On my way home I picked up pizza and a video for the kids and abandoned my family to quilt one of those top secret projects I've been putting off for way too long.  Before Twilight was over I had it quilted and the binding on.

Saturday DH took the kids to Maine leaving me with an entire day to myself!  I put it to good use and finished piecing the back for my Urban Windows quilt.  I might like it better than the front.

Of course the weekend wouldn't have been complete without working on something Ghastly;-)  I got started on this before the plague caught up with me and curtailed my fun.  You know it's bad when you're too sick to sew!  The Ghastly Gathering is now open so don't forget to go link up anything Ghastly you've made.  I'll be announcing the first giveaway on Friday.  The earlier you link up the more chances to win!

Just Three: On Track for October

So the plan for September was to...

1.  Finish up my Union Jack blocks.

Yea!!!  All 12 ready to start sashing:-)

2.  Make another Ghastly quilt.

Still needs to be quilted but the top is pieced and I'm working on a tutorial to share next week.  Halloween is rapidly approaching so there's extra incentive to finish this up.

and 3.  Make a cozy for my Kindle... 

Still naked;-)  This just totally fell off my radar!

Not too bad and we're definitely headed in to the busy season so I can use all the help I can get to stay on track... so here it is, three for October:

1. Quilt and bind my Ghastly quilt so it can be gifted.
2. Make that Kindle Kozy.
3. Finish my top secret project that is due on the 20th;-)

I hope your plans for October include something for the Ghastly Gathering!

W.i.P Wednesday: The one where I almost finish something.

Another week gone by!  It's been a busy one but I did manage to sneak in a bit of sewing...

I'm almost done with my latest Ghastlies quilt...  hopefully this finish will include a tutorial to share!  You're working on something ghastly to share next week at the Ghastly Gathering, right?

I made my 12th Union Jack block for the Baby Brit QAL at dream quilt create.  This should have been all the blocks but I decided I couldn't stand one of them so I need to make a replacement.  Now I'll have a matching pillow.

and I finally got motivated to piece the back for my Urban Windows quilt... but I didn't finish that either;-)

The Ghastly (cousin) It Bag Tutorial

This time last year I was getting ready to go to Fall Market so I made myself a Ghastlies bag to stash all my loot.  It was a huge hit!  This year Audrey asked if I would make her one and of course I said yes so I could share this tutorial with all of you:-)

Cut the following:
I fussy cut my Outside Back, Flap and Pocket pieces to best showcase The Ghastlies.  When planning where to cut remember you will lose about 2" at the bottom of the bag and 1/4" on the sides and top.

Bag Outside:

(2) 13" high x 17" high Exterior Fabric, Decor-Bond, Fusible Fleece
Bag Inside:
(2) 13" high  x 17" wide Interior Fabric
Flap:
(1) 11" high  x 15" wide Exterior Fabric, Interior Fabric, Decor-Bond, Fusible Fleece
Outside Pocket:
(1) 8 1/2" high x 17" wide Exterior Fabric, Interior Fabric, Decor-Bond
Ruffle:
(2) 3" x WOF Ruffle Fabric
Strap:

(1) 6" x WOF Strap Fabric

Seam allowance 1/4"

Prepare your pieces:
I wanted a fairly stiff bag so I used both Decor-bond and Fusible Fleece.  You may choose to use either, both, or none.  Apply Decor-bond to the wrong side of the Exterior Front, Exterior Back, Exterior Flap and Exterior Pocket pieces according to the manufacturers instructions.  Then apply Fusible Fleece over the Decor-bond to the Exterior Front, Exterior Back, and Exterior Flap.  I did not add Fusible Fleece to the Exterior Pocket.

Make the Strap:

Fold the 6"x WOF piece in half lengthwise and press.  Fold the outside edges in to meet the pressed center line and press again. Refold on center line.  Topstitch down each side of Strap 1/4" from the edge.

Make the Ruffle:

Sew the ends of the two 3" x WOF pieces together to make one long strip.  Fold in half wrong sides together.  Set your machine to the longest stitch length and the highest (biggest number) tension setting.  Leaving a long tail on both ends, stitch 1/4" from the raw edges.  Stitch a second line of gathering stitches between the raw edge and the first line of stitches.  Hold the bobbin threads on one side of your strip and gently push the fabric towards the other side to softly gather your fabric.

Make the Flap:

Place Exterior and Interior Flap pieces right sides together.  Fold in half.  I use a plate to cut a gentle curve around the edge.  Unfold your flap pieces and fit the ruffle around the outside edge of the Exterior Flap.  You may have some extra ruffle at the top.  Baste the Ruffle to the Exterior Flap.  Place the Interior Flap right sides together on the Exterior Flap so the ruffle is in the middle.  Stitch around the sides and bottom of the Flap leaving the top edge open.  Turn Flap right sides out.

Make the Front Pocket:

Place Exterior and Interior Pocket right sides together.  Stitch along top edge of pocket.  Fold Interior Fabric to back and press.  Topstitch along top edge.

Assemble the Bag Exterior:

Place the Front Pocket exterior side facing up on top of the Exterior bag front also facing up lining up the bottom and side edges.  Baste the pocket to the Exterior Front.  Place the Exterior Front and Exterior Back right sides together.  Stitch across the bottom and down both sides.

Box the corners by matching the side and bottom seams to create a triangle.  Measure in 2 1/4" from the point of the triangle and draw a line.  Sew directly on the line then trim 1/4" inch from line.  Repeat on other side.

Turn bag right sides out and baste Strap to Bag Exterior at the side seams.

Baste Flap to back Exterior top.  Match edges of Flap ruffle to Exterior side seams.

Assemble the Bag Interior:

Place Interior bag pieces right sides together.  Sew along bottom edge and down both sides.  Box corners as you did for Bag Exterior.

Final Bag Assembly:

Place Bag Exterior inside Bag Interior with right sides together matching up the side seams.  Check to make sure that the Flap and the Strap are between the Exterior and Interior bag pieces.  Stitch around the top edge.  I choose to then slit the side seam of the bag Interior to turn the bag through but you may choose to leave a hole in the top edge for turning.

Turn bag through hole.

 Topstitch around top edge. 

Admire your new bag:-)


In gray... The bag that started it all!