Sunday, October 25, 2015

Halloween Hop 2015 and Giveaways!

*Edit: I have linked this up to http://quiltshopgal.com/2015-free-motion-quilting-challenge-october-challenge-with-lori-kennedy-of-the-inbox-jaunt/ in order to join the linky party.  Party on!*
 
 


Welcome!  I was SO happy to receive the email from Marian of Seams to be Sew inviting us to join in the blog hops again, I could barely contain my excitement!  Thank you Marian.  And then I saw on The Inbox Jaunt's site that Lori was the featured quilter on Quilt Shop Gal's FMQ Challenge, and that the theme was a pumpkin.  I figured it was a sign.
 
I spent the next two weeks practicing my doodling, and when I finally settled on a pattern I liked I sat down and made it happen.

 
Starting the pumpkin, I used a 40 wt Aurifil thread pack I found on sale.  I was hoping the heavier weight threat would show more, and it does a bit, I would like to experiment with others now that I've tried this one out.
 
Loving the checkerboard!  Also, rather proud of my feathers :)
 
I took this photo before adding the back flaps to make a pillow sham, I figured it would be a good idea to get a picture of it flat, and it seems to show off the quilting very nicely!
 
I wanted to make the pumpkin fall-ish so I added oak leaves and acorns, as well as the wheat stalks below
 
 
It is currently supporting me as I write this post, good pillow!  I backed it with some flannel, so when it gets snuggled it will be cozy.
 
So then, there I was, minding my own business, when suddenly:
*cue creepy music*
 
Arrrgh!  An infestation!
 
 
They were everywhere!  So I threatened them with my rotary cutter, no one messes with the rotary cutter...
*By the way, I NEVER leave my cutter open, I opened it specifically for this photo, making sure the cats were elsewhere, and closed it immediately when I was done.  Safety always.*
 
I saw these spiders on a Google search I did last year and just had to make some.  I got the suckers at the Dollar Store, there were 9 in the bag, and that was enough.  Spent a couple dollars on pipe cleaners, made the eyes with my hole punch and a marker.  I love low cost crafts, and this would be such fun to do with kids!  Although, I could see my family sitting down and doing this too, and everyone is over 18... hahaha!
 
Lastly, I woke up yesterday morning with this idea stuck in my head and it dogged me until I finally just made it.
This is a mug rug, and the first I've actually finished I believe.  Also the first time I have made a rail fence.  The idea was that the gray part represents lightning bolts, and the bat is flying through a dark and stormy night.  I was inspired to do the mini dresden bat after hearing Susan Marth on Pat Sloan's podcast.
A wonderful lady in my guild gave me a Halloween kit that had this fabric in it, and it's so much fun.  You can see I outlined the "lighting bolts" for the quilting.  As it's only 6.5" x 6.5" I didn't figure it needed all that much.  Also, I used 2 layers of Insul-Bright for the batting, so it can function as a hotpad as well.
 

The Halloween hops signal my blog anniversary, so that's kinda fun too.  This is my third Halloween hop, so that means I'm entering my third year of blogging and 4th year of quilting.  Hmmmm, doesn't that mean TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY?!  Of course it does.
 
Follow the link below to enter my blog anniversary giveaway.  I'll be sending one lucky winner a homemade bag with some goodies in it!
My giveaway will be open until next Monday, November 2nd, and a winner will be chosen soon after.
It is open to US Residents only (sorry, international shipping is rough these days).

Thank you so much for stopping by, be sure to visit everyone else and see what amazing ideas they've come up with!


Follow the link below to enter into today's $25 Fat Quarter Shop giveaway:




Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Dog Gone Cute-my day!

First of all, thank you to Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for inviting us to join in this blog hop and play with her pattern, I am so happy to be a part of it all.  If you follow the link to her blog you will find more information about the hop and see all the other great ideas that she has out there.

I am very excited to share my Dog Gone Cute wall hanging with you today.
I knew when I started that I would need to keep it fairly small so I could fit it in my work schedule.  During my time of indecision regarding what I should create, I received an email from the Blue Mountain Humane Society, which talked about a fundraiser they are hosting next week called the Fall Furr Ball, and that they were accepting donations for their auction.  I thought, heck yes!  This couldn't be more perfect.
 
So I stopped into the humane society and spoke with the lovely Jenna about possibly donating a wall hanging, and boy howdy, that was the most excited I've ever had someone be about a quilt.  It's kinda infectious and makes me want to get that reaction more often!  She gave me a deadline, and nothing makes me work as hard as a quilting deadline.
 
I am one of those people who makes one block to get the idea of the pattern, then goes on to the others.  So far my system has been working for me, we'll see how it develops as time goes by. :)  I was able to cut out and sew together my blocks in two evenings, then did the rest on the weekend.
 
 

 
I decided my dogs would be all ears up and perky, representing the hopeful adoptees at the humane society, and I put them in a grassy field.  One of my dogs ended up with more spots than was planned for after I discovered I had sewn a triangle on the wrong upper left hand corner... so I improvised!
 
Quilting on the Bernina as usual, and probably later at night than I should have been.

I had to make one of the Schwin & Schwin Hipster cats after seeing the one on Baa's blog during the Pets on Quilts show.  He's aspiring to be a mini-quilt one day.
 

And here we are!  This is four small blocks, in case anyone is wondering.
 
I used 1/2 inch poly batting and it gave me wonderful definition around the dogs heads.

I have made a couple labels in this fashion lately, I have fusible web on the back of my white fabric that I then fuse to the back of the quilt.  I've only done it on wall hangings, so am not concerned about them coming off any time soon.
 
Finishing this quilt was immensely satisfying, especially when I dropped it off at the humane society.  I've never heard so many squeals!  The girls were very impressed, and I'm thinking I may need to make one that they can hang in their office.  I am just so happy to be contributing to a good cause, and I hope it brings in some funds.
 
Belle says it's time to finish that cat one...
 
Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope you're finding all the projects inspiring, I sure am!
~Brandy
 
Here are today's and next Tuesday's blogs:
 
Thursday, October 8
Nina of Inchworming
Brandy of Pampered Pettit

Tuesday, October 13
Laurel of Quilts by Laurel
 

Monday, October 5, 2015

Dog Gone Cute Full Schedule

Pretty exciting stuff, this blog hop starts tomorrow, and my day is this Thursday!  I hope you'll come visit us all, I can't wait to see what people's color choices are.
Tuesday, October 6
Karen of Run Sew Fun
Anja of Anja Quilts
Kelly of Quilting it Out

Thursday, October 8
Nina of Inchworming
Brandy of Pampered Pettit

Tuesday, October 13
Laurel of Quilts by Laurel

Thursday, October 15
Rachel of Quiltineering
Julie of Mack and Mable

Tuesday, October 20
Cathy of A Quilting Chick
Selina of Selina Quilts
Shauna of Shauna’s World
Kathy of Kayak Quilting

Thursday, October 22
Britt-Inger of Hill Valley Quilter
Judy of How ART You?
Louisa of Sewmotion

Tuesday, October 27
Stephanie of Jak and Will
Cristina of Pretty Little Quilts

Thursday, October 29
Abigail of Cut & Alter
Magdalena of iloveneutrals
Susie of Susie's Sunroom