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).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

Featured Haunts On Monday October 26
Beads & Birds
Needled Mom
Fun Threads
Pampered Pettit
Vrooman’s Quilts
Grandma’s Stories


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

a Rafflecopter giveaway