Halloween Clover Schnibble

Because Halloween is tomorrow, I thought it was about time to show you this Clover Schnibble that I finished quilting last month.

I'm working on a really cute Halloween basket right now that I'm hoping to finish up today and blog about real soon. No time like the last minute, right?

Did you see the Halloween mug rug in my post yesterday?

I'm getting these Halloween projects done!

Anyway back to Clover, I used Boo Crew fabric from Sweetwater and I did some spiderweb quilting in the blocks.

Not the easiest thing to do, I'll say.  It was worth it though.

I used a ruler and that disappearing purple marker to draw the lines for the right angles in the webs down and across the quilt first.  Then, I free handed the curvy parts of the web, one block at a time.

When I was finished quilting the webs on each block, there were odd, not exactly even, roundish unquilted spaces where the corners of the webs met.  I hadn't seen that coming.

My DH suggested quilting Jack-O-lantern faces in each of these empty spaces, facing different directions so that there wasn't a "top edge" of the quilt.

I wasn't so sure about this, actually I wasn't even so sure about any of the quilting on this quilt, but I decided to give it a go since it was a Halloween quilt and I didn't know what else to do with these empty spaces.

And you know what?  I love how it turned out!  The unevenness of the outside corners of the webs, really accentuated the natural pumpkin look.

That jack o'lantern quilting is probably my favorite part of this quilt!

Now, I'm off to try to finish up that Halloween basket, before Halloween. I'm almost done!

Halloween mug rug

This Halloween mug mat has been on my list to make for quite some time.

Both the pattern and the Boo Crew fabric are from Sweetwater.

As you can see, I've been keeping candy in it and I can't quite bring myself to put a mug on it, because I like it that much.

Maybe I could put a glass of water on it, just maybe.

But definitely not a coffee cup.

By doing some fussy cutting with a piece of hocus pocus fabric from Alexander Henry that I've been saving, I was able to make it reversible.

I wasn't so sure how well I had centered it, but considering the small size of the piece of fabric that I had to work with it, I think it went pretty well!

I put the mug mat with candy in it on the kitchen counter last week and all of that candy has "disappeared".  Kind of spooky!  

How much Halloween candy has "disappeared" from your house even though we have a few more days before the trick-or-treaters arrive?   

Library book block

My local library will be celebrating it's tenth anniversary this spring!

They'll be commemorating the occasion by hanging a new quilt in the entryway.

When they asked for quilters to contribute book blocks for the quilt, I was quick to sign up. 

Thanks to the wonderful Mini-Bookshelf Quilt Tutorial I found on Elizabeth Dackson's blog Don't Call Me Betsy, it was easy!

Except picking out the fabrics of course, but I won't go there.

Instead of making mine a mini-quilt, I just changed the measurements and made it block sized.  It is a great tutorial that I highly recommend.

I'm definitely going to make one of these mini quilts to keep here at home.

It was kind of addicting!

I added these selvages as book titles. 

There is even one that says, "Wordplay by Michele". 

Spelled the same as my name too!  One L!

It doesn't work out any better than that!

My son suggested that I use the Timeless Treasures selvage too, since some books are timeless treasures.

This spring, when the quilt is complete I'll be sure to take a picture for you!

Around the World Blog Hop

I was kindly invited to participate in the Around the World Blog Hop by both Mary on Lake Pulaski and Brittany from Pickles Quilting. 

I always love the fabric that Mary is using! Beautiful! She makes lovely, fresh quilts and the most adorable children's clothes.

Brittany is making some cool ABC blocks that will make an fun quilt when she's done. I'm happy that they asked me to join in and today is my day on the tour!

Why do I create?  Because it's fun!

I've always considered myself a creative person and quilting is a great fit for me.

As a stay at home mom with two active teenage boys and one crazy dog, quilting gives me that quiet, super peaceful...or you could say pieceful..... time with bright fun colors even including pink and purple on occasion!

I also like quilting because it stays done!

Unlike many of the other things I do throughout the day, such as wash muddy laundry from a really wet, muddy cross country practice.

We seriously had to spray him off with the garden hose after practice early last week before he came inside the house!  And Saturday's meet was just as muddy!

Also, I enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from being able to say, "Wow, I made that!"

My great-grandmother was a quilter, all hand quilting and piecing back then, but quilting wasn't something I ever thought I'd be interested in as a teen, so I didn't take the opportunity to learn from her. 

My friend Kim was the one who suggested that I could make a quilt, even though I'd never touched a sewing machine before.

I thought she was crazy to think that I could learn to quilt.  As you can see she was right and I was way wrong.  I haven't stopped quilting since.  Seriously, I haven't stopped!  

What am I working on now?  Right now, I'm working on getting some things quilted.  I've got lots of quilt tops laying around here that I need and want to get quilted so they can be used.

I enjoy doing my own quilting and that's my sewing priority this fall.  Unless I get distracted of course......Oh, I'm also making some ABC blocks and I might throw in a few Schnibbles patterns too......

My quilt tastes are all over the place!  I love modern quilts, traditional quilts and a mix of the two! I never met a quilt that I didn't like.

You'll find me working with more modern, bright fabrics and darker repro prints too.

 One reason that I started my blog was to learn more about modern quilts and fabrics, because at the time there wasn't too much of that in my area, but I've learned so much more than I ever expected through blogging. 

To continue the blog tour, on Monday, October 13th my friend Cheryl from So Many Quilts, So Little Time will be participating.  I think the name of her blog is so true! Cheryl is wonderful at small scale piecing and she enjoys using reproduction fabrics.  I consider Cheryl to be a great blog and quilting friend.  She and I have been reading each others blogs for years.  In fact I think her's was one of the first blogs I ever read! Recently her Autumn Pinwheels quilt caught my eye and I can't get enough of her photographs of nature!

Another blogger on the Around theWorld Blog Hop is my friend Jamie.  You might know her from her blog busy bee quilts.  I love her modern fabrics  and her fun quilts.  She recently made an adorable stuffed owl and she also shared a tutorial for making a burlap wreath.  Her willingness to give new quilting techniques a try is amazing.  She did a Modern Quilt Guild Michael Miller Challenge quilt that I just love!  

If you'd like to be a stop on the tour just leave a comment and tell us who you are and feel free to join in!  We'd love to hear from you and learn all about why you create!