Witches Hat Pincushion Pattern/Tutorial

Last Halloween season I designed and made this pincushion for a swap I was doing on Flickr.  Today I bring the pattern/tutorial to you as a free PDF. Here are the two I made while doing the tutorial. Just click on either picture of the hat and it will take you to the PDF file.

I couldn't resist using beads to decorate at least one of them. 

Have a Spooktacular Halloween!!!

Marjory

Blogger’s Quilt Festival :: Fall 2012

It's that time again, it's time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival!!!  It's a quilt festival online for showing off all our great quilts.  What a fun way to go to a quilt show, in your jammies if you want.  We all link to a post about our quilt on Amy's blog.  Our post is to tell the story behind the quilt.  There are prizes too, but to me it's being able to share my work with a broader range of quilters.  Here's my entry for this festival:  It is machine pieced, hand appliqued and hand quilted. It measures 52" x 52". I would feature it in either Wall Quilts or Art Quilts.

                                               "Mother's Day Off"

Several years ago I was attending a lecture given by a quilt curator from the local museum.  The lecturer was lecturing on what an art quilt was.  She made several references to applique quilts not being "Art".  As an applique artist I took offense to these remarks.  I vowed to make her eat her words.  Now, I don't know if she ever saw my work or ate her words.  I just feel good that I feel I accomplished my goal. 

"Mother's Day Off"  is the third in a series of art quilts based on mothers.  This quilt is 95% dyed and over dyed fabrics.  I was in the middle of designing this quilt when, Adriene Buffington, writer of "Hand Dyed Fabric Made Easy" called and asked me if I could rethink my quilt and use mostly hand dyed fabrics. We were both in a quilt group that traveled to each others studios and helped with works in progress.  They had just been to my studio and I had shared this quilt idea and plan with them.  Adriene was in the middle of writing her book and was looking for hand dyed fabrics made into quilts to fill her book. All quilts being featured in her book had to be 95% hand dyed. The funny part of this story is that I told her I didn't think I could do it.  After thinking it over I decided it would just add a new challenge.  I love challenges!!!!   This quilt did make the final cut and was featured in Adriene's book.  

The lady featured in the quilt is my interpretation of a photo I took in downtown Denver.  She was sitting in the park with a bottle of beer.  Somehow I left out the beer. This was not intentional.  At this time in my life I and my shutter bug friend went to downtown Denver almost every Saturday to take pictures of the characters  there.  After a few months we realized we had become two of those characters.  I now live in Arizona and there is not a great place like Denver for taking pictures of strangers.

This quilt was also featured in "Quilt Art Engagement Calendar '98".  One of the ladies that curates this calendar saw my quilt in a show and contacted me about featuring it in the calendar.  I jumped at the chance. 

Thank you for stopping by;

Marjory

Tempting Thursday of the Wicked Blog Hop

I wish you a Ghostly Welcome to Tempting Thursday of the Wicked Blog Hop Week.   Today is my day to present a block for the "Wicked Blog Hop" along with several others (listed below).  Do I have something wicked to share with you.  Is it Paper Pieced?  Is it pieced?  Is it appliqued?  The answer is yes to all these questions.  That's what makes my block so wicked, three techniques in one block.  Here it is:

Just click on the picture and a link will take you to the PDF file.  The file has the paper pieced patterns, the applique patterns and the cutting directions.  The pattern will finish to a 12" block.  

Have you ever appliqued with organza.  It took some sleepless nights and some rethinking to come up with a way to make sheer ghosts.  Here is the process that I finally used.  

I used paper backed fusible web and traced my templates backward onto the paper side.  I then rough cut out the fusible web, no need to cut on the line until it has been fused to the organza.  Very carefully cut out the center of the fusible web, 1/8" from drawn line.   Place web tacky side down onto wrong side of the organza.  Following manufacturers directions fuse webbing to organza.

Cut ghost out directly on the drawn line.  Using a permanent black marker trace eyes and nose of ghost onto organza.  Do this is several steps to keep the ink from running.  Press with dry iron to set after every application of ink.  If the ink does run it just adds to the ghostly image.  Mine ran.

 Peel off paper and place ghosts onto sewn block following placement picture in pattern.  Again following manufacturers directions fuse organza to block.

Using Glow in the dark white thread and a small open zigzag stitch, stitch around both ghosts.  This small zigzag stitch will cover the fusible web so that it is not seen and gives definition to the ghost.

To further celebrate Tempting Thursday I have one other item to tempt you with.  

A pair of ghostly pincushions.  Just click on their picture and it will take you to the PDF file pattern/tutorial for this ghostly pair.   Don't forget to check out the rest of my blog.  It is full of other wicked projects for Halloween from this year and last. 

I want to thank Mdm Sam and Wicked Wendy for hosting this great Wicked block blog hop.  Check out the links below for the other blocks/blogs being featured today and don't forget to go to either Mdm Sam's or Wicked Wendy's for the full week of blogs to hop to.  Just click on the "Wicked" button to the right to get to Mdm Sam's. 

Tempting Thursday,

October 25^th

Angie’s Quilting and Crafting Place

Just Let Me Quilt

Lady Bug Lane

Debby Kratovil Quilts

Creative Obsessions

Kathy's Quilts

Loose Threads

Sew Maybe I Can

That's Sew Julie

Peck's Pieces

Aurea at That Other Blog

Boo to You!!!!

Marjory

Candy Corn Pincushion

What would the Halloween season be without Candy Corn? Though it's not my favorite candy, I love the shape and color of it.  It just screams, "Halloween", therefore I had to do a pincushion.  It's fun and easy to make.  Just click on the picture and it will take you to the PDF pattern/tutorial.  Have you checked out this wonderfully Wicked blog hop:  

It starts today and will run through the 31st.  I will be featured on the 25th.  I'm all prepared and can't wait to share my block with an added surprise.  Each day there will be a list of blogs to visit.  Each with a Wicked Block to share. To start the blog hop just click the Wicked button on my side bar or the one just above.  I will post my block here on my blog along with a list of that days blogs with links to those blogs.  So come join in the Wicked fun!!!

It's a candy corn day!!

Marjory

Spooky Hallows Wraps Up

Wow, do you believe it, we're at the end of Spooky Hallows.  We end with "Spooky Spells".  What you don't see is the word "Spells" that I will embroider on the book after quilting.  Nothing new for this block, same techniques and same fabrics.  I used cotton Lame for the candle stick using the same process as described in another post. Just click on the above picture to the PDF file.

I am also including the "Spiky" sashings 12" here and 16" here.  These were designed in EQ7 so you could easily repeat them there.  Because they are too long for the paper they come in two sheets.  I recommend that you tape them together and then take them to a copy expert and have them duplicated onto 11" x 17" known as Tabloid paper.  You will need 12 sashings of each size.  Luckily I was able to make the PDF with multiple on each page.

Now you can see the difference in the quilt between using "Spooky Flowers" or "Spooky Magic".   For some reason the quilt is much brighter with the stars versus the flowers.  I can't figure out why.  There is more yellow in the flower quilt so it should be brighter.  Maybe it is the spikes the the stars.  

I'm really going to miss coming here every two weeks to bring you another block.  I also want to thank every one that has left comments to let me know the quilt is well liked and I'm not out here alone.  LOL.  I also want to thank everyone for letting me post my blocks.  There really is a selfish reason I give my patterns away.  It gives me a deadline that I have to meet.  This quilt was designed three or four years ago and just sat there.  In my defense my husband did become mortally ill and died during that time.  I didn't work at all until two years after he died.  I still miss him.  

I have several other designs just sitting here, so I will be bringing them on as soon as I get them organized.  I have a four block small wall hanging of Santa's called "Santa in the Pines", that I will be offering starting in November.  It will be applique and some piecing.  Here is a mug rug I made from one of the Santa's.  So far the finished size is 22" x 22" but that may change.  LOL

  

Then I have a floral quilt done a little differently from my other florals.  It's more like the floral block featured in "Spooky Hallows".  I think I'm going to try and bring that out in January.  It's only on paper and I still need to pick out a color scheme for it.  Let's hope for the best.   So start looking for "Floral Dance" sometime in January (I hope).  

Then starting sometime in July or August I am going to try and bring out a Christmas quilt that came to mind and I was working on "Spooky Hallows" it will be called "Snowy Christmas"  featuring the same cat in white and some of my favorite Christmas decorations and toys, like tin soldiers and a Jack in the box.  It will be a 9 block quilt and the same size as this one.  I really can't wait to start this one.  It will be so much fun and cute to boot.

Applique is best!!!!

Marjory

Spooky Hallows Surprise Block

This block, "Spooky Magic" is as much a surprise to me as for you.  About a month ago a nice lady, Lynne, left me a long message telling me how much she loved my designs.  She really wants to make "Spooky Hallows" for her 13 year old son.  She also told me that she was going to have to change "Spooky Flowers" as she didn't feel her son would appreciate flowers in his quilt.

I originally designed "Spooky Flowers" because I needed more yellow to balance the quilt.  I just couldn't seem to come up with a good Halloween idea that would be simple enough and have lots of yellow, except flowers.  Now I have to admit that I just love flowers so it wasn't hard to come up with that block.  When I read Lynne's message it just put my mind in a spin.  This block is so important to the color balance.  Just give me a problem to fix and I have to fix it.  LOL

Well, I didn't sleep for two days, mulling over the problem.  Then suddenly I came up with the design for "Spooky Magic" in the middle of the night (3 am) when I was sleeping but awake.  I had to get up right then in order to put the idea on paper or lose it.  When I say paper I really mean my graphic program.  But what better way to show magic than with a Crystal Ball???!!!!  I also needed to design the right stand for the ball because it needed to have green and it needed to be tall.

This whole block is made with the same fabrics as in "Spooky Flowers" to keep it in the same flavor.  When I first finished it I thought, "It just doesn't pop enough". Then I was showing it to my male BFF and he asked me to place it on the finished top so he could see it in the quilt.  When I did, his comment was, "Wow!!"  He thinks I need to take out "Spooky Flowers" and replace it with "Spooky Magic".  Now he's not a quilter, he's a contractor, but I've made him see everything I make any way.  He's been very patient with me.  Now he knows the lingo and keeps up with what I say.  He told me, "The quilt now POPS."  When I stood back and looked I noticed he was right.  The stars just make the quilt so much better and fits the theme better too.  So I may have to do some unsewing.

Oh, I almost forgot!!!  I made this block backwards from the pattern.  My mistake and I was too lazy to correct it.  I didn't want to remake my templates and I figured this was just going to be a pillow anyway.  When placed on the top it didn't seem to matter that the cat is on the other side.  Just click on the photo to go to the free PDF file.

Now this is the 9th block but it is not block 9.  Does that make sense.  Block 9, "Spooky Spells" is a great block and will come out next week.  I will also give you the sashings at that time.  My top is done (unless I replace that block) and boy if I do say so myself, does it look great.  Can't wait to show it to you.

So Lynne, thank you for making me rethink this block.  This one's for you!!!!

I love surprises!!!
Marjory

Mumbly the Mummy Pincushion

Today I am being featured on Howl-oween Tricks & Treats Craftathon over on Rhinestone Beagle; http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/.  If you haven't had a chance to check out this blog please take the time to now.  Just click on their button above. It is run by a couple of fun ladies, Anita and Kelly. They are hosting this great Craftathon for the whole month of October so be sure to check back often.  I am being featured as the first guest presenter this year.  What an honor!

So here is the post, pattern and tutorial that I created just for their Craftathon:

It's that time of year again!!! I want to thank Anita and Kelly for hosting this great Howl-oween Tricks & Treats Craftathon again.  I am so excited to have been invited back to share my craft with you for the second year of this great adventure.  

While deciding what to do this year I thought of my doll,  Mumford and Friends.

Mumford and Mumbly together 

He's an 18 inch doll I designed several years ago.  Do I want to do another doll or do I want to do a pincushion version of Mumford?  I've really been interested in designing pincushions lately so that won out.  He stands 4 1/2" tall and is stuffed with crushed walnut shells.  What's great is that he's so easy and so are his critter friends.  Just click on his picture and it will take you to his PDF file which is a tutorial and pattern.

Surprise!!!  Since I so love to share and Halloween is my favorite Holiday I've decided to share Mumford with everyone too.  Just click on his name above and it will take you to his PDF pattern.  No tutorial on this one but he is made very similar to Mumbly.  The biggest difference is that he is stuffed with fiberfill.

Happy Halloweeeeen!!!!!!

               Marjory Peck 

                                   at   http://peckspieces.blogspot.com/

Spooky Hallows Continues with Block 8

Wow!!! Here we are on block 8, "Spooky Ghosts".  Can you believe it? Almost done, just one more block to go.  That block will be posted on Oct. 17th and somewhere along the way I will be posting for the paper pieced spiky sashing. 

I've almost completed that sashing for my quilt.  In fact I should have the top done by tomorrow.  Cross my fingers!!!  It will not be quilted by Halloween as I do not do machine quilting.  At least not very well.  So it goes into the pile of unquilted quilts.  Ugh!!!!  Or I need to start practicing my machine quilting.  I keep meaning to but time never seems enough.

During this great month leading to Halloween I will be posting more.  I will have at least 1 new pincushion every week and some great surprises too.  So be sure to come back and see what's going on.

There is no special instructions for this block.  Just remember to increase the size by 159%.

29 Days to Halloween!!!

Marjory

More Skullduggery as Halloween Approaches

October is finally here.  For me this means cooler weather and it's almost Halloween, my favorite Holiday.  So to start the month off right I am featuring a pincushion a week, or maybe more.  Let's wait and see.  The first one will be a skull pincushion.  He's very simple but really fun.  Just click on the picture and it will take you to the pattern and tutorial.  

Don't forget we will be finishing the last two blocks for Spooky Hallows, one this week and one two weeks later.  I've been busy sewing the spiky sashing and I will be offering that PDF soon.  I also have a special surprise for later in the month pertaining to this quilt.  Boy I'm so excited I want to post every thing now.  I learned early in life anticipation is half the fun.

30 Days to Halloween!!!

Marjory