Strippy Improv Halloween QAL Week 3 - Let's make more blocks!

 Welcome back for Week 3 of the Strippy Improv Halloween QAL! 

How are your blocks coming along? 

Here are my remaining two blocks - a ghost and a witch hat. 

I had fun digging through my low-volume prints for my ghost!

The lime green accent will match the frames on two of the blocks. 

Scroll to the bottom to see my four blocks together!

Let's talk tips - here are a couple more things that I hope will be helpful as you make your blocks. 

First, block background placement. Play around with your block background before fusing it down to make sure you get the best combination of fabric, and also to make sure things like the stems show through correctly. 

For the witch hat, I wanted the green accent to be above the brim of the hat. I also picked my darkest black (the star print, which has the least white, so it "reads" as the darkest) for the bottom, so it makes the bottom of the hat seem dimensional, like you're looking up it. 

Make sure your green stem starts at the top of the pumpkin body. 

Here are two "don't do it this way" examples: 

The background needs to be adjusted up so the stem aligns with the green seam. 

The background needs to be adjusted down so the green doesn't show on the pumpkin. 

Play around with your background and make sure it's exactly how you want it before you fuse in place! 

Second, if you're concerned that your background fabric is too light (especially when you're using black strips for your piecing), I have a solution for you: Fusible Interfacing. 

Before adhering the fusible web to with the traced shape to your background square, adhere a piece of fusible interfacing (I use medium weight). This makes the fabric more opaque and reduces the likelihood that the strips will show through. 

Here are my four blocks together. 

 These blocks are going to be an adorable wall hanging!

Meet me back here on Thursday, October 17 where I'll be talking assembly! 

Here's the QAL schedule: 

Thursday 9/26: Fabric and block choices

Thursday 10/3: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/10: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/17: Assemble and finish!

I hope you'll join in the fun! I'll be posting here on the blog and also sharing posts on IG (@quiltyzest). If you're going to sew along, use the hashtag #strippyimprovhalloween to share your block and/or fabric choices!

Ready to join the fun? Order just the digital Strippy Improv Halloween pattern here. 
The pattern includes 9 block choices plus both a square wall hanging and table runner option.

Bee Haven Project Hop

 I am so excited to be part of the Bee Haven Project Hop! Bee Haven is the new collection by Rachel Rossi for Benartex, and I have been in love with these prints from the first time I saw them! (psst...keep reading to the bottom for a chance to win!)

I love the color palette - Twilight, Plum, Gold and Aqua - the colors just speak to me. And the prints - those large daisies are so fun, and then there's the hexagon print, cool butterfly patterns (what great tonals!), and so much more! And check out the panel - isn't it gorgeous?!?!

I knew right away that I wanted to use these fabrics to create a wall hanging version of my Twister pattern. I could use those large floral prints in the block centers and create two different colored blocks that would show off all those coordinates. 

This block is my favorite. 

Or maybe this one...? I can't decide! 

The colors all work together so beautifully!

I took the quilt to the Historic Bridge Park near my house, which features a variety of old train bridges. The colors were perfect to help me show off both Bee Haven and Twister. These blocks finish at 19", so four of them make a nice sized wall hanging (or table topper) and 12 of them make a great lap quilt. Find the Twister pattern here. 

Make sure to check out the other incredible designers participating in this Project Hop!

Jennifer Worthen’s Centrum quilt

Kaye Collins and her Diamond Lil Quilt

Tiffany Hayes and her Bee Maze Quilt 

Rachel Rossi’s free Slaphappy quilt pattern

You can see all of the projects in one place over on Rachel’s Blog too, check out all the hop goodies here!

Looking for Bee Haven fabrics? Ask for it at your local quilt shop or find a stockist near you using the store locator!

Thank you to Benartex and all of these fabulous designers for generously donating prizes for this event! It was such a blast!

We will be giving away THREE prizes to contestants on Instagram:

Prize 1: Bee Haven Fat Quarter Bundle, Breezy Pattern (Rachel Rossi), Bee Maze Pattern (PDF from Tiffany), Trellis Twist Pattern (Rachel Rossi)

Prize 2: Bee Haven Strip-Pie (the Benartex version of a Jelly Roll), On the Way to Cape May (Rachel Rossi), Diamond Lil (PDF pattern from Kaye), Slaphappy Pattern (Rachel Rossi)

Prize 3: Bee Haven 10x10 precut bundle (Layer Cake), Dresdens in Bloom Pattern (Rachel Rossi), Twister Pattern (PDF from Lisa), Centrum Pattern (PDF pattern from Jenn)

How to enter (on Instagram):

To be entered to win, you must:

1. Comment on your post

2. Tag a friend (more tags = more entries)

3. Follow all designers on the hop and Benartex
   (@quiltyzest, @ohkayequilting, @needleinahayesstack, @slightlybiasedquilts, @designsbyrr, @benartex)

3 winners will be randomly chosen at 11:59PM on October 12. Winners will be notified via Instagram.

Strippy Improv Halloween QAL Week 2 - Let's make some blocks!

 Welcome back for Week 2 of the Strippy Improv Halloween QAL! 

It's block making week! What blocks have you chosen to make? 

The beauty of a 4-block quilt is that once you have 2 made, you're halfway done! 

Here are my first two blocks:

You can see that I've used Halloween prints in my blocks, so the prints show up a little more. With tonal prints, you'd see the overall shape more quickly. Neither way is wrong or right - they're just different!

Which blocks have you decided to make? Let me know in the comments. 

I've got 4 block making tips for you today: 

Tip 1: 

If you're using a non-symmetrical block (like the pumpkin with its stem, for example), make sure that when you trace the shape onto the fusible web, it's reversed from when you trace the shape onto the muslin. If you're using a symmetrical shape (like the spiders 🕷️) don't worry about this.

Tip 2:

I recommend placing an iron an cutting mat adjacent to your sewing machine for block making. These blocks assemble with a press and cut after every seam, so you'll enhance your efficiency if everything you need is together. 

Tip 3: If you accidentally cut through the muslin when you're trimming strips, don't worry! I've done it as well. Just keep sewing - the hole in the muslin will be covered. 

Tip 4: 

If your fabric marking pen erases with heat, consider using pencil to trace your templates onto muslin. Otherwise your traced shape on the muslin will disappear as you add strips. 

What comes next: 

If you've completed the strippy improv piecing part and wondering if your blocks look "right," here are what mine looked like after piecing. After you cut out the reverse applique background and fuse in place, you can trim the excess. Note that for the bat, I pieced the strips on an angle. Choose your strip direction based on how you want the final block to look. 

If you learn better by video, I have a YouTube video showing this same technique used for my Holiday pattern. You can find it here. I have also shared a reel showing me making the pumpkin block on Instagram (@quiltyzest).

Have fun making your first two blocks! Meet me back here on Thursday, October 6 where I'll be sharing my other two blocks. 

Here's the QAL schedule: 

Thursday 9/26: Fabric and block choices

Thursday 10/3: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/10: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/17: Assemble and finish!

I hope you'll join in the fun! I'll be posting here on the blog and also sharing posts on IG (@quiltyzest). If you're going to sew along, use the hashtag #strippyimprovhalloween to share your block and/or fabric choices!

Ready to join the fun? Order just the digital Strippy Improv Halloween pattern here. 
The pattern includes 9 block choices plus both a square wall hanging and table runner option.