Double AHHnna

The two AHHnnas are done

which means all the blocks are made 

and I can start sewing it all together tomorrow!

Only 6 fit on my design wall at a time

When I started this project, I planned to make all the eyes plain black, because that’s what was in the pattern, so why not?

 Dancing skeletons 

But I’ve had more fun fussy cutting and doing different eyeball shapes.

 The owl shows up much better IRL

I think the two BOOnes have the same eyes 

 Kitty hearts and nose

but everything else is different. 

 jACKK is the only ghost with a pieced mouth

Backing gets made tomorrow 

 Love the sparkly web balls so much

and Friday we head to my long-armed pal!

Surgery For Mickey

One of Mickey’s FPP* blocks somehow got stretched out of shape. Not sure if it was made on the bias and I pulled too hard taking the paper out or if I trimmed it incorrectly (or not at all…) 

Of course, it couldn’t be in a place where it would be an easy fix. What’s the fun in that?? (And yes, I did think about leaving it…)

(Notes for next time.) Rather than rip out the bottom two rows and remake them, I removed row #8 (and used the opportunity to rearrange some colors), then carefully frogged** the first few blocks in row #7, leaving the next block with the seam partially open.

Remade the offending block and sewed the first three blocks back together. Sewed the vertical seam to join both parts of Row 7

then pinned 

and sewed the horizontal seams to reattach Rows 7 and 8. Easy peasy. Ish. 

The last 2 AHHna blocks are almost finished, hoping to have them done tomorrow.

Then all the ghosties get attached to each other and we’re off to the races long-arm quilter. So excited. 

* FPP - foundation paper pieced. ** Frogged - ‘rip it’ sounds like a frog’s ‘ribbit’. 

jACKKK Times Two

The Ghost Party pattern calls for three each of BOOne, jACCK and AHHnna. I subbed a Mickey for one BOOne and a Kitty for an AHHnna but I still need three jACCKs.

I’d rather they didn’t all look the same so the first one ⬆️ is according to the pattern,

jACCK #2 has spiderweb eyes like Mickey,

and jACCK #3 sports square eyeballs. 

Potential layout #1

The last two blocks are on the design wall, ready for their FPP extras before getting sewn together. 

 Potential layout #2 - adding more lime squares

I might make the end of the week get-this-to-the-quilter deadline after all. (Crosses fingers)

Tangled Jelly

Jelly roll day started off with a bang seam ripper because someone misread the pattern and did twice as much sewing as necessary.

Only half of these needed ripping ☹️

Things settled down after that. I sewed the individual pieces needed for each block, one after another, then pressed all 10 block sets and (finally) sewed each block together. 

It worked!

By nighttime I had 10 blocks complete, 

 The marbled fabric is much prettier and more textured in real life

pieces of 7 more blocks sewn and waiting to be pressed, 

 Reyna’s jelly log cabins

and the remaining 19 blocks cut and ready to go.

 Part of Debbie’s jelly roll project

I want to finish up Ghost Party (only 2 blocks to go!) before I do more on Tangled but I think it’s going to be a fast finish. (Did I just jinx it???)

Sew a Jelly Roll Day Decisions

Pick a pattern ✔️

Choose a jelly roll* ✔️

and background fabric ✔️

 Love, love, love my Stripology ruler!

Cut and prep for the big day ✔️✔️

Get some sleep, for tomorrow we sew!

There’s enough fabric left over to almost double the size of this quilt… Hope I did this part right…. 😳

* A jelly roll is (usually) 40 pieces of 2.5” by width-of-fabric strips (usually 40-42” long) of all the fabrics in a specific fabric collection. It’s an easy, cost effective way to get an entire collection without having to buy yardage (at $14+ per yard). 

Here Kitty Kitty

Finished Ghost Party critter #4 (how cute is that nose!)

and #5.

jACKK

I admit I thought jACKK was going to be more like a spot-filler but I love him - so much personality with that cute little mouth. 

Playing with the layout

Five of nine done - we’re over the halfway mark!

Ocean Arrows

The last of the bind-a-rama finishes is Ocean Arrows, a nice, big, comfy quilt at 58 x 76”. 

Rachel picked these ocean-themed fabrics and surprised me with them on our visit in February. She has an excellent sense of color - it’s a beautiful collection that ranged in size from a quarter-yard to 2-yard cuts. (Here)

Batik backing

In April, I picked a pattern - ok, I found a picture and figured out the pattern (here). I wanted something with big pieces that would show off the colors and designs. Nailed it!

Finished in June (here)… and then it waited patiently through two of our trips and my long-arm buddy’s stint running the Home Arts section of the local Fair before finally getting quilted last week and bound this week. 

Y’all know I love (almost) all my quilts but this one is special. Makes me feel loved every time I look at all the pretty fishies Rachel chose. 💕