Happy Halloween! It's time to hand out treats!!!

Happy Halloween!  Now it's time for some treats.  First I want to give you all a coupon code which will work on my Etsy site for 50% off on any Halloween or Fall pattern!  The code is TREAT. This code will not work on Craftsy.... only on Etsy. (Code good thru Novemeber 2, 2012)
Now onto my giveaway treats for Wicked Blog Hop.... Thank you to everyone who visited!  And Thank you to Wendy and Madame Samm! Now onto the winners!

louzee said...
very nice block! But my favourite is the mug rug Frankie! Its so cute :)

Fiesta said...

Your project is wonderful and so creative. Thank you for sharing your wickedness today!

Louzee and Fiesta have won PDF copies of my Frankie and Mr. Bones Mug Rug patterns!  Happy Halloween!!

Now onto my Something Wicked This Way Come giveaway!  I want to thank everyone who came to visit!  Thank you!!!  I loved everyones blocks and hope to make a Halloween quilt with all of the great patterns that I collected during the hop. A huge thank you to  Soma from Whims and Fancies. Now onto the winners...

Simplesew said....

She is too much fun !!! I learned to PP yesterday and this one looks easy for a beginner and fun for fabric. I have loved the hop !

piece piece said....

This block is witchin'. I love it. Thank you for sharing.

Simplesew and Piece Piece have won a PDF copy of my very first pattern... Grandpa's Pumpkin Table Runner.

The doorbell just rang, must go and greet out little sweeties and pass out some more candy!

Happy Halloween!

 

FNSI Building Houses

Well, I had what was a some what successful FNSI.  I actually got down to my sewing room and worked on some sewing.  Although I had a ton of items that should have taken priority... but I needed to work on something that didn't require cutting or measuring.  So I paper pieced houses.  I got several done for my Building Houses Challenge.  I'm so hopelessly behind on my house quilt.  I've been seeing finished house quilts show up on other blogs and they are gorgeous!  Just wonderful!  The one thing I thought I had going for me at the beginning of the year is not helping me. You see, I decided to use bigger blocks... 4 inch instead of 2 1/2" thinking, less blocks to make.  Giving me a chance to get a 'house' quilt done if I didn't have to make 356 houses.... ackkkk! Statistically I think I would only need about 154 houses. I'm thinking of 1 to 1 1/2" sashing in between all the blocks. I only have about 50 houses finished so far... I'm trying to make it exciting by changing up the house styles instead of using all the same design.... to help keep my interest... I find that this sometimes sidetracks my efforts.  Example.... I've spent the last 4 hours playing around with new design software which I found online free for paper piecing.  I've had a blast!  It's a free download that I found HERE. I've made a wonky jack-o-lantern,  house with a pine tree, trees with a star and then what I have pictured above.... Haunted house. Wouldn't the haunted house be a fun addition to my quilt.  Every town has a haunted house! Then I wonder... don't I need some trees too?  My house quilt is becoming derailed with me overthinking it! Help!!!

Here are my complete houses that I got done during FNSI...

This is one of my favorites!

Happy quilting!

A Glorious Giveaway!

Oh my goodness, the days fly by.... I'm a couple of days late to announce our winner for the Glorious  Autumn Block Party giveaway... Wilson and I are so excited about our giveaway! Our friends at The Fat Quarter Shop donated a very cool prize. A Fat Quarter Bundle of 'Heather Bostic's Blogger's Choice'.

I want to thank everyone who stopped by the Doodle Blog and left such lovely comments.  I do read every comment! I appreciate all of you and find inspiration in your comments.

Wilson is already to pick a winner! He's prancing around with a bag of names, all ready to pick a lucky winner. Our friends from The Fat Quarter Shop is looking forward to mailing Heather Bostic's Fat Quarter Bundle to our winner!

There's still more blocks to be seen at the Glorious Autumn Block Party!  Designers are posting blocks thru December 13, 2012!

Hey Wilson!  Who's the winner?.............. Bring the name over here buddy so that I can announce our lucky winner!...................................

Barb!!!

who left this lovely comment.....

"Heather has her own delightful view of the world. My first thought is to make a reversible tote bag. Then I thought it might be fun to design a reversible table mat or wall hanging--one side for Halloween, the other for Thanksgiving"

Congratulations Barb!

It's a rainy day here in Minnesota. A perfect day to curl up with a good book by the fireplace... but alas, I've got to run to work.  It would also be a lovely day to spend in my sewing room, but everyday is perfect for that!  Hope you have a wonderful day and find some time to quilt!

Happy quilting,

A Wicked Blog Hop!

It's time to have a wicked good time! A huge Thank you to Madame Samm for another awesome hop and to Wendy at Why Knot Kwilt!  I worked on a few original designs. The first one being a haunted house!  Imagine the little ghouls and goblins that go trick or treating here! I enjoy to embroider and this was a fun project to work on in front of the TV.
After I got the center embroidered then I decided to make a no-waste flying geese border all the way around it.... so here's how I did it.... it's not a new technique, and I certainly can't take credit for it.  But it sure made making tiny flying geese blocks easy and accurate to do! I used 3 fat quarters from Thimbleberries to do my block.

I began by cutting 32  ~  1  7/8" black squares and 8 ~ 3  1/4" orange squares

Lay two black squares on one orange square right sides together and draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, you will sew a 1/4" scant seam on each side of the diagonal line.  (I have the diagonal marked here)

Sewing on the lines....

Then cut apart....

Iron... to the dark side....

Then lay a black square on your triangle section, again mark 1/4" seam on each side of the diagonal.

I have a stack of them to do to make a border!

Sew on the 1/4" seam line....

Cut apart....

iron... iron to the dark side....this will make 1" x 2" flying geese (1  1/2" x 2  1/2")

Then I trim my embroidery piece down ....

8 flying geese blocks will form the border on each side....

I fussy cut the corner blocks for the border.



Border is all pieced and the block is now ready to quilt.

All quilted

Sewing on the binding....

It's time to welcome the Trick or Treaters!!!



I didn't just stop there, I also made this cute mug rug. 'Frankie'

I also made a skeleton mug rug. I call this fellow 'Mr. Bones'.  I love his candy corn nose. I love candy corn!

I was planning on giving a  copy of Halloween house as a prize, but I'm still trying to write it! But I do have directions for both 'Mr. Bones' and 'Frankie'. So Wilson and I will pick two lucky winners for both patterns. To win... leave me a comment on your favorite Halloween treat. I love candy corn mixed with peanuts. For a second chance to win, be a happy follower and let me know that you are. Wilson and I will draw our lucky winners on Halloween! Yep Halloween! We have all sorts of treats to give away on Halloween!

I get to share today with these talented quilters!

The Quilting Alleycat

Words & Stitches

Geema's Wonderings

Quilt Doodle Doodles (You are here!)

Bacon Then Eggs

Inga

Briarside Lane

Quilts And Smily Faces

Why Knot?

Quilt Matters

Mad Quilter's Disease

Susie's World

Sew Paint Create

Happy Halloween!
Cindy

International Quilt Market!!!

I've packed up and sent off my Spring samples and pattern covers off to my friends at Pattern Peddlers. Penel is off to the International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas!  If you have the chance to go as an exhibitor or as a buyer I hope that you take the time to say 'Hi' to Penel! (and Rollie too) She is fantastic and does such a wonderful job marketing Quilt Doodle Designs and many other designers. Penel can be found in booths 314, 316 and 318.  The theme this market is 'Meet the Designers'. Take time to read some bios and marvel at the wonderful items they have to offer. Penel will be happy to help you place an order for some new patterns for your quilt shop. Pattern Peddlers represents a ton of talented quilt designers, one stop shopping for your quilt shop!

Pattern Peddlers Spring Market Booth

Rollie and Penel at the Spring Market 2012

I hope that you have a chance to check out the NEW designs from Quilt Doodle Designs too while you're there. I am very excited about the NEW items! They are so much fun to make!



Happy quilting!

Find My Fabric!

I have been asked to review Find My Fabric... I found this on the companies blog....

" Find My Fabric is an online search engine that will help you find fabric, quilting, and sewing supplies from hundreds of online stores. Along with a general keyword search, the system also allows you to find fabric from a picture that you've taken. No more need to run around to the dozen quilt shops in your area to see if they have any of that fabric left in order to finish your project! Just snap a picture of it and find it (or something similar) online." 

Well, sounds too good to be true doesn't it! How many times have you started a project and found you don't have enough fabric.  Or you're cutting away only to find, you've mis-cut.... yikes!!!  Or... you've made a fantastic quilt and have a request to make another one just like it..... I've have had all of these things happen.  I've spent countless hours searching for fabric. So when asked to try this out , I was instantly hooked to give it a try....

 This is what the Search page looks like.... what to do..... it took me a minute or two to figure it out.  So here's what you do.... in the search box (the white box with the magnifying glass) you can type words to search what you are looking for.  For example, I typed in 'Jingle all the way'  and got all sorts of results on Nancy Halvorson's fabric line and where it can be found. Then I typed in 'snowflake' (I love snowflake fabric) then I got a great listing of tons of snowflake fabric! Plus a fun listing of other snowflake items like quilt hangers and quilt designs. Pretty cool! Then I refined my search to 'blue snowflake fabric'.... woo hoo! I found all sorts of blue snowflake fabrics that I loved!  Plus one more suprise...... one of my patterns!

Well, that's not the only way you can search your fabric... you click on the 'camera' and you can search with a picture/jpeg of your fabric. This was neat too! I tried out searching with a couple fabrics with pictures I had on file just to try it.  Sometimes it found my fabric, sometimes not.  But one thing I really liked was it found all sorts of fabrics that matched!  Same color etc. Love that!

I think that Find My Fabric could be a useful tool for a fabric search! Give it a try and see what you think. 

 I like Find My Fabric and have bookmarked it on my computer for future use. I am always looking for same or similar fabric, this may save me some time.

Happy quilting!

Psssst.....I do need to tell you that I have been asked to review this site and I am getting compensated for my review. I'm letting you know what my opinion is..... happy searching!

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Boo!  Firt let me thank, Soma of Whims and Fancies for organizing this wonderfully spooky hop. I love fall and my favorite holiday is Halloween!  I had so much fun designing this spooky block for you! Many of you know that I do a lot of paper piecing.  But when it comes to designing, most of my patterns are applique. I haven't designed many paper pieced blocks, so this was a fun challenge. 

Come Here My Little Sweetie can be downloaded for FREE

HERE and HERE

I dug through my Halloween fabric for my block, since I love Halloween, I have no shortage of fabric. I haven't decided yet what to do with my block... pillow, do I make more spooky blocks and make a table runner or quilt?  hummmmmm ......What do you think?



'Come Here My Little Sweetie'

It's time for treats... I also have a giveaway!  Leave me a comment on what you would do with my 'Come Here Little Sweetie' block..... for a chance to win a PDF copy of my 'Grandpa's Pumpkin' table runner pattern.

For a second chance to win let me know that you are a follower... for a third... tweet about my post and/or the 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' Blog Hop.
Wilson and I will choose two winners on Halloween!  Yep.... October 31st!

Two lucky winners will win a PDF copy of my very first pattern!

 A complete listing of designers for this hop can be found at Whims and Fancies.

Yesterday's block was designed by Jennifer Ofenstein, Sewhooked 

Tomorrow's block will be presented by Suziecurls, Hosted at Whims And Fancies

Happy Halloween!!!

Psssssst.... I also have a giveaway going on for The Glorious Autumn Block Party... Wilson and I will be picking a winner October 23rd.... check it out and enter!  There's a free block pattern too!

Glorious Autumn Block Party

  I am thrilled to be one of the 45 designers taking part in The Glorious Autumn Block Party. There have been so many wonderful blocks presented so far.  They would make a beautiful sampler quilt! I'm so happy to have you stop by my blog and check out my 'Oak Wreath ' block. As a designer I find inspiration all around me.  To come up with my block that I designed especially for the Glorious Autumn Block Party, I didn't have to look further than my own back yard. I have a majestic Oak Tree right out my back door.

A free PDF copy of 'Oak Wreath' can be found HERE and HERE. I hope that you have fun making my 'Oak Wreath' block.

This majestic Oak tree graces my backyard.

The leaves were just starting to change as I worked on designing my block. It was perfect Minnesota fall weather, sunny and in the low 70's with a slight breeze... love it!

I cut 9  4 1/2" blocks to create my background for my block.  I'm using Hoffman's Bali Handpaints.

I laid my blocks out to create a 9-patch block.

Traced leaves on heat and bond, all ready to be ironed onto my contrasting leaf fabric.

I arranged the leaves out on to my 9-patch block overlapping stems and leaves to form a wreath. 
Then I iron them onto the block.

The finished block. This would make a lovely wallhanging, pillow, table runner for fall.
Make a set of 12 and it would be a fantastic lap quilt for fall.  For a different look you could
use a cream background with fall colored leaves. I also think this block would look  nice with
stems quilted on the leaves. Quilting would make this block pop.

Now onto the giveaway... Wilson and I are so excited about our giveaway!   Our friends at The Fat Quarter Shop is donating a very cool prize.  A Fat Quarter Bundle of 'Heather Bostic's Blogger's Choice'.  Stop on by The Fat Quarter Shop and check out this fantastic collection and take time to browse the other beautiful fat quarter bundles.  To win, leave me a comment on what you would do with such a wonderful selection of fabric.  For a second chance to win, leave a comment that you are a follower too!  For a third chance to win, tweet about my blog post and the Glorious Autumn Block Party. Wilson and I will announce a lucky winner, October 23rd



 

You Could win this!

 .

My designer profile and the Quilter's Super Deal of the day are on the

 Quilting Gallery website.

I'm sharing this week with these talented designers too!

October 17th

Caren

As the Thread Breaks

October 18th

Melissa

Happy Quilting

Happy quilting and perfect stitches to you!