Trio of Halloween Crusties

I am the Queen of Snot, a title I will happily relinquish. Think I am over the worst of it now, which is none too soon.

Had myself a bit of a pity party earlier today. I have a cold, I don't feel well, it's my birthday and my hubbie doesn't get back from the U.S. until tomorrow night. To paraphrase The Sopranos, "pooooor me." Don't worry, I'm feeling better now. Have gotten some sweet messages from friends and family and that has helped. That and I broke into my birthday presents.

Anyway, I tried to do a bit of piecing today, but didn't get more than two seams done when I had to quit. Just a bit too woozy from the Sudafed and the stupid itty-bitty fever to do a good job. Now you might be saying, why is she starting ANOTHER project. And you'd be right. Why am I? I just want something to quilt on. I want to do my fans and not think about it. I am having massive fan-quilting cravings. I'm taking another piece of fabric that I love and instead of chopping it up, I'm going to throw a couple of borders on it and voila, quilt top. I hope to get it done tomorrow.

Anyone who is interested in trying the unmarked fans should do the same (I'm looking at you, Dawn). Take a piece of fabric that you love or hate, I don't care. You can consider it a doll quilt or a baby blanket or a practise piece. Whatever will allow you to relax and ENJOY trying this method. Doesn't have to be huge, 20" x 20" should give you plenty of room to practise. The central piece of fabric in Halloween Faces is 20 1/2" by 21 1/2". You could do something that size and not even put borders on it if you don't want to. Baste it up with your backing (no seams will be easier) and batting (I love 80% cotton 20% poly) and we'll meet back here to get started.

In the meantime, here are three crusties to show you. You already saw them from far off in my last post. Anyway, made these in the Fall of 2002 after reading a Quilting Arts article by Susan Shie (Turtle Moon Quilting - there's a link on the right). Not that these ended up looking like her work at all - which is the fun of it. That and they're glitzy, wild, and over the top.

I just realized I didn't post them in the order I made them, but that's okay. I completed the Jack O'Lantern after the other two. I now know I should have done the quilting stitches in the pumpkin in straight lines (rather than chicken scratch all over the place stitches) which would have emphasized the pumpkin shape. I do love the little plastic spiders. Unfortunately the bugle bead outlines don't show up very well.

I really love this one. I made holes through all the quilt layers for the eyes and nose and then used a specialty Halloween fabric (sheer with spider webs) across the back. I probably should have done straight (well, curved) lines for the skull to emphasis its shape. At least I did that in the teeth.