I am just so excited about this new project! I'd like to jump up and down and squeal "Yippee!", but things jiggle and it doesn't feel good. Just pretend I am leaping about shouting my glee in your mind's eye. Without any jiggling.
Halloween 1904 by Blackbird Designs is the pattern. I bought a kit when I was at Buggy Barn in Reardan, WA this August, which, even though quite pricey, ended up being just a starting point for making this quilt. I don't buy a lot of kits, because I often think I have better ideas when it comes to fabric selection. This kit however, was chock full of beautiful Halloweeny oranges and blacks that would have taken me years to acquire. Sometimes you just have to get the kit and view it as a stepping off point for making your own version.
I did end up using all the oranges and blacks that were provided in the kit, but added more of my own. The backgrounds didn't suit me at all, so I swapped out most of those. The pattern suggests using whites with small black prints for your backgrounds, but those are not that easy to find. The folks at Buggy Barn who made the quilt kit, added in a lot of unusual figured background prints that didn't seem to relate to the intent of the quilt as I saw it. I'd love to see a photo of a quilt made entirely of the fabrics Buggy Barn put in the kit, just to see how it worked out in the end.
I wasn't taking any chances with my quilt, so I did my own thing. I chose cream background prints, yellowish tan prints, and tea dyed looking prints for my background blocks. I quite like the results.
My friend Thelma is also planning to make this quilt. One of the very kind owners of Buggy Barn told us that we could use their "Crazy" piecing method to piece the stars intead of appliquing them as the pattern instructs. I was initially very intrigued to do that, and Thelma got on it like white on rice.
Thelma, being the kind friend that she is, sent me all sorts of photos and detailed instructions on how to piece these little stars with the background fabrics. My breath started to get short, my vision blurred, and I knew that the piecing thing wasn't going to work for me. I need more machine applique practice anyway.
I got to work and cut out all my little background squares and interfaced all my star shapes. I am now ready to get down to business and start appliqueing something like 52 little stars onto background squares. I have made my first block and I think I am loving it! Stay tuned.
Talk about getting on it like white on rice! Look how much you've already accomplished toward making yet another quilt!! I'd say you're back up to wizard speed yourself!
Love that you're dedicated to the freedom of adapting patterns and/or fabrics to suit yourself. So many folks seem to feel restricted to the fabrics in a quilt kit and endure all sorts of stress if they don't have enough of a fabric.
Happy machine appliqueing!
Hugs!
Posted by: Barbara Anne | October 02, 2012 at 05:52 AM
Those star shapes will give you lots of practice appliqueing points and corners. You'll be an expert after doing 52! I do like the look of this quilt and the way you are adapting the kit to make it your own thing.
Posted by: Cathy | October 02, 2012 at 06:26 AM
Oooh this looks like fun!
Posted by: Helen in Switzerland | October 02, 2012 at 06:45 AM
No wonder you love it. So fun!
Posted by: Diane | October 02, 2012 at 06:49 AM
I'm so excited to see your beginning this! I have not decided if I'm going to go Crazy or applique yet. I'm going to wait until I have taken the machine applique class on the 15th. If things go well, I might applique the stars like you. I even thought of doing some wool on the pumpkins but then I thought that I wanted to actually use the quilt and don't know how the wool would hold up. So, scratch that! I think I'm going to dig into the half square triangles this weekend. I'm so thrilled!
I love the background change. I think I'm going to have to look at mine closer. BTW: Are you doing raw edge applique? If you do, what fusible do you use? How stiff does it leave things?
Posted by: Sandy M | October 02, 2012 at 06:55 AM
I'm loving it, too . . .
Posted by: Nancy, Near Philadelphia | October 02, 2012 at 07:06 AM
I really like this pattern and am looking forward to seeing your results. I know your fabric choices will work really well because your choices are always excellent.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Linda Kay | October 02, 2012 at 07:06 AM
What a beautiful beginning! I'm looking forward to seeing the progress of this quilt.
Posted by: sillysally | October 02, 2012 at 07:47 AM
Your stars look like a beautiful pile of autumn leaves in the basket. I may have to follow along after I see your pictures progress. I have the quilt kit as well, but I'm not as adventurous as you to change it up. I'm afraid I'll screw up a perfectly good quilt - but... if I see more of your pics, I may shamelessly copy your ideas!! Hope you don't mind. ;)
Posted by: Jennifer G | October 02, 2012 at 08:10 AM
Love your choice of fabrics for this quilt. You are really getting a great start on this quilt. I have just learned invisible machine applique and I love it. Looking forward to watching your progress on this one
Posted by: Sue Babich | October 02, 2012 at 08:28 AM
Yummy oranges there! I had seen that quilt before but like you, prefer creamier and darker backgrounds. Your version is sure to be a stunner! Machine applique is time consuming but works just fine! I want to try that Crazy star cutting method but haven't got around to it.
Posted by: AnnieO | October 02, 2012 at 08:29 AM
I also have the pattern, would love to make it for our bed, leaving off the pumpkins.
Can't wait to see your color choices as the black/orange/white wouldn't work and there is no way I could collect that many as those colors don't seem to be available in abundance near me.
Posted by: marie | October 02, 2012 at 08:42 AM
I LOVE LOVE both yesterday's quilt and what looks like a beautiful beginning to today's quilt. Keep up the good work. Thanks for doing yesterday's quilt with Arnold's Attic line of fabric. Somewhere I have a bundle of that stuff and now know exactly what I am going to do with it when I find it! So glad you are back in the groove. (And if you're not - thanks for faking it:) Love your blog posts!! P.S. I have done the 'crazy' piecing method of Buggy Barn and I do like it - a lot. Try it sometime - I bet you would like it too. Once again thanks for sharing!
Marsha
Posted by: Marsha | October 02, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Hi Nicole,
I did this quilt a couple of year's ago. It is one of my favorite's to pull out of the pile and use and I put it on the bed this morning. It is October! So, FYI, I think you know, I love to needleturn applique so I did applique the stars and all. I made an extra pumpkin block because I thought they were so dang cute. Added two black cats blocks and an extra star and moon one as well. You are going to be so pleased with this one. Enjoy!
Best Wishes,
Mary
Posted by: Mary Kastner | October 02, 2012 at 10:47 AM
think i found a picture with the fabric
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15443384@N07/4974554096/in/photostream/
Posted by: Lindy | October 02, 2012 at 11:21 AM
You have such a good eye, Nicole! This is going to be adorable! Have fun appliqueing!
Cheers!
Posted by: Candace | October 02, 2012 at 03:33 PM
I like your substitutions for the background fabric. Looks like you have a good beginning. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: cindy | October 02, 2012 at 04:30 PM
This is a quilt pattern I've always had my eye on! Good for you for getting started on it. I can't wait to follow your progress. It's sure to be a beauty!
Posted by: Michele | October 02, 2012 at 06:28 PM
Ooohhh. So nice! Can't wait to see more.
Posted by: Debbie R. | October 02, 2012 at 08:13 PM
I have always loved this quilt so much! I don't applique, so not sure I'll ever get it on my to do list - but can't wait to see your progess. Love your fun fall quilts you're whipping out!
Posted by: Abby | October 02, 2012 at 10:02 PM
I love your background fabric! Can't wait to see all those stars stitched together. ;p
Posted by: ina | October 02, 2012 at 11:20 PM
Hey, just wondering what kind of applique stitch you will use? Blanket stitch, satin, small zigzag or what? I can't tell in the photo.
Posted by: Karen Ely | October 03, 2012 at 06:31 PM
Love your color choices!
Posted by: Nancy Watkins | October 03, 2012 at 07:11 PM
Love that pattern! I just found it in a quilt store and could not buy it fast enough, since I have been looking for it for a couple of years...
I think I would buy the kit, like you did, simply because I do not have much in the line of orange fabrics (not one of my favorite colors!)
Posted by: chris floraday | October 04, 2012 at 08:06 AM
Found your blog via Thelma's... love the Halloween 1904 quilt the two of you are working on. It will be fun seeing your progress with appliqued stars, and Thelma's progress with stack and wack method. Really like what I'm seeing on your posts... I'll be back! Focus!
Posted by: Kathy | October 05, 2012 at 08:50 AM