{*~Swoon!~*}

SWOON!!!!!

In case you missed the memo, I'm obsessed with Halloween. OBSESSED. It's my most favorite holiday ever. Chop & I got married the day before. I love all the decorations, the cuteness, the spookiness, the macabre. Black & Orange. Burgundy and Brown. It's just an amazing day. Actually, the entire month of October is super fun. I think instead of being an August baby, I was actually an October baby. I adore pumpkins, pumpkin spice lattes (best!), baking, leaves, cool evenings but warm days, remembering trips to VT with my grandparents to be a "leaf peeper"!

When I first saw Swoon in some Quilt Market tweets, I knew I had to make it. It just had to happen. In all honesty, I'm not a "full size" quilt maker. I don't feel the need to make dozens of bed quilts or throws, I'm very much a mini quilt maker. I like little every day patchwork or very long term big quilt projects like Farmer's Wife. But this pattern was so so so so great, very traditional but very fresh at the same time.

I've been hoarding a fq bundle of Riley Blake's Boo to You for a year. I'm not really a fabric hoarder, it's not really my nature. It's funny, people hoard Heather Ross, Denyse Schmidt, Erin Michaels...me? Halloween fabric. Yup. Kind of dorky!

When I saw Riley Blake came out with Trick or Treat, I knew I had to just GIT R DONE (yup. I went there! ;)) So Chop got me some for my birthday and the rest is history! There were a few agonizing moments, like when I realized an online fabric shop shorted me on my background fabric (Kona Ash for the blocks!)! Tracey (hi friend!) saved my butt by letting me borrow some Moda Gray and I REALLY like that it's two neutrals.

Right now the quilt is at Butte County Fairgrounds for the fair at the end of the month. One of my hugest pet peeves is when bloggers say they go to quilt shows and don't see anything "modern" or "fresh" or "young", well duh! We have to get off our quilter butts & ENTER these things! So then other folks will enter and it'll start a good circle of inspiration! ;)

I've never been a "competitive quilter", last fall I entered a mug rug into a Halloween contest and lost..haha. One night on twitter Shari suggested I enter it into the Riley Blake Contest and I decided, what the heck! First the fair, then this contest!

But the total best part? I have a giant freaking HALLOWEEN QUILT FOR MY BED!!!! I can't WAIT to get it back at the end of the month, wash it, crinkle it and sleep under it. It's totally my pride and joy and my special little heirloom quilt! I just need to pick matching fabric for some new pillowcases...hmmm. And bunting. And maybe a mini quilt from my scraps.

I'm spending the week getting caught up on my Farmer's Wife blocks, preparing for my canning class on Saturday and trying to recover from being sick. I attempted to go to the gym this weekend and lasted 15 minutes (instead of 45 :/) on the treadmill. I'm going to yoga this morning and hopefully I won't die.

OH! AND! Guess what guys? I am making a SKIRT. And it FITS! I had to run out and get a zipper last night, I should finish it this week. I've never invisible zippered before! This is a total learning experience but my crazy hard work at the gym has paid off. A pattern I would have had to alter to fit I was able to sew straight out of the package with no adjustments. o m g!

okok. I'll let you guys know when voting starts!!!! I'm going to be chatting more about the pattern and my wonderful quilter in the upcoming weeks too! AND!!! Angela finished her Swoon too and wowzers, it's a beauty!!!!

see you soon!

xo

ps: Thanks Chop for helping me find the best spot in downtown Gridley for our quilt shoot. You have the patience of a saint. ;) <3