Twistin' the night away---twistin'.............EDITED!

 This is how I spent the last few days----machine quilting this monster donation quilt.  Really it was about time as this was the challenge quilt fabric choice for 2010.  The quilt was done in December of that year.  Yesterday all I had to do was the top and one side of the quilts piano keys and put on the binding.

Then I started piecing the giant 4 patches that will become the twister row for a Halloween row I will be doing with some of the FABS.   I called it quits when I had the longer pieces of the 4 blocks' "borders" to apply.  They are on now and ready for me to get out the twister ruler.

We are using some elements of a quilt we saw on anna lena land as inspiration.  I also ordered the Spooktacular Row quilt kit from Connecting Threads as I needed the fabric.  The pattern is gravy!  I like the cats face row and the candy corn row the best so they will probably be used in my version.  You can see some of the fabrics from the kit in the twister block starts above.  OR if you want to see the kit contents or the quilt out flat, click on the see more images, view the kit contents on the spooktacular link. 

I get the twister row done and then I can finish sewing this one together from the Belles demo though I am not entirely sure what I am going to do with the piece once it IS done, LOL.  Stick it in my Christmas sampler quilt probably. 

And I still need to piece the base from the Christmas wreath thing the Belles and I will be doing on Tuesday.  I just want to get mine done enough to show them the next step---as not everyone was present last time.  Finish it up later after I lend out my ruler at the meeting.  ( I cannot decide if I want a touch of gold border or red before I go out to the green cardinal print border so pulled all three.) 

I also took a piece of acrylic templates I had from an old Pandora set--the square that measured 3 1/2 inches and marked the lines on scotch tape as suggested in this link on the quiltingboard site.  Pat was telling us this morning that someone had cut 8 inch squares and then transferred the angles of the Lil Twister ruler to their 6 1/2 inch square ruler to make a smaller version than the 10 inch.  You really just need to establish the same angles in the line placements.  Bet it works pretty well.

I found this Trip Around the World tutorial twister version this morning----I love this idea!!  Here is the link---http://www.conniekresin.com/2011/10/worldly-lil-twister-quilt-and-giiveaway.html     All kinds of cool ideas out there!

TWO  TWISTER TIPS


Carole from my Friendship Quilters group is the one that gave the group these two suggestions when she walked us through doing the little Christmas in July twister wall hanging.

1)  Put a dot of  fingernail polish or something similar on the upper right of the ruler so you will not mess up the orientation of the cuts when you move across and down the seam lines to cut.

2)  Consider getting a cutting turntable to help with that last cut.  Normally I can get around three sides fairly easily but you are going to feel like a contortionist at some point.  Turn the mat instead of YOU. 

I just butted up the regular Big Mama ruler against where the twister had been and cut from the right side as always BUT Connecting Threads had a 40% off tool sale and that price while still more than I really wanted to pay, was more reasonable for this thing.  It has helped for cutting some of my FWIS blocks already so I guess I made an investment in ME---and more poor aching lower back.

Well, I am off to cut and then sew.  I'll post the after pictures in a bit.