WIP Weds

 Happy Halloween!

This is one I made a few years back----well, I made three of them.  My FAB pals Pat and Norma each have one but it was too darned cute not to make one for ME too.  Amy Bradley pattern in a McCall's magazine, if I recall correctly.

Tomorrow I'll switch out the Halloween stuff in favor of the fall themed pieces.

Meanwhile------my WIP.  The photo below shows how far as I got with the Happy Halloween #BU 19.  The photo jacket calls for tan but the picture looks like a light yellow to me.  After digging around in my stash I came up with this "honey" Moda Marble---mostly because I had enough of it though I still need to piece a bit on the last row of the pattern.  It also shows some bands of green fabric---oh I can come up with that in several shades.   My FAB pal Cher even had something that might work in a box she had gleaned from her sewing room organization project and passed on to me!  Thing is, that green was based on having a green and black plaid print for the border.   I have a fairly good collection of plaids and homespuns but none of that.  Even a black and purple plaid would have worked but that was used in a long ago project.

 So my mind flashed to the three little packets of "benarbasics" I had picked up at a long ago AQS show.   These are pre-charm square days so they measure 2 1/2 x 4 a little longer if you count the pinked edges.  I was to cut 1 1/2 wide and 2 1/2 wide pieces of the green sashing the specified length in the pattern.  I pieced 11 pieces of "half charms" and then cut them into the widths I need.  I believe I like this idea better!

I let that measurement govern the length I cut the other bands of the Moda and will probably skip the borders.   This had been laying atop the sewing machine cover.  I spotted that striped yardage and believe I will use it for the binding.  The colors are similar enough.  I could even pick something other than purple to spell out the words "Happy Halloween" if I wanted.  Bonus:  I have the binding already cut as I had thought of using it on another project.

Sewing the base will be minimal.  The rest is prepping applique really.  The pattern also calls for black baby rick rack for use in cat's whiskers and spider legs.  Naturally I don't have any---I have some but not in black.  I ran back over to Walmart only to find that they have just slightly more than me.  Much depleted inventory--some medium white and that was about it except for a pre-made binding and blanket binding and not much selection there either.  I asked the person working and she pointed me to a box of discontinued items which was just more of the same but with some metallic gold and silver.  It was about 3 p.m. by that time and I was NOT going to chase all over town looking for it.  There are three possible sites for sewing stuff---one a family owned general store in downtown Anniston and two off in Oxford, Wilson's Fabric Discount (the one in Boaz is much better stocked) and over to Hobby Lobby.   I asked on FB if any of my local pals knew where to look for it in the first place or had some they could spare.  Marilyn does---I thought she might as she sews clothing for the American Girl dolls. 

I finished off the day knitting-----since I had grabbed a skein of primary multi-color yarn on my fruitless run to the store.  I just had to do the decrease rows on the cream colored hat for Cindy's project.  I have the ribbing done and a few of the stockinette rows on the pretty stuff.

I did get a couple of the other things cut that were on my list earlier in the week----my Tons of Black challenge piece is kitted up.  I cut binding for the two quilt tops that Cindy had made at the Fall Sew-In--not seamed yet but will be.  Fabrics are pulled for the other faux-button up piece I want to do.  (Harvest from Folk Art Favorites).

I am not pushing it as hard as I often do though----or I would not have been knitting---but I enjoy both and even spent some time reading last night.  DJ and I had been to the library on our Monday errand and lunch run so why not?   Something else always gets neglected around here when I am really on a roll.  I'm giving myself permission to play or do something else.

And sew it goes------