Okay everyone…normally I write a blog post on Monday morning that tells you everything I’ve been working on over the last week. This is going to be a little of that but also a HUGE plea for your help.
You might remember I had a deadline quilt for a wedding on New Year’s Eve.
Kelli came on Wednesday and helped finish cutting it out. I started crazily piecing on it.
I sewed for several hours in the evening on it.
I sewed several hours on Saturday on it. I got this far…Two rows sewn together and many more blocks to make.
Sunday we were supposed to go to Buck’s but we got a half-hour into our trip and there started to be some freezing rain and ice pellets. We aren’t afraid of snow but ice pellets yes…freezing rain, yes. See ice pellets by the wipers?
Buck lives 2 hours south of us and I didn’t want to drive in that we so we turned around and headed home to be safe. (We ended up with 3″ of snow.)
So I spent Sunday sewing and got to this point. This was pure power sewing. I only broke for potty breaks.
My original design looked like this…
I sent pictures to Kelli and asked for a consult. I wasn’t excited about what I had in mind for the border.
I auditioned just a plain muslin border.  I didn’t like that.
Then I messaged Kelli and asked about what I was playing with in the picture below.
Kelli said YES…so that’s what I did. It took me another hour or so to get newly designed borders sewn and on.
Here is the top…Kelli and I both love it.
This border is MUCH nicer.
So…I left the project and decided I’d hit it again on Monday night. I’d get a backing pieced and get it loaded on the frame.
So…That’s when I sat down at the computer. That’s when I thought what the heck, I’ll submit the quilt design…I didn’t expect an answer anytime soon on whether a magazine would take this quilt design or not. I was sure they were all on vacation. So being Kelli and I would have to remake the quilt if they accepted the design, we wrote in our submission that we’d be happy to make it up in any colorway, scrappy or not scrappy or with a fabric line. I hit send and then I went over to Messenger to message Connie a picture of my completed quilt top.
About two messages into the conversation with Connie and American Patchwork and Quilting had emailed me back on a Sunday night!?!?!?! They wanted the design and would we mind making it scrappy in Halloween colors. Immediately I thought, that would be cool…So I said yes!
About then I realized that I really don’t have many Halloween prints. I used them all up on another scrappy Halloween quilt I made a few years ago. OH NO! There aren’t Halloween prints in the stores right now either and with Covid, I can’t go on my own personal shop hop to find some even if there were….so, I panicked for a second, and then I remembered when I asked for 2 1/2″ strip background from blog readers when I was making our Thanks to You! quilt. You all came in our force and sent me background white-based strips. So, I’m asking for your help again…
Do you have Halloween print fabric? Can you please send me a Halloween print of fabric? One strip that is 2 1/2″ wide would be all I need to get a scrappy look. It can be mailed in an envelope without costing extra postage. You wouldn’t need to go to the post office to mail an envelope. I’ll need orange, black, limy green. They can be Halloween prints or they can be regular fabric…it doesn’t matter if the quilt is to be scrappy. Think this with maybe some light purples added in…
Oh my… I did it to myself this time!!
I would be forever grateful to anyone who takes pity on me and sends a strip of 2 1/2″ Halloween fabric or orange, black, light purple, or limy green print. We don’t need white based fabric…just the colored. Kelli and I will throw the names of everyone who donates into a hat and come up with a prize for whoever’s name we pull out of the hat. How does that sound??
Here’s the other important info…the quilt is due in house at American Patchwork and Quilting for mid-February. That’s going to be quick!! So if you have a strip can you send it ASAP. I’m going to be piecing the quilt as strips come in. I’ll try to share pictures so you all can watch my progress.
How fun will it be for you too? Make sure you remember what strip you sent so when the quilt comes out in the magazine, you can look and see if your fabric scrap is identifiable in the pictures!! That sounds so fun. Doesn’t it?
So…if you don’t mind, can you help a gal out?? This is going to be so fun getting my mail over the next week or so…I am a little nervous about this all being the mail has been so terrible too. Enough of that though…I’m going to be thinking positive…this will work. I will make the mid-February deadline…right?? With your help, I think I can!!
Here’s my address:
Jo Kramer
111 2nd Ave NE
Waucoma, IA 52171
THANKS SO MUCH!!
Jo, does the fabric have to be 2.5 inch strips or would fat quarter, fat eighths, charm squares, or scraps wider than 2.5 inches work? Batiks? Fabrics in those colors that have metallic or glitter accents?
Sure Nance…I’ll make whatever work!
Please add your mailing address to your post. I did find your address in a post from mid-December about mail. I think if you can include it in your post, it will make it easier for those who want to help by sending strips ASAP.
Your wedding quilt is beautiful. Can’t wait to see it finished. Thanks for letting us be a part of what you do.
OOPS.
Jo Kramer
111 2nd Ave NE
Waucoma, IA 52171
I really like your wedding quilt pattern I will look in my stash as I’m sure I’ll have something. I so like Halloween fabrics!!!
Beautiful wedding quilt! I have plenty of Halloween fabric and would be happy to help. Where to mail?
Thanks so much Rita..
Jo Kramer
111 2nd Ave NE
Waucoma, IA 52171
Love the wedding quilt – the design & colors are beautiful! I need your address to mail you halloween fabric. Is it current as listed on another social media site if not please email your address. My email is listed with this message.
You’re quilt is beautiful!
I wish I could help you out as I just ordered Halloween fabric to make a quilt for my grand daughter, but I will check my scraps anyway!
Love and prayers
I have a stack of 2.5 inch strips about 4.5 inches long In several shade of orange about. More than 44 inches.would that be ok? Our weather report said we down south are going to get an ice storm for New Years eve.
YES Judith…Perfect
Jo Kramer
111 2nd Ave NE
Waucoma, IA 52171
For those who asked for this. Searching my stash for strips. Good luck Jo
Love the border Bonnie Hunter just posted her recent top and she included carrying a portion of the block out into the border which really gives a finished look to the top. Fabric strips are coming your way.
Scraps will be on their way ASAP! Love your quilt!
I think you created a fun challenge. I will take a look. I don’t have a lot of Halloween. Love the wedding quilt. Nicely done. Have fun!
I want to be included ! Sending some your way !
Yep, I will put it in the mail today. Great design. Cathy
Jo, Old South Fabrics (on-line shop) still has the Midnight Magic fabric line . . . on sale.
When I get home I’ll find ya some, I have been collecting for awhile to make one!
Love the new pattern! I will send out fabric today :)
I love this, and scrappy will be perfect. I’ll send you a strip or two. I’ll also mention that because of Covid, many shops have a really odd assortment of fabric in them. If you think you might still need some fabric, I’d call a few local shops to see what they have. You may be surprised. Good luck!
I bet you are going to be inundated with fabric scraps. Your mail is going to blow up. That will be an interesting post.
A light purple halloween fabric is on its way. I look forward to seeing the finished quilt!
I love the quilt. Great addition of the border. I’ll check my stash.
I know I have some Halloween fabric so I’ll have to check and see what colors they are. Might not be able to get it into the mail until tomorrow but happy to help! Looking forward to seeing what comes in your mail…lol
Love the wedding quilt!! And I am just sending all my Halloween fabric and you can use what you need and stash the rest!! Happy New Year everyone!!!
That is gorgeous, Jo!! Off to check the stash for 2.5″ strips in your prescribed colors…
The wedding quilt is beautiful. I am sending you some fabric leftover from making masks for Halloween. Kelli is looking good!
It’s in an envelope and ready for the letter carrier. Thanks for helping me remove an ounce of fabric from my stash! Looking forward to seeing the finished quilt.
Just addressed an envelope for you and I’m bringing it to the PO today! You do so much for everyone and I’m so happy to help you out!!
Wedding quilt is beautiful. You do such great work Halloween fabbies coming your way.
My contribution is in the mailbox awaiting Mike the Mailman’s rounds. He’s dependable!
The quilt you designed is wonderful. I look forward to seeing it in the magazine.
Light purple fabric on the way.
I will gladly send a few strips. Also, if you look on Etsy you can easily find All Hallows Eve or Midnight Magic jelly rolls. The wedding quilt is beautiful! Good luck getting it finished in time!
I wonder if that random piece of Halloween fabric included in the small package I sent about a month ago got passed on already or saved. It was in with vintage John Deere and canning jar panels….I almost didn’t send it as I thought it would be too seasonal. Fingers crossed you saved it aside.
Just sent a couple of orange strips to you! Best of luck on the quilt…hope you get lots of variety!
I have some black with orange polka dots and the orange with black dots I will send you.
I think you should put Carver to work with a map to see where all you get fabric from and what came the farthest.
I love the quilt! I can’t wait to make it. Some Halloween strips were mailed today.
Just mailed you some of your colors for the quilt. I love the design and will look forward to seeing it finished.
Sending some today. Not 2-1/2 strips, but you can cut them down to that.
I was headed to the post office anyway so I added a package of strips to my trip. My husband asked what they were for, and I said you had put out a call for Halloween 2 1/2 ” strips. “Kind of like the midnight bark?” he asked. We had just watched 101 Dalmatians. So yes! Happy to help save those puppies and help you make your deadline .
Sounds like a fun project. Got my strip in the mail today, limey green as you call it. Beautiful design–good thing American Patchwork grabbed that one fast. Looking forward to watching your progress.
I see hundreds of fabric collectors putting an envelope in the mailbox today. My purple with black spiders on it is on its way from Utah.
Orange strip is in the mail this morning.
Congratulations on the magazine picking it up and super quick too. Awesome! Beautiful quilt! I can’t wait to see it in the orange and all colors. Happy sewing. You can do it!! It’s gonna be amazing!!
HI Jo!! Love your quilt. I happen to be working on Tricky Checkers right now and got a bit carried away with my strip cutting. Will have some oranges and blacks headed your way.
Happy Holidays!
Li, is your purple with spiders in a spiral design? If so, I have black skeletons on orange background I can send instead.
Sending some orange fabrics with Halloween designs.. 3 different ones, larger pieces. Can’t mail it till tomorrow, ours is closed now.
I know you are going to be knee deep in halloween fabrics. lol
Package already in the mail from Alabama. Have fun.
First of all, I love the fabrics you chose for your wedding gift. Just a completely gorgeous quilt.
Second: Soooo many fabrics on their way to you from all over the country! What fun to open it all, sort, and get going on the next one. My envelope is ready to go.
I really love the wedding quilt – the design and the colorway!
I made a quilt like this years ago I got it out of a magazine I love the colors I will have to make it again
It’s a very beautiful quilt pattern. Can’t wait to see it in a magazine. Every quilters dream- lucky you. I’ll be searching – hope to contribute something for you.
To Nance in Reno. Spiders are not in a spiral design.
With all you do to entertain me with your blog, I will send my strips of green, purple and some Halloween gold tomorrow. Love the quilt and the border is really nice! Happy New Year Jo.
I’ll see i have any.
In So Cal JoAnns has a section of holiday fabrics year round.
Thanks, Li, for the info. I found a purple with pale lavender stars fabric and a plain lime green that I popped in the mail. I also have a Halloween cupcake on black background fabric to mail. I will see if Jo needs more purple, orange, or purple fabric and can send my spider spiral if she needs more purple.
So happy to help. I’ll get it in the mail by Wed for sure- maybe more than 1.
Your wedding quilt is beautiful! Those borders added so much to the design! I’ll send a Halloween fabric strip. So happy to help and be a part of this. Blessings!
An envelope is on its way today.
I’m going through my stash now! I have tons of Halloween fabrics. Although many aren’t suitable for a scrappy quilt, I’ll send what does work. I can’t wait to see the finished quilt!
Mailed a padded priority mailer to you on Thursday…filled with goodies you can hopefully use. With so many generous women responding you should have enough for several quilts! Happy sewing/quilting!
Linda
I have a green and orange stip coming to you. Hopefully the mail isn’t has slow has before Christmas.
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