The Nightfall Parade | | A Midnight Observer Quilt : :

The Nightfall Parade continues today with my Midnight Observer QAYG Quilt, featuring my Bird of Night owls in the Slate colorway, along with Nightfall prints and AGF Solid Smooth Denims!



I'm so excited to follow yesterday's tutorial with this quilt! It was made using the same exact method with just larger batting squares and additional fabric strips. Each block began with a fussy cut owl at the center, but this time while I added my fabric strips (logs) I was inspired by this Converging Corners quilt block pattern. I'm constructing these blocks similarly to my Mini Log Cabin QAYG blocks I shared yesterday, with a little twist! After I frame each owl with low volume prints and solids, as I work my way out into the corners of each block, I'm adding darker solid and printed fabrics to two opposing corners. This creates a really cool, interesting design once a group of four blocks are put together.



Looking at the quilt as a whole, notice how those dark corners seem to form a scrappy four-pointed star. To me it appears to sparkle, such a perfect reflection of the Nightfall theme!



Using the owls in this way was so much fun for me! I had a very limited amount of strike offs when I began this quilt for Quilt Market, but as my army of owl blocks grew it was so satisfying to see how such little fabrics could stretch into a quilt that I really love!





Once my quilt blocks were finished and joined, because of the beauty of quick quilt as you go, all that was left to do was back & bind with minimal quilting!



From the reverse Prisma Element side of my quilt you can see how I attached the backing by simply stitching my way down from the top of the quilt to the bottom, as well as from side to side, sewing about 1/4" from both sides of each of the seam lines. It works perfectly!



I chose to bind the quilt in a yummy stripe from Pat Bravos' Essentials II collection. I love how the yellow of the stripe brings attention to the golden butterflies of Nightfall!



I hope you're all enjoying the Nightfall Parade projects thus far! I think tomorrow it's time for our first Parade Giveaway, so be sure to stop back!!

♡ Maureen

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* You can find the list of online retailers currently carrying Nightfall under my SHOP my Fabrics page -----> https://maureencracknellhandmade.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

One More Finish : :

Too many pretty Nightfall finishes are happening this week, during these final last days of Quilt  Market sewing before it's time to pack it all up, to not share just a few more project peeks here on the blog! As soon as the kiddos were off to school this morning, I immediately cut into the second set of strike offs that arrived just in time for me to check a few more things off the to-make list and to send off to my willing friends who kindly volunteered to stitch up a few last minute garments!



This time before cutting into my Bird of Night in Slate print I remembered to snap a few photos! This dark gray-blue is my personal favorite colorway of the Nightfall owls. I love it and can't wait to have yards and yards of it to make things!



This  morning's newly bound quilt was designed to highlight these very owls. It's a Quick Quilt As You Go log cabin style quilt with an owl at the center of each block. I can't wait to share the whole thing soon at Quilt Market!



Because my most favorite owl is the mustard yellow fellow, I decided to use this matching, pretty yellow stripe for my binding from Pat Bravo's new Essential's II collection.



With extra binding left to finish a few more Nightfall pillows, of course!

How about you, what are you working on this week?

Button Decisions : :

In addition to the Birthday Crown orders that are keeping me busy once again this week, I found a little bit of time to whip up yet another Owl Stitch Pillow. This is #3, with different wing stitching and a few more touches of color than the others had. I plan to make this pillow larger, I'm thinking 16x16, by adding a patchwork boarder similar to that on my most recent Sketch Stitch Tree Pillow. My owly design is almost finished with just one last step to complete -- the button eyes. Normally this would be something one of the kids would help me with, but honestly I have been using my studio time this week as a little place to retreat to for some much needed silence and reflection. Yes, it has been one of those weeks -- I won't go any further, I'm sure you understand! I figure they can read this post and choose from these optioned rather than dump every jar of buttons I have out to begin their search.

Option one -- wooden buttons with a scroll-y carved detail.

Option two -- metal buttons with a sunburst detail.

Option three -- wooden buttons with carved details and color.

Option four -- vintage buttons layered (plastic on the bottom, tin on the top).

Yes, the decision making process of choosing just the right button, regardless the project, is a slow one. A good, fun, slow one indeed!

I am leaning to Option three? But I'd love for you to let me know your opinions. Thanks (in advance) for the help!

And now, onto more sewing!

Owl #2 and some news : :

Yesterday afternoon I finished up my newest Sketch Stitch Owl Pillow (details here)-- #2. I decided to number them like an artist print, since each one is different from the next and I may only make a small number of them.

This one came together much easier than #1. Thanks to a full bobbin, the entire owl was created by using almost one continuous stitch, just like a line drawing. Sorting through all the button for it's eyes -- took forever!

We decided that two hole buttons look best and these pretty green one's were just the right size. A bit weathered from their age, but I think they suit this little owl just fine.

The reverse side is finished in polka- dots, just like the others.

I think it looks pretty nice with the other Spring colors I am trying to bring into our home, hopefully it will add a little Spring to whom ever receives it. I actually have a never-ending bunting project in the works for this mantle, more on that hopefully soon.

And now for some News : : My Owl Pillow #1 was picked for this months Blogger's Pillow Party, which both surprised and thrilled me! I wasn't expecting it, at all, since my little owly is so different and such a last minute entry. I am especially honored to be picked this month (since the pillows are all so amazing) and to have been picked now in the top 9 finalists for all three months of the party, wow! Now that makes me feel like I must be doing something right with all this crazy pillow making.

Maybe next month I'll be able to change finalist to winner! Well, we'll just have to wait and see!