Welcome to Birthday Month! I will be sharing fun things the month of October, like new patterns, giveaways, and more. Yes. It’s true, I was born on Halloween. Although my mother wished, hoped, and most likely prayed that I wouldn’t be born on that day, I was. Her feared that I would be called a witch, or worse, so she proactively dressed me as a pumpkin. I grew to love my birthday and all it had to offer. Things like candy, funny songs, school carnivals, and dressing up. I still love the holiday and decorating my home. A quilt is a great way to spread that spooky feeling. You can put them over the back of a couch, hang them on the wall, put them on the table, or at the bottom of a bed. They are perfect because they are easy to change and store. My gift to you is a free pattern, the Gone Batty quilt.
I hope you love it!!
The Fabric Used in the Gone Batty Quilt
The fabric used in this Gone Batty quilt is Cats, Bats and Jacks. My Minds Eye created it for Riley Blake Designs. The line features everything in its name and so much more. Cats – the cat head fabric (as a total cat lady this is my favorite); Bats – bats in whimsical flight; Jacks – fun vintage Jack-o-lanterns. The line also has skulls and crossbones, rough and random dots, and a fun text print. Some of the prints have a great surprise to them . . . they glow in the dark. I can see the whole line used in bags, pillows, costumes, and even a cycling cap (my hubby’s request). I love its simple palette. The traditional Halloween blacks, grays, and oranges lend themselves to a vintage feel. That is my favorite part about the line, the way it blends to perfection.
Gone Batty Quilt
I created the quilt as a project for Cheryl Brown’s website, Quilter Chic. I just wanted to give her a quick shout out. Thank you, Cheryl, for featuring me on your blog. The quilt is a revisit to a past Halloween project. I used a different size of this block in a table runner tutorial. I loved the block and have always known I would make a quilt pattern based on the bat block. And this year I finally did it. I feel like it it kinda looks like an Irish chain quilt. What do you think? The bat block has half square triangles in it and quarter square triangles in it, as well as traditional piecing. You definitely won’t get bored making this block.
The Quilting
On a four hour drive where I was alone with my thoughts and quilting podcasts, I thought of the perfect way to quilt the Gone Batty quilt. Spiderwebs with a crocheted effect around the bat. It was perfect as a concept, however when actually quilt the quilt, it was a bit of a mess. The spacer block was a little too large for me to make lines without shifting the fabrics and making a small pucker on the front. After I quilted the outside out a few bats and two spacer blocks, I was done it. I took it with me to my sister’s house (four houses away) and we pinned the sandwiched quilt to the longarm and quilted it on the longarm, I quilt all the spacer blocks. Then when I was back home, I quilted the bats on my domestic machine.
I am totally disappointed because you don’t really see the quilting in the photos. The dot fabric takes away from the quilting. I should have done something a little easier, but the back looks incredible and another great lesson was learned.
The Spook-tacular Giveaway
Now let’s talk about the giveaway for the Gone Batty quilt. The prize: a 10″ stacker of Cats, Bats and Jacks; a 10″ stacker of Confetti Cottons Halloween solids; a Halloween project book; a quilt notebook; Riley Blake Designs Tote; Clover clips and Aurifil floss . Pretty cool right?
To enter, head over to my Instagram page. Like the giveaway photo, follow me, follow Riley Blake Designs, and after you have done these three things tag a friend or as many friends as you would like. Each tag will get you an entry into the giveaway. Once a random number is generated, I will make sure that you have liked the photo and follow both Riley Blake Designs and Brown Bird Designs, and once it has been verified a winner will be announced. For a bonus entry, comment here and tell me what your favorite Halloween memory is. Make sure to add your Instagram handle so I get the entry correct. The winner will be announced October 15 on Instagram. Good luck everyone!!
The Comments
Gayle Brown
A very cute one!
Elisabeth DeMoo
> Gayle BrownThank you Gayle! I will to bring it to our next meeting if I am not out of town.
gloria g. Walls
Did I miss the due date? I thought it is October 10th? Thanks, gg
Elisabeth DeMoo
> gloria g. WallsNo you didn’t miss the testing due date. I felt bad about giving such you short deadline but I had committed to an Oct 1 release date. Since I had done a tutorial similar to the this block and had a pattern editor go over the math, I decided that I would add any extra edits as a pattern update. Rest assured that you are all good!! I just got a little behind. I can’t wait to see what you make. Thank you so much for testing for me.
gloria g. Walls
Did I miss the due date? I thought it is October 10th? Thanks, gg
Elisabeth DeMoo
> gloria g. WallsNo you didn’t miss the testing due date. I felt bad about giving such you short deadline but I had committed to an Oct 1 release date. Since I had done a tutorial similar to the this block and had a pattern editor go over the math, I decided that I would add any extra edits as a pattern update. Rest assured that you are all good!! I just got a little behind. I can’t wait to see what you make. Thank you so much for testing for me.
Cats, Bats & Jacks Gone Batty Quilt with FREE Pattern – Riley Blake Designs
[…] stop on the Cats, Bats & Jacks Fabric Tour takes us to BROWN BIRD DESIGNS, where Elisabeth is sharing a FREE pattern download for this super fun Gone Batty Quilt, featuring […]
Marcia R Pearson
I am normally not a big fan of doing Halloween quilts but I really do love this one. I’m gonna have to attempt this. I love it!! Oh I’m back in Tucson. We have to get together and catch up.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> Marcia R PearsonThanks! It’s a fun quilt to make. I am happy your back. We do have to get together!!
Marcia R Pearson
I am normally not a big fan of doing Halloween quilts but I really do love this one. I’m gonna have to attempt this. I love it!! Oh I’m back in Tucson. We have to get together and catch up.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> Marcia R PearsonThanks! It’s a fun quilt to make. I am happy your back. We do have to get together!!
DoCreateBe
I just love this! Thanks for sharing. Making one for my son who loves bats.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> DoCreateBeThanks!! I would love to see it when it’s done.
DoCreateBe
I just love this! Thanks for sharing. Making one for my son who loves bats.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> DoCreateBeThanks!! I would love to see it when it’s done.
Christi
I love the quilt. No IG account or I would send lots of people.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> ChristiThank you so much!!
Christi
I love the quilt. No IG account or I would send lots of people.
Elisabeth DeMoo
> ChristiThank you so much!!
Susan
I’m going to miss the IG giveaway (gingerkwilt) because I’m on a social media 10-day fast. But I love the pattern, and I’m glad I’m not missing that. I thought I would be buying it. =) I even have some of that cat heads fabric!
Elisabeth DeMoo
> SusanAren’t the cat heads are a scream!! I will put you into the giveaway. Thank you very much that means a lot to me.
Susan
I’m going to miss the IG giveaway (gingerkwilt) because I’m on a social media 10-day fast. But I love the pattern, and I’m glad I’m not missing that. I thought I would be buying it. =) I even have some of that cat heads fabric!
Elisabeth DeMoo
> SusanAren’t the cat heads are a scream!! I will put you into the giveaway. Thank you very much that means a lot to me.
Happy Halloween | Flannel Ladybug
[…] is a free pattern by Brown Bird Designs. It is called ‘Gone Batty” This is Tula Pinks “Sugar Skulls” from her book […]