Week 3 - Strippy Improv Halloween QAL

Welcome back for Week 3 of the Strippy Improv Halloween QAL! 
How are your blocks coming along? 

I finished two blocks this week - a ghost and a witch hat. 

I had fun digging through my low-volume prints for my ghost!

The lime green accent will match the frames on two of the blocks. 

Scroll to the bottom to see my four blocks together!

Let's talk tips - here are a couple more things that I hope will be helpful as you make your blocks. 

First, block background placement. Play around with your block background before fusing it down to make sure you get the best combination of fabric, and also to make sure things like the stems show through correctly. 

For the witch hat, I wanted the green accent to be above the brim of the hat. I also picked my darkest black (the star print, which has the least white, so it "reads" as the darkest) for the bottom, so it makes the bottom of the hat seem dimensional, like you're looking up it. 

Make sure your green stem starts at the top of the pumpkin body. 

Here are two "don't do it this way" examples: 

The background needs to be adjusted up so the stem aligns with the green seam. 

The background needs to be adjusted down so the green doesn't show on the pumpkin. 

Play around with your background and make sure it's exactly how you want it before you fuse in place! 

Second, if you're concerned that your background fabric is too light (especially when you're using black strips for your piecing, I have a solution for you: Fusible Interfacing. 

Before adhering the fusible web to with the traced shape to your background square, adhere a piece of fusible interfacing (I use medium weight). This makes the fabric more opaque and reduces the likelihood that the strips will show through. 

Here are my four blocks together. 

I can't wait to assemble these blocks into a wall hanging!

Meet me back here on Thursday, October 12 where I'll be talking assembly! 

Here's the QAL schedule: 

Thursday 9/21: Fabric and block choices

Thursday 9/28: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/5: Make 2 blocks

Thursday 10/12: Assemble and finish!

I hope you'll join in the fun! I'll be posting here on the blog and also sharing posts on IG (@quiltyzest). If you're going to sew along, use the hashtag #strippyimprovhalloween to share your block and/or fabric choices!

Ready to join the fun? Order just the digital Strippy Improv Halloween pattern here. 
The pattern includes 9 block choices plus both a square wall hanging and table runner option.