Finish it up Friday: Skeleton Quilt completed

 And just like that, the skeleton quilt is completed!  Yay!  I rented the longarm on Monday and had it bound that evening (just the machine binding part).  During a few evenings this week, I managed to sneak in the hand sewing of the binding.

For long-arming it, I chose a digital spiderweb pattern, stitched in black thread.  I think it looks awesome on the white skulls, it's not very noticeable on the rest of the busy quilt.

All of the fabrics on the front have glow in the dark properties, except for the solid black framing the skeleton blocks.  The skeleton block pattern is from the new book by Tula Pink and Angela Walters: Quilt with Tula and Angela: A Start to Finish Guide to Piecing and Quilting Using Color and Shape.  Newcomers to this blog might wonder why I am blogging a "Halloween" quilt in March.  My son is completely obsessed with all things Halloween and this quilt will be on his bed year round.

I decided to put all my leftovers from the front onto the back (with a few other cuts lingering endlessly in my stash).  Usually I am happy to have leftovers from a quilt front to use in other projects, but I don't see myself making another Halloween, glow in the dark kind of quilt anytime soon, if ever!

Another sewing project I've been working on was making a stuffed animal with my son for a first grade school project.  He chose a "Black Mamba" - which apparently are green in coloring with black mouths.  Instructions from his teacher for this project indicated that you could make a stuffed animal with poster board and wadded up grocery sacks for stuffing.  I just knew that making the "real thing" with fabric and fiberfill would be easier- but I have to admit that I am a little worried the teacher might think making this that way is too advanced, suspecting I did everything for him.  But I really tried to have him take the lead: he drew the snake shape on the fabric, pushed the foot pedal and helped me guide the fabrics, he did all the stuffing himself, and he did most of the hand sewing, for closing the gap, himself.  He chose the buttons and eye placements too.  He is really happy with how it came out and had to take it to bed with him after it was completed.  He doesn't look so happy in this picture but I know he just wasn't happy to have to take a picture.  

On the evening we were going to make the snake, he went into my sewing room and discovered the skeleton quilt that I had hidden in the closet.  I was disappointed because I wanted to surprise him and present it to him when it was completely finished.  Oh well.  He was super excited about it and repeatedly said, "I love you so much!"

This afternoon, I hosted a little post-preschool birthday party lunch for my daughter.  We did it at home and kept it very simple with a princess theme.  Here's an easy decoration idea: I placed a big piece of Ann Kelle princess fabric onto a $1 pink plastic table cloth.  

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts