Which Way to Witchville - Blocks of the Month 2023

 It is almost time for the 

Cackling Stitches 

block of the month to begin and we're so excited! 

Halloween should be all year, right?

It's our 3rd year for the Cackling Stitches Facebook group 

and

 it's so fun to be part of the design team. 

Joan, Carol, and I have been working away and we are ready to share 

a peek at the quilt.

Which Way to Witchville

48" x 64"

This is my version of Which Way to Witchville.

I used "Sugar" by Sarah Watts for Ruby Star Society for my fabric applique and borders

with a background of Kona solids.

And of course, Aurifill Thread.

Check out Moosestash Quilting's version HERE.

Check out Just Let Me Quilt's version HERE.

How do we run our BOM's? We try to keep them easy!

The 2023 "Which Way to Witchville" BOM runs from January 1st through September 30th. 

All block releases happen on our Cackling Stitches Facebook page HERE.

We even give you the fabric requirements early to help you conjure/gather your fabrics.

You can find it HERE.

How our Which Way to Witchville BOM works...

On the first day of each month, we release a block pattern 

(sometimes it's more than one)

 that is free for the entire calendar month

in our Cackling Stitches Facebook Group. 

After that, those blocks go into our individual 

ETSY shops where you can purchase them for $2 each. 

New and free block(s) then appear for the new month...and so on, and so on.

 So, what is "NEW" and has never been done by us? 

Beginning January 1st, 

the ENTIRE pattern is available in each of our ETSY shops for $15.

We've had so many people ask us if they can buy the whole thing at once, 

so we decided to go for it.

If you can't wait for each block release 

or 

you don't have a Facebook page, this is for you!

We hope you appreciate the time we put into creating this BOM and understand that we keep

 the costs to a minimum for you. 

We ask that you respect our copyrights and do not share the 

pattern with others. 

You're welcome to direct your friends to our Cackling Stitches Group 

Facebook or any of our ETSY shops so they can get their own patterns starting January 1st.

Creatin' in the Sticks Etsy Store HERE.

Just Let Me Quilt Etsy Store HERE.

Moosestash Quilting Etsy Store HERE.

It's going to be a great new year for sure.  

Have a great holiday 

and

 I'll see ya on January 1st for the first block!

Joy is Stitching a Santa Gnome Mini

 It's Joy season!

 I'm over on the Thermoweb blog with a free pattern to craft a 

Santa Gnome Mini Quilt - with instructions to make it a pillow too.

You asked for it

and

after designing the Happy Spring and the Hello Fall gnome minis,

I just had to make a Santa Gnome, too.

Pick up these Thermoweb products:

HeatnBond Fusible Fleece  

HeatnBond EZ Print Lite 

SpraynBond basting adhesive

A few fabrics and of course, Aurifil thread, and you are set.

Click here to get the free tutorial and pattern over at Thermoweb!

I hope this little Santa Gnome makes you smile today

and

brings you Christmas Joy!

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange - Bits of Christmas and Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

 Welcome to 

Creatin' in the Sticks!

I'm excited to kick off the

Virtual Cookie Exchange and Blog Hop

where bloggers are sharing Christmas cookies recipes, traditions, 

and/or 

sewing projects.

Thank you, Carol, for including me!

Merry Christmas!

It's time to make Christmas happen here in the Sticks

and

my friend Carol at Just Let Me Quilt

has a way of pushing me (this blog hop)

 to get my projects finished on time.

I have committed to using only mostly scraps for my projects this year.

I had a bunch of small Christmas bits and decided to use them for this quilt.

Even the white bits are from my scrap bins (they aren't all "white")

I didn't even make a dent in the scraps.

This is tiny piecing and I loved every moment.

The Bits of Christmas Quilt Recipe

Finished quilt size: 52" square

I3 blocks across and 13 blocks down.

All seams stitched 1/4"

Red Block

Unfinished size 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Finished size:  4" x 4"

Cut 4 rectangles - 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" - white

Cut 4 squares - 1 1/2"  - red

Cut 1 square -  2 1/2"  - red

Make 85 Red Blocks

Green Block

Unfinished size 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Finished size:  4" x 4"

Cut 2 rectangles 1 1/2" x 2" - white

Cut 1 square 1 1/2" - green

Cut 2 rectangles 2" x 4 1/2" - white

Make 84 Blocks

I would love to make another

Bits of Christmas Quilt

I have enough little bits to make one for a king-sized bed.

(better start now for next year...)

I've been working on another project I thought I would share.

My first Ombre Puff Quilt

It's a sew-along on Instagram with Brittany over at Lo and Behold Stitchery (Pattern Here)

I'm so in love with this quilt and I've really enjoyed the process.

You're saying, "But Carla, what does that have to do with Christmas?"

I made a Christmas Puff Pillow with 5" charms for a practice run before I quilt the big one.

It's full of cushy goodness!

But you are here not only for Christmas inspiration but for some virtual cookies.

I made Brownies - Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies.

Yep, I bought a brownie mix and used the recipe on the side of the box.

I did change it a bit by adding pecans to the top.

You can get the recipe HERE - they are amazing!!!

If you want more cookie recipes, you are in luck:

December 5

Creatin' in the Sticks (You are HERE!)
DesertSky Quilting
Karrin’s Crazy World
Days Filled With Joy
Just Because Quilts
That Fabric Feeling
For The Love Of Geese
Words & Stitches
 
December 6

MooseStashQuilting
Just Sew Quilter
Ms P Designs USA
Beaquilter
Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life
Stitchin At Home
 
December 7

Inflorescence
Crazy'boutquilts
Patchouli Moon Studio
Texas Quilt Gal
Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching
Needled Mom
Quilted Delights
 
December 8

Just Let Me Quilt
Quiltscapes
Songbird Designs
Patchwork Breeze
Quilt Schmilt
Homespun Hannah's Blog
Happy Cottage Quilter

Please leave each one a sweet comment.

Spread some Christmas cheer.

Thank you for stopping by

and

thank you, Carol, for hosting this annual event!

It's hard to believe we've been doing this since 2013.

Have the best holiday season!

Violin Collage - Quilt the Music!

  Welcome to Creatin' in the Sticks 

and 

my day - the final day for the Music Blog Hop.

To all that participated or commented -

Thank you so much!

My head is swimming with all kinds of music

and

stitching ideas I can't wait to try.

But first, it's my day to show my

Violin Collage Quilt.

Dedicated to my daughter.

This was a year ago when she was about ready to have our grandson.

She can play about any instrument, but has a passion for her violin.

I love that I can still go to see her play.

I love to make collage quilts.

To start with a drawing and add fabrics to add shadows and highlights with the fabrics.

In the meantime adding little bits for character.

Here is the violin coming to life...

Close for quilting and a little more detail:

I've used this technique a lot!

I have a brief tutorial using a sugar skull HERE if you want to see more collage ideas.

Please check out the bloggers posting with me today:

Thursday, November 17th

Creatin' in the Sticks

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilting Gail

Just Because Quilts

Purring Cottage

Scrapdash

You can find the rest of the schedule HERE.

This blog hop is for everyone!

Have fun visiting each blog and making new friends.

They have worked hard to show us some new ideas, so be sure to thank them with 

a sweet comment!

You can check out the

Pinterest Board

to stay up to date, too.

We are making sweet stitching music together!

#MusicBlogHop

Happy melodies to you!

Music Blog Hop This Week

 This week is the

Music Blog Hop!

I invited a great group of Bloggers to

create something inspired by music for this blog hop.

What is a Blog Hop?

It's like a "show and tell" online.

Our blog hops feature sewing and quilting and are like joining a quilt guild without leaving home. 

Carol at Just Let Me Quilt, Joan at MooseStash Quilting, and I come up with a challenge

and invite bloggers to join.

We give everyone plenty of time to sew something, usually two months. 

We assign a date for the bloggers to post their projects during the hop

and

they inspire us with projects, tutorials, or patterns. 

Sometimes there are a few giveaways, too.

I'm sure this group will wow us!!

Monday, November 14th

Just Let Me Quilt

Quiltscapes
Words & Stitches

Selina Quilts

Ms P Designs USA

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Tuesday, November 15th

MooseStashQuilting
Kathleen McMusing

Just Sew Quilter

Pieceful Thoughts 

Songbird Designs

Desertsky Quilting

Wednesday, November 16th

Den syende himmel

Inflorescence

That Fabric Feeling

Karrin’s Crazy World

Karen's Korner

Quilted Delights

Thursday, November 17th

Creatin' in the Sticks

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilting Gail

Just Because Quilts

Purring Cottage

Scrapdash

This blog hop is for everyone!

Have fun visiting each blog and making new friends.

They have worked hard to show us some new ideas, so be sure to thank them with 

a sweet comment!

You can check out the

Pinterest Board

to stay up to date, too.

We are making sweet stitching music together!

#MusicBlogHop

Sew It Show It - Shades of Blue

Are you up for a challenge in January?

Instead of a blog hop, next year we are starting something new.

It's called, "Sew it - Show it" and is exactly like a blog hop with a different name.

No changes, only the name.

The Challenge: 

This one is Shades of Blue.

Easy, peasy.  Add shades of blue to your project.

Show us your winter blues.

It can be any stitched project, just make sure there is a shade of blue somewhere.

The Rules:

Post on your assigned day at 12:00 am Eastern time.

Have a giveaway or don't have a giveaway. It's totally optional!

Visit everyone's blog on the list and leave a sweet comment. Make friends!!!!

To sign up:

Send me your information and we will assign you a day!

YES, that really is gochefs!!!!!!!!

Send me an email with the following information:
Your first name
Your email address
Your blog name

Your blog URL

Subject Line: Blue

PLEASE, email me the info.

I do know most of you, but if you don't send the info, I have to look up all your information.

If you have emailed me and don't hear from me within a week, please email me again or contact me on Facebook.  Sometimes Hotmail eats my homework...lol

(I will send you a date within one week after you sign up.)