Designer: Kendra McCracken

I've always been one who, while I love Halloween, prefers the cute over the gory. I always tell my boys I'll make them any costume they want until they ask for something gory and then they are on their own!

This year I decided to make a wall quilt that uses elements of a Halloween scene yet has none of the traditional color or scary feel to it. I was even able to incorporate the new Witch Craft Squeeze Punch and give her a sweet, harmless personality by using a pink tiny floral pattern and trail of pretty sparkles behind her broom.
I started by creating a patchwork background for my sky and ground. I used smaller blocks for my ground to make it separate better from the large block of the sky. This patchwork top (right side up) was layered on top of a layer of quilt batting and a background fabric (right side down).
Since I was going for a softer look, I decided to use the Woodland Tree Shape Template to create a scalloped top edge, cutting it out with the 8 inch Softgrip® Razor-edge Scissors.

Next I punched out some of my elements from paper using the new Witch Craft Squeeze Punch, the Extra Large Tree Lever Punch, and the Picket Fence Border Punch. I coated them with Matte Gel Medium to give them a bit of protection from moisture and dust. I laid everything out on the quilt where I wanted it. Elements that I cut from fabric were attached to the quilt using fusible web. The paper elements were stitched to the quilt but, to avoid the risk of creasing them, I waited until the end of the quilt making process to attach them.

After all the fabric elements were attached, I added decorative stitches. I repeatedly circled the moon with my sewing machine and added some hand stitching as well.

I satin stitched (just a narrow zig-zag stitch) around the cloud, which was created using the Woodland Tree Shape Template, and used a back stitch to embroider the word Halloween.

The pennant banner hanging from stars in the sky was stamped using the Fiskars 4 x 8 - A to Z Clear Stamps
Instead of binding the quilt the traditional way, I used inexpensive acrylic yarn and an overcast stitch. To finish the border I added a few red beads.

After adding a pink swiss-dot ribbon, my wall quilt is ready to hang and scare away the Halloween gore!