Cat's Twilight Block of the Month: Block 5

"You see, every person smells different, has a different essence. If you locked an alcoholic in a room full of stale beer, he'd gladly drink it. But he could resist, if he wished to, if he were a recovering alcoholic. New let's say you place in that room a glass of hundred-year-old brandy, the rarest, finest cognac – and filled the room with its warm aroma – how do you think he would fare then?"

We sat silently, looking into each other's eyes – trying to read each other's thoughts.

He broke the silence first.

"Maybe that's not the right comparison. Maybe it would be too easy to turn down the brandy. Perhaps I should have made our alcoholic a heroin addict instead."

"So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. "Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin."
–Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, Twilight, page 267-268

Cat told me once that she sometimes dreams in geometric shapes. She really is a very talented lady. I love her designs. Slowly I'm catching up on her super fun Twilight Mystery Block of the Month. I've finished with June .


The focus for June was Bella. Here is the beginner's block, a simple heart in red – red because Edward loves the smell of Bella's blood. [Editor's Note: I'm so not into vampires and this sounds totally cheesy, but trust me, just read the books.] I used Fairy Frost in Scarlet for Bella's heart and reduced the pattern to 3" {60%}. Because the beginner's block is the same this month as last {just in a different color} Cat did a cute bonus pattern for people who like vampires with fangs. I'm not one of those people, so I don't think I'll have a need for that pattern, but I do think it is funny.

The advanced block is the charm bracelet that Jacob gave to Bella in Eclipse. This pattern is one of the first that Cat designed, but she has just now released it {well, back in June }. This was my first attempt. You can read all about why it wasn't right here.

This is the Bella's Bracelet block that is going into my Twilight Quilt. I think this one came out much better. It is 6" {I enlarged the pattern to 120%} and you can read all about why this one works here.

I was starting to feel all on top of things, but Cat just put out Block 9 this weekend. I'm only hyperventilating a little. I've got the beginner's blocks for months 6, 7, 8 and 9 to do {and those go really fast}, and only the advanced blocks for months 6 and 7 to get all caught up. Being pattern tester has its advantages .

My Twilight Quilt: Bella's Bracelet Redux

[Jacob] turned the bag upside down and shook something silver into my hand. Metal links clinked quietly against each other.

"I didn't make the bracelet," he admitted. "Just the charm."

Fastened to one of the links of the silver bracelet was a tiny wooden carving. I held it between my fingers to look at it closer. It was amazing the amount of detail involved in the little figurine – the miniature wolf was utterly realistic. It was even carved out of some red-brown wood that matched the color of his skin. –Bella Swan, Eclipse, page 374

[Edward] pulled my left wrist away from my leg, and touched the silver bracelet for just a moment. Then he gave me my arm back.

I examined it cautiously. On the opposite side of the chain from the wolf, there now hung a brilliant heart-shaped crystal. It was cut in a million facets, so that even in the subdued light shining from the lamp, it sparkled. I inhaled a low gasp. –Bella Swan, Eclipse, page 438

Bella's Bracelet was one of the first blocks I made for my Twilight Quilt. That is to say, after I discarded all the blocks from the Zeppelin Threads Mystery Quilt, made my own layout and then changed it 2½ times, it was one of the first blocks I did. But it just wasn't quite right. The block {really, set of two blocks, because I'm making two quilts} went in the huge pile of orphaned Twilight quilt blocks and I went back to the drawing board.

I puzzled and puzzled over exactly the right background fabric to use in this block. The Mystery Quilt assigned purple to Bella, presumably, because in the movie Charlie buys her a purple comforter set for her bed. I tried to carry that over from the Mystery Quilt; the idea of assigning a color and fabric to each character to use throughout the quilt. And I wanted to use the fabrics I'd already invested in. It works great for Jacob. I found a really cool Moda Marbles in russet for him. I used that for his little wolf charm on the bracelet and on his Wolf Paw block. And it works for Edward too – white and sparkly. I used that in the heart charm on the bracelet, in his Diamond Heart block and in the Fire and Ice block. {Sidebar: I'm wondering why I didn't use Jacob's russet fabric in that block too. I went with an earthy orange fabric to represent fire, because the block is called Fire and Ice. But the design is very abstract and since it represents Jacob and Edward I could have gone with the russet fabric just as easily as the orange. I'd better not think about that too much, or I'll obsess over it and have another block for the orphan pile .}

I had a hard time with a color for Bella, though. The Mystery Quilt, with mostly traditionally pieced and appliqué blocks, was a very different style than my new layout, though. The fabric I used just didn't work for the paper pieced bracelet block {but it looks really nice in my Snowball Quilt }, so I went out and bought four or five other purple fabrics. Some of the Twilight Quilter's Coven girls even sent me purple fabrics. But none of them worked. So, I shoved the pattern to the back of my stack. As time passed, I pretty much gave up the idea of using one color to represent Bella and started thinking about the best color to use to set off the bracelet; the best color to use as a background. The last time I thought about it seriously, gold was at the top of my list. I like gold and silver together, and it seemed a nice, neutral color. I didn't have a specific fabric in mind, but last week when I pulled out my things to work on Edward's Diamond Heart, right on top was a piece of pretty ivory fabric with tiny gold flecks on it that Wanda had sent me. Bella's Bracelet was next in line after the Diamond Heart, so my mind was working on it more actively. Things clicked into place and I finally had a fabric that seemed just right for the background.

I used Silver Fairy Frost for the bracelet {what else? } Under the 'frost' overlay, the fabric has subtle variations in color and I used the lighter fabric for the front of the bracelet and the darker fabric for the back, as indicated in the pattern, to give it perspective. As mentioned, the little wolf charm is made from a Moda Marbles in russet and the heart charm is white with iridescent sparkles {Crystalline Solids from JoAnn's}. I'll add jump rings to the block {probably after it is quilted} so the charms are attached to the bracelet.

This is one of the first Twilight patterns Cat designed. We used it in the Stephenie Meyer quilt and it is included in Cat's Mystery BOM.

And now my favorite part of my Twilight Quilt Sew and Tell, the layout with one more block filled in :

Favourite Things Friday: Giveaways

They are sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing. –William Shakespeare

I super l♥ve giveaways! The blogging community is so generous! {Not to mention clever at turning their 'trash' into someone else's 'treasure.'} I've had quite a bit of luck in the winning-other-people's-giveaways department. And I've done a couple of fun giveaways myself.

Right now, the Fall into Fall giveaway extravaganza is going on. Click on the cute little scarecrow to be taken to a directory of 151 bloggers {including eight business blogs} who are currently hosting giveaways!


I debated back and forth whether or not I'd like to participate. I love giveaways, but I only had a semi-OK idea of what to do for my own give away. Nothing really brilliant was coming to mind. Entries for participation were due on Wednesday. I waited until the very last minute, but decided that even if my prize wasn't out-of-this world, it would still be fun to participate. So, I sent my little e-mail off. Unfortunatley, I found out yesterday that the cyber gnomes had diverted it and I'm not officially participating . Too bad, because this morning I had a brilliant idea to improve my first giveaway and a great idea for a second giveaway. So I've decided go rogue and do a my own giveaway thing. I've put each giveaway in a separate post {hey, it's my giveaway and I'll be anal organized if I want to } and am making this post the directory, because giveaways are one of my favourite things .

• Guy and Eva Earring Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winner, Cynthia L.}
• Zelda's Fancy Hat Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winner, JaiCi}
• Cutting with the Go! Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winners, Marcia and Deb}

Today's post brought to you by:

Cutting With the Go!: A Giveaway

Quilters aren't greedy. They're materialistic. –Unknown

Not too long ago, I won an AccuQuilt Go! Fabric Cutting System. It was pretty awesome.

Since then, I've been thinking of ways to share it because it is just too good to keep to myself. So I've decided that I'm going to offer up some Go! cutting to the TWO winners of this giveaway.

Here's how it works: you send me your fabric and I'll cut it for you and send it back. I'm willing to cut whatever you'd like, up to one full quilt for each winner. How does that sound?

The details: Have a mountain of scraps you want cut to 2" or 4" {finished} squares or 2" {finished} half-square triangles? No problem. Been dying to do a Dresden? Easy peasy. Drunkard's Path got your head spinning? This'll sober you up. Do Hexies make you hesitate? No cause for pause with the Go!  You pick which die you want {from the four I have}, send me your fabric and it will come back to you all cut and ready to stitch together.

As with all of my giveaways, non-blogging and international entrants are welcome. If you do not have a Google account, use the name/url or anonymous commenting options and make sure you leave me a way to contact you if you win.

To enter, leave a comment telling me how awesome you think I am your ideas for how to use these dies.

The giveaway will close at 10:00 pm {MDST} on October 11. The winner will be announced by noon on October 12.

You might also like to enter my other giveaways:
• Guy and Eva Earring Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winner, Cynthia L.}
• Zelda's Fancy Hat Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winner, JaiCi}

Zelda's Fancy Hat: A Sponsor Giveaway

'Tis now the very witching time of night,
When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out
Contagion to this world.
–William Shakespeare

My sweet friend Wanda has been organizing her stash. Every once in a while she'll send me a few things from it. It has been heaven! Even though I'd like to use every bit of what she's sent me, I am only one little girl with only so much time available for crafty things. So, I thought I'd share the love with a {sponsored} giveaway.

Halloween is almost upon us and it is, I think, my favorite holiday. I thought this pattern for {one} Zelda's Fancy Hat pattern by Crabapple Hill Designs and {four} fat eighths {all washed, starched and pressed} to get you started, would be lots of fun. The pattern makes the most adorable Life Size Crazy Quilted Witch's Hat 'Pillow.' I love this pattern {and I'm having second thoughts about giving it away. Maybe you shouldn't enter so I can keep it}!

Supply List: {for reference only, not included in the giveaway}
11 fat eighths {9" x 15"} of black fabric
½ yard muslin {for stitchery backing}
White Saral transfer paper
White Prismacolor pencil
2 yards of ribbon or tulle for hat band
#7 or #8 embroidery needle
Embroidery Hoop
Sewing thread
Freezer paper
Stuffing
Embriodery Floss {calls for Weeks Dye Works, but a converstion chart for DMC is available}

As with all of my giveaways, non-blogging and international entrants are welcome. If you do not have a Google account, use the name/url or anonymous commenting options and make sure you leave me a way to contact you if you win.

To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite holiday.

The giveaway will close at 10:00 pm {MDST} on October 8. The winner will be announced by noon on October 9.

You might also like to enter my other giveaways:
• Guy and Eva Earring Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winner, Cynthia L.}
• Cutting with the Go! Giveaway {closed; congratulations to the winners, Marcia and Deb}