My niece-by-marriage, Stephanie, has decked out her house with spiders everywhere, along with Halloween decor. She is a young mother with small children. I, however, drape one thing around the house and call it done. I am an old mother whose children have grown and gone, and there are no grandchildren around to witness my pathetic Halloween decorationing.
I started this in August, hoping to have it finished by October 1st. I finished it last Monday, so just barely by the beginning of Halloween Month.
In the other post, you can read about how I put the striped fabric on the edges. To finish it off, I cut five 1-1/2″ WOF strips of spooky fabric, and used a bias seam to join them all together. Then I arranged my pennants how I liked the order, and sewed the binding right-sides-together, overlapping the corners of the pennants slightly, and sewed it on.
I decided to slip in some really narrow cording (used for pulling up blinds; you can find it at your local all-purpose fabric store) in the black binding, in order to strengthen it and so it wouldn’t stretch out.
I folded the binding up and over the pennants, and pinned the edge. It gaped slightly, so I used a stiletto to help coax the folded edge over.
Really, it’s a clay MudTool, specifically a Mudshark. I saw it last week when we were in DC at Michael Sherrill’s exhibit. I like how the needle tool folds up into the Mudshark: no stiletto caps to lose. Who says museum gift shops don’t have items for quilters? You just have to think creatively.
P.S. I decided to mail it home via USPS because I didn’t know if it would clear airport security.
You can see the backing fabric here, also by J. Wecker Frisch. I left a tail of about 14″ and also added a loop of fabric (cut 5″ long) so I could tie it up somewhere, and call our house decorated.
If I can find the box in the garage, I also have some spooky crows that will work with this scene (more importantly: IF I feel like getting it all out). Maybe if I stocked in the Halloween Candy early, I’d get into the season?
Maybe.
Below is a link to a video clip of Michael Sherrill talking about his work. I found all the videos in the exhibit fascinating, as he is an artist who is also articulate, and can talk about the creative process.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
That string idea is brilliant.
It’s fun to sew a banner isn’t it? I made two of them almost immediately when we moved into our house. Mine are in my favorite colors – aqua and orange – and hang over the bay windows in my sewing room. They’re sort of like a valance. I really like your clever idea to add cording to the binding string. No doubt that will give it extra strength and stability. I admire you for going to the effort to decorate seasonally when you don’t have grandies around. I don’t ever bother with seasonal decorations because we don’t have family around either. Sad to say, but we haven’t even put up a Christmas tree for 10 years now. But, that means no extra effort and more time to spend in the sewing room! Enjoy your banner. It’s wonderful!
Cute idea.
J. Wecker Frisch is one of my favorite fabric designers. Your banner is so cute!
Your banner is really cute. I’ve never made a fabric one. I used to do Halloween decorations and lots of lit-up pumpkins. But like you said . . . grown children and no grandchildren adds up to no motivation. I do decorate for fall though and that is done now. We will carve pumpkins right before Halloween. It’s my husbands favorite holiday so at the last second he gets into it outside. Last year and again this year it will be a Mad Hatter tea party in the front yard. We’ll dress up and sit with neighbors to hand out candy. If the weather holds.
Is the Halloween Banner pattern available ?
I love this banner. I have pretty much quit decorating for Halloween, choosing a general fall theme instead, but this would tempt me.
I love your banner the fabrics are beautiful!…I too am a older mother no grandchildren around to try and spook — I still decorate inside with quilty goodies I’ve made over the years.
Love this! Your Halloween decorating is more creative than mine. I bought 2 mums and 2 pumpkins and put them in my front yard. Happy Halloween!
That’s really cute. You did a beautiful job on it too. I’ve always enjoyed decorating for Halloween and the kids love seeing the house decorated.
You have to admit though that when we were Stephanie’s age, we did it up “good and fun!!” Now not so much, as there is no one to see it. But I still love my pumpkins!! All sizes, made up of different things, different colors of gold, copper and silver and of course, a pumpkin quilt with a pumpkin for each month of the year!! Love your banner!!
Those are some pretty elaborate pennants for someone with no grandchildren yet! It reminds me of my husband’s grandmother always saying to us, “I don’t see how you do it all!”