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November 2007 Issue McCall's Quick Quilts
Preview Spooks & Spiders

Spooks & Spiders Pillow Designed by Jo Beth Simons Finished Pillow Size 14" x 14" Number of Blocks and Finished Size 1 Ghost Block 9" x 9"
Note: Appliqué template is printed reversed and without seam allowance for use with paper-backed fusible web. Download template diagrams (PDF file)

Shop
Orange dot (piecing) ... 6" x 22" piece
Gold dot (piecing) ... 4" x 22"  piece
Black/white print (piecing, backing) ... 1/2 yd.
White-on-white print (ghost) ... 8" x 9" piece
Paper-backed fusible web ... 1/4 yd.
Template plastic (see through)
Rotary ruler and cutter
Marking pencils
Fine-tip permanent marker, black
Pillow form, 14" x 14"

Cut
Orange dot
... 1 strip 3 3/4" x 22"
Gold dot
... 1 strip 1 1/2" x 22"
Black/white print
... *1 square 14 1/2" x 14 1/2"
... *2 strips 3" x 9 1/2"
... *2 strips 3" x 14 1/2"    
... 2 squares 3 7/8" x 3 7/8", cut in half diagonally to make 4 half-square triangles
... 4 Template B
White-on-white print
... 1 Template C
*Cut first.

Sew
1 Make plastic templates from Templates A and B. Transfer the dotted line for seam alignment, all match points, template letters, and grain line arrow on Template B. Cut plastic templates out. Sew orange and gold strips together  to make strip set (Diagram I). Press seam in direction of arrow. Make 1. Lay Template A on strip set, aligning dotted line with seam. Using rotary cutter and ruler aligned with plastic template edges, cut 4 units. In similar manner, use plastic Template B to cut 4 patches from black/white print. Mark match points on wrong sides of units and Template B patches.

2 Aligning match points, sew Template A unit to Template B patch (Diagram II-A). Make 4 segments. Sew together (Diagram II-B)  and add black 3 7/8" half-square triangles to corners (Diagram II-C) to make block background.
3 Trace Template C on paper side of paper-backed fusible web. Cut out, leaving small margin beyond drawn lines. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse to wrong side of white fabric; cut out on drawn line.
4 Finger-press block background in half on both length and width; use folds as placement guide. Referring to Diagram II-D, position template fabric. Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse in place. Machine buttonhole stitch around appliqué (Diagram II-E). Using black fine-tip permanent marker, draw facial features (see Template C for placement).

5 To complete pillow top, sew black/white 9 1/2" strips to sides of block, and 14 1/2" strips to top and bottom (Diagram III).
6 Layer black/white 14 1/2" square on pillow top, right sides together. Sew around outside edge, using 1/4" seam allowance and leaving an 8" opening on 1 side (Diagram IV). Trim corners, turn right side out, press, and insert pillow form. Stitch opening closed by hand.