Happy Halloween!

Yeah! It's Halloween time! I love Halloween. The photos above and left are of the wreath I made with black leaves and tinsel garland for my door last year. I love the bow. Isn't it cool? It's a black flocked scene of a witch and bats flying over an old fashioned looking town.

I know many quilters that can't resist Christmas fabrics, and while I'm especially tempted by a toile Christmas print, I just can't deny the tractor beam that pulls me into buying Halloween fabrics! And every year they get better and better. And if they have bats on them, look out!

I found my love of bats during the family vacation to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico that we took when I was around 8 years old. Every evening at dusk, the visitors gather on the ledge outside of the visitor center that overlooks the cavern opening and watch thousands of bats swarm out from the cave to hunt for their dinner. My parents bought me the best t-shirt there, it said "Bats need friends too!" and had the cutest cartoony bat on it. If I had known about t-shirt quilts back then, I would have kept it when it got too small! Sadly, I believe most of the bats have left the caverns due to pesticides killing them and their food supply in the area.

Back to the fabric. I made really simple trick or treat bags for Anna, Ryan, Carolina and Santiago this year. I was going to drop off Carolina and Santiago's today but was saved the trip when I ran into DiscoJen and Carolina at the early voting polling place in our town! DiscoJen was about 15 minutes behind me in line, so when I was done voting, I took Carolina upstairs to the library and we read a couple of books while we waited.

When we left the library, I remembered that I had the bags in the car. I showed Carolina the 4 bags and asked her which one she would like to have for her trick or treat bag. She said "I don't know, they are all super cute!" We totally cracked up! She just comes up with the best lines!

The fabric is from the Chic and Treat line by Arrin Turnmire for Moda fabrics. This is my absolute favorite line of Halloween fabrics this year. I made the bags reversible, so the children can pick which they prefer. The handles were made from left overs of the main fabrics. I used batting in the handles so that they would be cushy when they become heavy with candy.

Here are a couple more of my favorite new Halloween lines:

Trick or Treat Too by Marcus Brothers

Batty Halloween by Kylie Kreations for South Seas

Check out these darling little trick or treaters that Kimberly of the Fat Quarter Shop posted a photo of from Quilt Market, which is in progress this week. I hope Northcott manufactures Sheri Berry's designs. I think they are all fabulous, but I especially like the deer in the Christmas and woodsey lines and the fabulous Halloween line.

Don't the bats remind you of the dearly departed Mr. Toad's Wild Ride that used to be at Disney World. I loved that ride. I still can't believe they took it down. If you click on the link I provided, you can take a virtual tour of the ride! And this one provides a wonderful synopsis of all things removed or changed at WWD. I love the internet.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween everyone!