Cracking Up Quilt Tutorial

Something about the new Ghastly Angle print makes me think I'm going crazy and when I started slicing apart a perfectly good quilt top I knewI was really cracking up... and that just cracked me up:-)

Finished Size 54" x 60"

Cut the following:

As much as I love these Ghastlies prints they can be tough to work with.  You really have to pay attention to where you cut to capture your favorite motifs.  For this I used three readily available prints: Ghastly Night, A Ghastly Family Reunion, and the Ghastlies.  Each one has about a 12" repeat but here is how I cut each one to best utilize the print.

Ghastly Night is the easiest to work with because it doesn't nest the motifs.  Cut 1 strip roughly 12 1/2" x wof.  I cut both edges along the top of the door.

I wanted a wider band in the center so the Family Reunion strip is roughly 16 1/2" x wof.  At the top I cut 1/4" above Duchess Kate's hat.  On the bottom edge I cut 1/2" below Mabel's shoe.  Hopefully you can see what I mean in the picture. 

With the Ghastlies I wanted to cut so that Edward the Vampire would be in the center.  I cut 1/2" below the foot of the Vampire on the right and 1/2" below the foot of the Vampire in the center for a 12 1/2" strip.

Bramble - 2/3 yd.

(7) 1 1/2" x wof for Sashing

(5) 2 1/2" x wof for outer Borders

Ghastly Forest - 1/2 yd.
(2) 6 1/2" x wof

A Ghastly Angle - 2 yds.
(1) 6 1/2" x 64"

Seam allowance 1/4"

Make Vertical Sashing & Border Strips:

Cut one of the 1 1/2" Sashing strips in half.  Join each half to the end of another 1 1/2" Sashing strip so you now have two Vertical Sashing strips that measure roughly 1 1/2" x 64".  Do the same to create two 2 1/2" x 64" Vertical Border Strips.

Make Vertical Panel:

Sew the 1 1/2" wide Vertical Sashing strips to each side long side of the 6 1/2" x 64" strip.  Trim the top and bottom edges if necessary.

Assemble the Top:

Sew a Sashing or Border strip to the top of each printed strip according to the picture above.  Add a Border strip to the bottom edge of the last print strip.  Join the rows to create a single Quilt Panel.

I left the selvages on my strips as I sewed them together so now I needed to square up the sides.  Also you need to measure your quilt vertically and write down that measurement.

Find a good spot to split the Quilt Panel vertically about 1/3 of the way from the right side of the panel.  For me this was at 12 1/4".  Take a deep breath because you're about to cut up a perfectly nice strip quilt:-)  Cut the panel vertically at that point. 

Trim you Vertical Panel to the length of your finished Quilt Panel.  Sew the Vertical Panel between the two sides of your Quilt Panel and you're done!

Got something Ghastly you've made?  Link up at the Ghastly Gathering and be entered to win these 4 Ghastly fat quarters.  Winner will be selected Wednesday 10/17/12.