"Switch Witch" is a children's book written by Audrey Ades and illustrated by Haydini. The book tells the story of a witch who visits children's houses on Halloween night, exchanging their unwanted candy for a special toy. The main character of the book is a young girl named Lola. Lola loves Halloween, but she doesn't like the sugary candy that she collects while trick-or-treating. One day, Lola's mother tells her about the Switch Witch, a friendly witch who helps children trade their Halloween candy for a surprise gift. Excited about the idea, Lola decides to give it a try.
When you light candles for yourself remember there are basic magical associations for each color. It is ideal to use a candle whose color matches your intention for your spell; however, we don’t always have the correct color on hand, so what do you do?
When the energy is running high they can melt down quickly and you ll end up with a huge pool of molten wax on the plate and that can cause really high flames as well, so the chimes can become a real fire hazard. You can bury them on your property or if you rent put them in a potted plant, or just put them in a plastic baggy and store them where no one will bother them.
Excited about the idea, Lola decides to give it a try. She puts all of her unwanted candy in a special box before going to bed on Halloween night. In the middle of the night, the Switch Witch arrives and takes the box of candy, leaving behind a beautifully wrapped toy in its place.
Color binding magic
There is now a video of this technique. Go to this post to watch the video.
I met Susie at Quilting in the Pines last weekend. She drives a pumpkin orange (or Tangerine Tango, the color of the year!) Audi TT. And she demonstrated the coolest completely-machine-sewn binding I've ever seen!
1. For this technique, you will need a main binding color and an accent color. Of course, you can use the same color for both -- but why bother with this technique, then?
2. Trim the excess batting back backing from your quilt. Then measure the perimeter and add 10" or so.
3. Cut as many strips of the main (outer) binding fabric as you need to total the perimeter of your quilt at 1 1/2" wide.
4. Cut the same number of flange (accent) strips at 1 3/4".
5. Sew the strips of each fabric together end to end. I always use a mitered join to minimize bulk.
6. Sew the main color and the accent color together lengthwise using a 1/4" seam. You now have two strips equal to the perimeter of your quilt.
7. Press toward the main (1 1/2" strip) fabric.
8. Then press lengthwise with wrong sides together and raw edges even. See how a narrow piping/flange appears when you meet the raw edges?
9. Leave a 10" tail and begin sewing the binding to the back side of your quilt , with the contrast color facing up, using a 1/4" seam.
10. In January I wrote a tutorial on mitering binding corners. It also shows how to join the two ends of the binding.
11. Once the binding is attached all the way around your quilt, lightly press the binding toward the cut edge. This will make wrapping the binding to the front side of the quilt easier.
12. Now wrap the binding to the front, and using thread that matches the flange (or use Superior Threads' Mono Poly) "stitch in the ditch" between the flange and the main binding fabric.
Miter the corners as you would any binding:
13. Join the two ends of the binding as shown in my January tutorial, with this exception. In order to make the flange meet evenly, place a pin through the seam line from the wrong side:
(This is a sample -- not the actual binding on the quilt!) Sew across the two ends of the binding at a 45 degree angle:
And you'll have a perfect join!
Doesn't this technique look great? And it's completely done by machine -- no tedious hand stitching the binding in place!
According to Susie, this technique is approved for use on Quilts of Valor (previously, they required bindings be hand-sewn in place).
This will certainly be my binding method of choice from now on! Thanks, Susie!
Addendum
Several readers have asked me to show what the reverse side of the quilt looks like when this binding method is used. Here is a photo from Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasures blog showing the reverse of my Mandarin Express Scrap Squad quilt:
Can you see the single line of stitching just to the left of the binding at the right-hand side of the photo? That's the bobbin thread from stitching in the ditch of the Magic Binding flange.
Here's another view, also showing the lovely machine quilting by Ann Reinelt:
Nice, huh? Now, go forth and bind!
From the desk of your
Please note that because of an increasing amount of spam, comments have been disallowed on this post. Thanks for all your kind comments, but I know you don't want to read advertisements here, either!
Several readers have asked me to show what the reverse side of the quilt looks like when this binding method is used. Here is a photo from Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasures blog showing the reverse of my Mandarin Express Scrap Squad quilt:
The next morning, Lola wakes up to find the toy and is thrilled with the surprise. She realizes that she made a great trade and that she can now enjoy Halloween without worrying about the excess candy. Throughout the book, Lola shares her story with her friends and classmates, encouraging them to try switching their candy with the Switch Witch too. The book highlights the importance of moderation and healthy habits, showing children that they can still have fun on Halloween while also making healthier choices. "Switch Witch" is a fun and imaginative book that promotes a positive message about balanced eating and the joy of giving. It encourages children to think creatively and teaches them about the concept of bartering. The colorful and engaging illustrations by Haydini bring the story to life, captivating young readers and sparking their imagination. Overall, "Switch Witch" is a delightful book that combines the excitement of Halloween with a valuable lesson about making healthy choices. It is a perfect read for children during the Halloween season, offering an alternative perspective on the traditional candy-filled holiday..
Reviews for "From Novel to Interactive Experience: The Rise of Switch Witch Books"
1. Sarah - 2 stars - I found the Switch Witch book to be incredibly confusing and hard to follow. The storyline jumped around so much that I struggled to keep up with what was happening. Additionally, the characters were poorly developed and lacked any depth or complexity. I was hoping for a captivating and immersive read, but unfortunately, I was left feeling disappointed.
2. John - 1 star - The Switch Witch book was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was dry and lacked any creativity or originality. The plot was predictable and uninteresting, failing to hold my attention throughout the entire book. I found myself constantly checking how many more pages I had left before finally reaching the end and being relieved to be done with it. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining and well-written story.
3. Emily - 2 stars - I had high hopes for the Switch Witch book, but it fell short of my expectations. The characters felt one-dimensional and lacked any real growth or development. The dialogue was often awkward and unrealistic, making it difficult for me to connect with the story on an emotional level. The overall pacing was also quite slow, and I found myself losing interest in what should have been an exciting and mysterious plot. I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied by the end of the book.
4. Michael - 1 star - I regret wasting my time on the Switch Witch book. The plot was convoluted and poorly executed, leaving me feeling confused and frustrated. The writing style was clunky and filled with unnecessary descriptions that didn't add anything to the story. The book lacked a clear direction and failed to deliver any meaningful messages or themes. Overall, it was a disappointing read that I would not recommend to anyone.