Many classic horror stories are actually about quilting. Think about it… Dr. Frankenstein, of course, was “piecing” together body parts. The Mummy had a huge fabric stash, even if it was mostly linen. And Count Dracula? Well, you just know the interior of that coffin was quilted for comfort.

The thrills and chills of Halloween practically beg for the warmth of a custom quilt – bats with folded fabric wings or pieced candy corn blocks make “spooktacular” quilts perfect for cuddling up with after a long night in costume. Your trick-or-treat bag will hold oodles more goodies and last for years when it’s durably quilted by Whimzie Quiltz, too. If you are handing out candy instead, consider a fabric bowl using special fusible interfacing and your favorite bewitching material to hold all those mini Snickers bars!

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Quilting theme costumes are easy and fun. Got a long-sleeved orange t-shirt and some silver leggings? With hands on hips, you’re a pair of scissors. Or wear an oversized red sweatshirt stuffed with newspaper. Add a six-pointed star cut out of green felt on your head and you become the world’s biggest pin cushion.

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Are you ever too old for a slumber party? Of course, not! Staying up all night with good movies, good munchies and good friends never goes out of style. Throw in a game of Truth or Dare and you’re set! In fact, I double-dog dare you not to have a good time, especially if you add quilted accessories to your sleep-over fun.

Great pajama parties always include a makeover – you’ll need eye shadow, lipstick and nail polish at least, so a quilted cosmetic bag to keep it all handy and organized is a must. When everyone’s ready to curl up and share secrets, snuggle right in with a Whimzie quilt made from your favorite old jammies (your husband or boyfriend’s worn pajama bottoms would make a great quilt, too!) And if you are ready to sleep while others are still whispering, then a comfy quilted eye mask will block the light and whisk you off to dreamland…

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Don’t be caught off guard when the pillow fight starts – come prepared with a custom quilted pillow case for a little extra ammunition!

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Back to school usually means studying the three “R’s”, but more and more classrooms are adding a “Q” – for quilting – to that traditional list. Quilting modules offer the opportunity to teach kids history, art, math, even economics (early quilters were frugal compared to the $3.3 billion industry quilting is today!)

Getting kids involved in a classroom quilting project is easy – for pre-schoolers, handprints done in special fabric paints can be featured on individual blocks; for grade-schoolers, artwork can be digitally scanned onto printer-friendly fabric. Older children can design their own blocks based on geometric principles and learn to sew the fabric pieces together themselves, while a custom quilter, like Whimzie Quiltz , can be brought in to complete the batting, backing and binding. The finished work of art makes a great teacher appreciation gift, too!

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Quilted wall hangings highlighting the alphabet, colors or numbers or small quilts featuring motivational sayings are perfect in the classroom. More durable than paper, such quilted decorations make terrific long-lasting teaching aids.

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You know, there ought to be a TV show about a creative, but level-headed quilter, her long-suffering husband and their wisecracking kids. She would have several sassy friends at the local quilt guild and they’d all get together to discuss life, love and pursuit of the perfect red fabric. [Well, I’d watch it! ]

Until the network execs come calling… guess the classic television shows that these custom quilt ideas were inspired by: 1) A shabby chic quilt featuring six Friendship Star blocks; 2) A pieced angel pattern using soft to the “touch” flannel; 3) Red and white cross-themed blocks surrounded by an army green border; 4) A large boat using heart fabrics appliquéd onto blue Ocean Waves blocks; and 5) A “mystery quilt” made from Hawaiian shirts once worn by a hunky, mustachioed man.

Click here for answers.

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You can’t beat the incredible picture quality of flat screen TVs when the set is on. But when you’re not watching a show, there’s just a giant black hole on the wall adding nothing to your decor. A flat screen “cozy,” or quilted TV cover, is the perfect solution. Whimzie Quiltz can custom make a cozy to the exact dimensions of your television – in colors that coordinate with your room – and when the TV is off you’ll have a beautiful quilt on the wall to look at instead!

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Something old, something new, something borrowed and something… quilted? While it’s not the traditional good fortune blessing, custom quilts can add a warmly unique touch to a bride and groom’s wedding day – and to their happily ever after.

A custom quilted ‘chuppa’, the traditional canopy used in Jewish weddings, is a wonderful way to personalize your ceremony. Or, consider this different take on the guest book – have each wedding guest sign a fabric square (special permanent markers are made just for this purpose); these autographed squares can then be sewn together to make a treasured heirloom quilt. But what if you are always a bridesmaid, never a bride? Whimzie Quiltz can stitch the fabrics from your many bridesmaid dresses into a quilt – you’ll free up space in your closet and preserve your memories at the same time.

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To thank your Maid of Honor and Best Man for their caring support during your big day, have matching Whimzie quilts – in your wedding colors, of course! – created for each of them.

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If you have a daughter or niece who can translate that title for you, she’s probably a tween. Tweens are notoriously hard to please – but, IMHO, a custom quilt designed just for her may be the key to a heartfelt ‘Thk u!’ or even a “Luv u 4vr!”.

If she’s into Camp Rock, HSM, Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers, a t-shirt quilt made from her favorite concert souvenirs will strike the right note. Whimzie Quiltz can also print all the photos from her myspace page onto fabric – and then sew those memories into a cool keepsake she can enjoy when the computer isn’t on (as if!) Or maybe she’s a fan of Twilight. A black on black quilt accented with red would make a lovely homage to the book (I’ll even throw in a matching quilted book cover for carrying around the latest hardback in the series).

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Identical quilted iPod or cell phone covers for her and her BFF are another tween friendly idea, especially if sewn from hip hibiscus or trendy safari prints.

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Forget walls… if pillows could talk, they’d tell of cradling your head when you’re sick or supporting your back after a long day at the office. They’d tell of cushioning your tush from a cold, hard seat and of late night squabbles solved with a teasing thump.

Imagine the story a custom ring pillow would tell about the eager young ring bearer tottering down the aisle. Or the tale a personalized tooth fairy pillow has to share about the sprite that spirited away your child’s first tooth only to leave bright, shiny coins. And Whimzie quilted floor pillows made using your favorite team t-shirts will probably never stop talking about watching the Hail Mary play that saved the game (of course, you run the risk they let slip the party that was so big people had to sit on the floor!)

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Can’t decide between a Whimzie quilt and a Whimzie pillow? Get the best of both with a “quillow” – a lap quilt that folds up and tucks into an attached pocket to form a decorative pillow.

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Spring, that most glorious season, has sprung! Birds are singing, flowers are blooming and quilts are getting packed away. Information on caring for your custom quilt is always available at www.whimziequiltz.com, but here are a few tips to get your spring cleaning started off right…

Check your quilts for any small tears that happened during winter use and repair that damage first. Next, wash your quilts using cold water and a mild detergent; dry them on a flat surface or tumble them on low heat in the dryer. Make sure they are completely dry before moving on! Then fold your quilts (it’s best to “turn, turn, turn” them a different way a couple of times each year to prevent creases) and place each inside a pillowcase or cloth bag. Now they’re ready to store in your linen closet until the cold weather returns!

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Avoid creases entirely by storing your quilts one on top of another on a guest bed. In addition to being best for the quilts, you can rotate them and enjoy the beauty of your custom quilts all spring and summer, too.

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You’ve got quilts on the bed, quilts on the couch, quilts overflowing every nook and cranny in your house. So you know there’s only one thing left to do – go vertical! Hanging your quilts can add a whole new dimension to a home’s decor.

Wall quilts, for instance, can be purely decorative – a large quilt is often less expensive but as colorful as a painting of the same size – or they can be functional – a small quilt with pockets near the front door easily organizes your mail. Hung quilts make terrific curtains, too, keeping drafts out when covering family room windows and keeping warmth in when used with a shower curtain liner in the bath. Hung from the ceiling, quilts also make great room dividers, especially if you want to show off both sides of a well-crafted heirloom.

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My favorite way of hanging a quilt, though, is to put up a quilted Christmas stocking. When you have your stockings custom created by Whimzie Quiltz, you can have them made big enough to hold all the goodies in Santa’s sleigh!

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When you’ve caught a bit of a bug, you know a quilt is a great ‘cold’ reliever, right? (Get it? cold reliever – ‘cause it keeps you warm. Thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all night…) But seriously, folks, a few custom quilted accessories can go a long way towards making you feel better when you’re achy or sick.

If you are using a regular old hot water bottle or a traditional cold pack for your sprains and pains, a custom fit quilted cover can keep extreme temperatures from delicate skin. Or have Whimzie Quiltz create a heat therapy neck wrap just for you – filled with flaxseed or buckwheat, a few minutes microwaving such wraps can give you hours of warming comfort. And patients undergoing chemotherapy might welcome a long, thin custom quilt known as a ‘comfort hug’ to wrap around their shoulders during sessions or a specially made fabric chemo cap to wear once they’ve lost their hair.

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Sniffle, sniffle… Achoo! Got a bery bab code? A quilted cover for your tissue container – especially one in a fun and cheery fabric – can brighten repeated visits to the Kleenex® box when you’re blowing your “node” over and over (and over) again.

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