Love with a Twist Balloon Pig

February’s first block for the Love with a Twist quilt along is “Happy Hog”, the prancing balloon pig. It seems only fitting to do the pig block next as the first block of the new Lunar year.

Happy New Year of the Pig

Too cute and ready to play, today’s pig balloon appliqué is one of the centre block options for the throw size versions of Love with a Twist. Of course, you will also need to collect Happy Hog if you are making the full twin-size quilt. In the latter, she struts her stuff in the top right hand corner.

Keep reading to collect your pig balloon appliqué pdf and find out all the details for making the most of the next step in the Love with a Twist quilt along.

About the Love with a Twist Pig Balloon Appliqué Block

2019 is the Lunar Year of the Pig. Therefore, the pig appliqué pdf comes with optional numerals to mark the year 2019 in the centre of the throw quilt.

The optional date appliqué is a nice touch if you are giving your throw-sized balloon quilt to someone born this year, or in a previous Year of the Pig. It also fills the allotted space on the throw quilt quite nicely. You could also use this extra space to add your own personalisations instead – such as your recipient’s name, but you will need to source your own lettering.

In contrast, Happy Hog pig is designed to sit alone in her space on the twin quilt, without the year date. Otherwise you might cramp her style. The block allocation on the twin quilt for the pig is significantly smaller than on the throw quilt.

Things to remember as you sew along with Love with a Twist

• There are two throw versions of this quilt, which can be re-mixed into a twin size quilt. The instructions to cut and construct the throw quilts can be found here and for the twin quilt, here.
• Today’s Happy Hog is Block 6B of Love with a Twist, and our third download to date. It is one of the options for the centre of the throw quilts.
• We have already had the Dippy Dog and Pretty Poodle blocks in January. Block 6A is still coming. Don’t panic, you haven’t missed it.
• The appliqué templates provided are drawn in red lines and black lines. If you are doing raw-edge appliqué, ignore the line colours and simply work with the shapes supplied. If you want to do turned-edge appliqué, you will need to add a seam allowance to the black edges only. The red edges are where the shapes overlap and extra fabric allowance is already added.

Download your Happy Hog pdf pattern here

The prancing piggy is our first option for Block 6 of the throw-sized version of Love with a Twist quilt. Download Happy Hog here:

**** It is really important that you print this pdf at 100%, otherwise your pattern pieces will be the wrong size for the quilt blocks. Turn off any “fit to page” options in your printer dialog and ensure that the printout size is set to 100%. There are check boxes supplied in the document. If your printout is successful, these will measure 1″ square. The document is designed to fit on US Letter and A4 paper. ****

What you will need to make the (raw-edge appliqué) Happy Hog block:

If you have not pre-constructed your quilt top, you will need background fabric for your appliqué:

• If you are making Block 6B for the throw size quit you will need a background fabric piece of 16″ x 20″. This measurement does not include any trimming allowance.
• To make Block 6B for the twin size quilt you will need a background fabric piece of 16.5″ x 16″. Again, this measurement does not include any trimming allowance.
• So, if you use a piece of fabric 16.5″ x 20″ or more, you will keep your options open and have a small trimming allowance 🙂

You will also need:

• one main fabric for the pig’s body (approx. 10″ x 17″). And a second coordinating fabric for the 2019 numbering (approx. 13″ x 5″) if you are doing the throw-size quilt. My pig is made from an Island Batik fabric from the Ditty collection, given to me by Island Batik.
• scraps of white and black fabrics for the eyes and nostrils
• fusible paper-backed fabric adhesive , approx 10″ x 18″ (or 15″ x 18″ including the “2019” appliqué)
• thin batting for trapunto or your favourite stabiliser for stitching (optional)
• general tools and notions: sewing machine, iron etc, teflon ironing sheet or non-stick paper, small sharp scissors, pencil, quilting pins, grease-proof/tracing paper, machine embroidery or sewing threads for appliqué and embroidery

How to put together the Pig Balloon Appliqué

Trace your appliqué shapes directly onto the backing paper of your fusible adhesive. Fuse the shapes to the back of your fabric, according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Then cut out each shape and remove the backing papers. They go together as follows:

Step 1

Assemble the 3-page layout diagram supplied and cover with an ironing sheet/non-stick paper. Position appliqué pieces H1, H2, H5, H9 and H13 in place and secure them temporarily by touching them briefly with the tip of a hot iron.

Step 2

Add pieces H3 and H4.

Step 3

Add the main back leg (piece H7).

Step 4

And then the body (piece H6).

Step 5

Time to add the main foreleg and start building the head…. add pieces H10 and H11.

Step 6

Finish off the legs with piece H8 and add the cheek (piece H12).

Step 7

Next is piece H14.

Step 8

And finally, the second ear (piece H16) and the snout (piece H15).

Step 9

Add the eyes and the nostrils (not shown). Use tracing paper to mark the positions of the eyes and nostrils as described in the tutorial for the balloon poodle (step 6) if you need help getting them into place. Also mark the embroidery details for the ears, snout and the mouth with pencil or other removable fabric marker.

Step 10

Give your appliqué a thorough pressing and transfer to your background fabric.

Stitch your appliqué pig down using your favourite method. The sample I have shown uses free-motion straight stitching over a low-loft polyester batting. I layer my appliqué over the polyester batting and secure with quilting pins. Then I stitch around my shapes 5-6 times to secure them thoroughly. And finish by removing the excess batting with curved blade scissors/snips.

Explainer

The reason why the picture for Step 9 above does not have nostrils is because I originally finished my pig by marking in the shaping detail on her nose in black, with no nostrils.

However, I then remembered that I am reserving black embroidery for features that would normally be drawn onto a balloon sculpture in felt pen. And she also did not look quite piggy enough for my liking. So I removed the black stitching and replaced it with pink detailing. And added a couple of nostril holes to define the nose instead.

This is a classic example of how my patterns evolve for you in the testing phase. I also decided that I will try a different, more “piggy” tail in my next iteration of this pattern. But for now she has the stumpy tail that occurs is the real-life pig balloon patterns that I researched before drawing my appliqué.

Looking forward

Being Valentine’s Day today, it seems fitting that I can remind you that our next block, Block 6A is the “LOVE” block. This next block pattern will be a week or more away though, as I am participating in the “Show Us Your Wings” blog hop first. My Show Us Your Wings day is on the 19th. And my winged project also happens to be a balloon animal…. so don’t miss it. See you then!

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The Chameleon turns rainbow with pleasure when he hears from you. I am more reserved, so I will respond in gratitude by email instead. Now that it’s your turn…. Scroll right to the end, leave me a comment and tell me, what do you think? Thanks for connecting!

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