Can you believe in all the years I've had the web site and been blogging I've never participated in a blog hop until today? Even though the boy's are grown there's something about Halloween that's so much fun and I'm glad the Wicked Blog Hop is part of this year's celebration.
If you've never been here before - Welcome!
We don't get trick or treaters here at the lake but Clutch and I have fun celebrating together. He got a new Halloween quilt this year made from his favorite Cuddle fabric.
I love to use Cuddle for backing on crib and lap quilts. Clutch's quilt is made from the leftovers that were cut away around the outside edges after the quilting was done. It's fun to mix Cuddle with cotton fabric so save all those scraps!
My 12" Pumpkin Patch block is a combination of patchwork, fusible, hand and dimensional applique. Wow - I think I covered it all in this block.
The background is pieced to give a some ground to the patch. The little ghosts and leaves are fused with the edges finished in a buttonhole stitch done by hand. I drew faces on the ghosts with a permanent pigma pen. The pumpkin is hand appliqued and it's sections defined with embroidery done in a running stitch. I wrote "Pumpkin Patch" on the sign using the pigma pen and sewed a back on it like you would a pillow. I then appliqued it to the background with a running stitch using embroidery floss so it has a dimensional look to it. It was lots of fun and admittedly one of my favorite blocks. I'm going to finish it as a wall quilt to be used in another project I'm working on.
Pumpkin Pincushions
Two little pumpkins
Cute as can be!
One I made for you
The other one for me.
Leave a comment
In the box below.
And one of pumpkins
On you I'll bestow!
Just in case you aren't the lucky winner and want to make one for yourself. Here's some what you'll need -
- Six 5" squares of fabric
- 3" square of brown felt
- 4" x 7" piece of green felt
- Pearl cotton or embroidery floss
- Cloth covered floral wire
- Crushed walnut shells, bird grit or another filler (2 1/2 cups)
- Handful of polyester fiberfill
- TEMPLATES
Make freezer paper templates for each of the shapes on the template page. Stack up your 5" squares and iron the freezer paper template for the pumpkin to the top square.
Cut out around the template.
Decide on the order you want to sew your shapes together.
Begin sewing 1/2" from the edge and stop sewing 1/4" from the other end. Backstitch at both ends.
Continue sewing the sections together until you have what looks a bit like a deflated beach ball.
Turn right side out through the little opening. Put a small amount of fiberfill inside and position it in the center bottom of the pumpkin.
You'll need a bowl, funnel and a measuring cup.
After you've poured about half of the filler inside, turn the raw edges of the opening under 1/2" and baste around the folded edge with your pearl cotton. Leave the ends so you can gather and tie it off later. Continue adding filling until you've used about 2 1/2 cups. Set pumpkin aside.
You can use a pencil and needle nose pliers with a wire cutter to make three tendrils.
Cut a 3" length of cloth covered floral wire and spread a little glue along one edge of brown felt.
Fold over the edge as tightly as you can around the wire and press the edge into the glue. Hold for a few seconds until the glue grips a little.
Continue to roll the felt as tightly as you can around the wire. Pin the raw edge in place until you can whipstitch the edge using matching thread.
Use the freezer paper leaf template to cut two leaves from the green felt. Cut a 4" piece of cloth covered floral wire. Sandwich the wire between the two felt leaf shapes and buttonhole stitch around the outside edge using pearl cotton.
Put small bits of fiberfill around the top of the pumpkin to even out the shape until you're happy with the way it looks.
Insert the stem, leaf and tendrils in opening. Draw up pearl cotton to close the opening. Tie tightly in a knot. You can tie the ends in a bow if you like. I threaded mine on a needle and pulled them through to the inside to hide them.
If you're like me and think you'll probably pick that pincushion up by the stem someday, you can secure it to the pumpkin by sewing some tacking stitches back and forth through it stitching it to the pumpkin fabric.
Use the circle freezer paper template to cut a piece of green felt to glue to the bottom of the pumpkin. You can bend and shape the leaf and stem to look more like a real pumpkin.
Please email me if you have any questions and don't forget to leave a comment to be included in the drawing for one of the pincushions. I'll draw a name on November 1st (that's a Just Takes 2 day) so that should give everyone time to have their comment included.
Do you have any of this fabric? This is a 5" scan of an older piece of fabric I'm hoping someone has in their stash and would be willing to sell. I'll take any size pieces, even scraps. If you have some please contact me.
There's a new Midget Block today too so be sure and get your download. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you had fun!
A very special thanks to Wendy of Why Not Quilt and Madame Samm from Sew We Quilt for putting together this WICKED blog hop! Be sure and visit the other blogs to see the great blocks and finished projects they have to show you!
Ariane Quilts
Cindy Crafty Creations
Quiltscapes
Sentimental Stitches
Moosestash Quilting
Krislovesfabric
Marjorie's Busy Corner
Stitchin by the Lake
Rose Creations
SimpleSew
Charlottes Creations
Betty - That Other Blog
Alexa's World
Thanks for the tutorial and a chance to win your cute pumpkin pincushion !!!!
I have been a long time fan of your quilts. thanks for the great tutorial and for the chance to win. Beautiful block. Good luck finding your fabric. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of it.
Love the little pumpkins! They are so cute. I love a chance to win one! THANKS
What a cute pincushion! Thanks for the chance to win it.
Oh my help! That is the cutest pumpkin pin cushion I have seen! Thanks for the tutorial and pattern!
What a darling pincushion! Thanks for the tutorial. And thank you for the chance to win too! 🙂
Love the pumpkin. Your block is real nice. Thanks for the pattern. Nancy P.
Just Takes Two — Would love to include your pumpkin pincushion in my collection. This is the time of the year when we all love orange. Sorry I do not have any of your needed fabric, certainly would like to help you out. Have a spooky, but nice, Halloween! –Dodi
What fun- seasonal pincushions!!
Adorable! So tempting. Maybe I’ll make one before the Shipshewana retreat.
happy Halloween to you and yours. I would come trick or treating at your house any day if it meant I might get some darling treat like this pumpkin pincushion. Thanks for the opportunity to win one. I have a collection of pincushions and this would be a Great Pumpkin addition.
Thanks for sharing the pumpkin pincushion pattern! I collect pincushions, so I can hardly wait to get this one made.
Love the pumpkin pincushion! Thanks for the pattern.
Who wouldn’t like a Halloween quilt out of Minkee!!! Love the applique block – everything about it!!! Thanks for sharing your great ideas 🙂
Too cute. I’m going to make a bunch for gifts! Thank you!
Adorable pincushion. Thank you for the directions . I’d like to make one for myself. Janita
thank you for sharing this pumpkin pattern and teaching! they are really cute pincushions. I will have to give this a try.
Happy stitching,
Judy
Cute pumpkin
Your block is wonderful! Thanks for the chance to win your pincushion. I was just telling myself today that I am one pincushion short of efficient in my sewing room.
I have wandered onto your blog. I’m a new quilter just thought you should know I have enjoyed my visit .Cute pumpkin pincushion .still trying understand all I have seen (still looking)love the sampler. also cutest furbaby clutch
Your pumpkins are too cute! It would be hard for me to make as I don’t buy orange fabric. I might just have to change my mind….
So cute, great for halloween, and even into Thanksgiving!
The little pumpkins are sooo cute!! I love this time of year, and all the fall & halloween ‘things’.
Thank you for the tutorial, and all the other patterns you have shared with us over the years.
Love your fall pics, especially the one of the moon.
Love your block & your pumpkins! Thanks for sharing with us all.
Great tutorial! The directions are clearly stated and the photographs are ideal for those of us who are visual learners. You get an A+ as a teacher. Thank you.
Your block is great and I just love the pumpkin pincushion. I don’t like curves, or really they don’t like me, but I may have to try again to make one myself.
We eat pumpkin several times a week (it is good for more than pie, you know) and your darling pincushion would be perfect for my table. Thanks so much for the pattern and tutorial. I know the only way I’ll get this is to make it! Hope you’re having fun with the blog hop!
Love the pumpkin pincushion!
Thanks
congrats to the winner of the great pumpkin pin cushion, it would make me happy too…
Cute pin cushion, pattern looks easy peasy. Thanks for the chance to win!
Cute pattern, thanks for sharing the pattern.
They are so cute. I’d love to win one and thanks for the pattern
Oh gosh, your pumpkin pincushion is so cute! Thanks for a great tutorial, I’ve always wanted to make one.
Thank you for your giveaway and a chance to win.
The pumpkins (and Clutch!) are cute! My maine coon cat. Mousse, is fast asleep next to me, on a fleece lap blanket, as I catch up on my blog reading.
Really like the pumpkin! I’ll have to have one–good for both Halloween & Thanksgiving!!!
Thanks for the tutorial! I love the ghost block. It is Wickedly cute!
Just the cutes thing, will give it a try, thanks for sharing.
Cute block! Cut pincushion too!
Very “scary” Halloween projects, but especially cute pincushions. Thanks for sharing.