Fall into a Quilt Along: Pumpkins Aplenty
Welcome to block 7 of Fall into a Quilt Along! I can't believe it's already time to share the block I designed. I hope you love it as much as I do!
If you've been watching the quilt along from the sidelines, it's not too late to join in. All of the block patterns will remain free until the quilt along ends on November 13, 2018. You can find links to all of the past blocks on my quilt along page.
I don't know about you, but I feel like fall just wouldn't be fall without pumpkins. My fondest memories include hayrides at the pumpkin patch, carving jack o'lanterns, roasting pumpkin seeds, and baking pumpkin pies and cookies. And we can't forget the adorable tiny decorative pumpkins that grace the fall table. My fall is replete with Pumpkins Aplenty.
Are you ready to sew your own patch of pumpkins? Click the download button below for the pdf pattern. I can't wait to see what you make!
Tips for Success
Stitch Length
Some of the pieces in this block are only 1" square. To keep those short seams from pulling apart, I recommend using a pretty short stitch length. I set the stitch length on my Viking to 2.0, which is about 16 stitches per inch.
Seam Test
I always recommend testing your seam allowance before you start. That way you can be sure your block will come out the right size.
To test your seam allowance, cut two 2" squares and sew them together. Press to one side, and measure the resulting rectangle. The rectangle should be 3 1/2" long. If your rectangle is shorter, you need a narrower seam allowance. If your rectangle is longer, you need a wider seam allowance. Adjust your seam and try again. Once the rectangle is exactly 3 1/2" long, you're good to go.
Stitch and Flip Corners
My favorite tool for drawing the diagonal lines is a Sewline ceramic pencil. They come in several colors, but I just bought one pencil and change out the lead as needed.
The secret to making a successful stitch and flip corner is to stitch just outside of the drawn line. The line you drew isn't the stitching line - it's actually where the fabric needs to fold! By stitching just outside of the line, you give yourself the extra fabric you need to reach all the way to the corner when you flip it over.
Just to be safe, I always test to make sure my corner is covered before I cut away the excess fabric from the back.
Design Boards
I recently made some design boards, and they're just so handy! Fabric sticks to them, so nothing gets lost as I work. I used a design board to organize my pumpkin pieces as I was sewing the individual pumpkins.
I also used the board to lay out the block once my pumpkins were complete. If you'd like to make your own design boards, you can read about them here.
Sad Iron
One of my favorite tools is my sad iron. First, I press a seam with my regular iron. As soon as I finish pressing, I set my sad iron on top of the seam. The sad iron holds in the heat and adds extra weight to make the seam nice and flat. I got mine at the local antique store, and my hubby scrubbed off the rust and painted it with heat resistant Rust-Oleum.
Please Share
Once you've finished your block, take some time to enjoy your handiwork! Then remember to share a picture so the rest of us can admire it, too. I just can't tell you how excited I am to see your blocks!
I'll be watching the hashtags #pumkinsaplentyquilt and #fallintoaqal on Instagram (you can find me @snowydaysquilting). I'll also be keeping an eye out in the Partners in Design Facebook group.
Pumpkin Patch
My fellow hosts have each made their own versions of the Pumpkins Aplenty block. Be sure to check them out for inspiration and more tips. If you like what you see, I'm sure they would appreciate you leaving them a comment on their blogs.
Abbie Danahy at Sparkle On
April Adams at JANDA Bend Quilts
Bobbi Bridgeman at Snowy Days Quilting <--- That's me!
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting
Vanda Chittenden at Quilting with Vanda
Prizes
The very best part of the quilt along is seeing all of the different blocks made by quilters around the world. If you make a Pumpkins Aplenty block, we want to see it! Please use the Instagram hashtags #pumpkinsaplentyquilt and #fallintoaqal so we call all see what you've made. Feel free to tag me @snowydaysquilting when you post your block and I'll be sure to leave you a comment.
You can also share your pictures in the wonderfully encouraging Partners in Design facebook group. If you have a blog, please add your post to the linkup at the bottom of the page. The linkup will be open until 11:59 pm Eastern time on August 20, 2018.
Sharing your Pumpkins Aplenty block in any of the places mentioned will enter you in our prize drawing. Anyone over 18 is eligible to win, including international participants. Our prize this time is a patterned grey Tag-Along Craft Storage Travel Tote. The tote is provided by Everything Mary, a family-owned company based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, dedicated to providing stylish, clever ways for sewers and crafters to get organized.
At the end of the quilt along, we will have a grand prize drawing for anyone that has made a complete quilt top with all 12 blocks. There's no need to have it quilted for the drawing. To be eligible to win, finished quilt tops must be posted by 11:59 pm Eastern time on November 12, 2018.
Link Up
If you blog about your Pumpkins Aplenty block, we would love to see it! Link up your blog post here so we can all check it out. Remember to visit a few of the other blogs while you're at it. We all love comments from our fellow quilters.
