The Pumpkin Patch Quilt-A Work in Progress

Pumpkin Free Motion QuiltingWelcome back to my Pumpkin Patch.  I hope you had time to give yesterday’s tutorial, The Perfect Pumpkin a try.   As you can tell by now–I LOVE Halloween and October and Autumn!  I love the color orange.  I hope you aren’t getting tired of orange–I have a few more orange projects to come this month!

In the quilt above, I employed variations of three quilt tutorials:  The Perfect Pumpkin (HERE), The Greek Key (HERE) and The Spider Web (HERE).  Then I added a few whirls, twirls and spirals to fill in the spaces–no stippling for me!  (Have I told you–I can’t stipple-even though it’s often described as a beginner pattern?!)

Pumpkin Free Motion Quilting

I know many followers of The Inbox Jaunt are stitching on long arm sewing machines–lucky you!  However, many of us are using domestic sewing machines.  I stitch on a Bernina 820 most of the time, though I still love my Bernina 150.  I only mention this to give encouragement.  In the words of Tim Gunn–“Make it work”.  That is–make it work with what you have!   I frequently am asked if I use a BSR–a stitch regulator.  I do not.  I learned without one and when I tried one, I thought it threw off my own rhythm.  Many people like them, so I think they are worth a try, but remember –they are not necessary!

Pumpkin Free Motion Quilting

If you need a little refresher on setting up your sewing machine, see my post Seven Steps to Free Motion Quilting HERE.

Pumpkin Free Motion Quilting

I’m off.  I think I will finish my Halloween projects this week so I can start on my other favorite holidays–Thanksgiving and Christmas!   Sew many ideas….Sew little time…

Lori

33 responses to “The Pumpkin Patch Quilt-A Work in Progress”

    1. That is my question also, did you draw it all out? What batting and marking pencil do you like?
      How is your finger healing Lori?
      Thanks for the tutorial, I had fun practicing the pumpkink yesterday on my Babylock Tiara!

      1. Hi Yvonne,
        I draw the square and circles for the large pumpkins–just to check that the composition is somewhat balanced. I don’t do a lot of marking–I’m too impatient.
        For small projects, I use Warm and Natural and for bed quilts I love wool. We will be talking about batting this Friday–and marking pencils next Friday.
        I don’t have a favorite marking pencil right now. I use chalk a lot because it wipes away so easily.

    2. Hi Andrea,
      I drew the square and then divided in quarters. Then I roughly drew a circle for each of the larger pumpkins. I do this so I can see there is some balance. That’s it…I use the basic formula for the pumpkins that I illustrated yesterday-and then I echo quilt and fill in with the swirls. Hope that helps.

  3. I’m with you, I love fall and the beautiful colors. Pumpkins are a favorite and I plan to try your free motion instructions on my sewing machine. Wish me luck!

  5. That is one wonderful pumpkin design.

    What are your favorite markers for fmq? I’m always afraid the marks won’t come out.

    1. Hi Pat,
      I don’t have a favorite marker–I have a love/hate relationship with all of my marking pencils. We will be talking about marking tools a week from Friday–on Open Line Friday. Until then, I would say that I use chalk most frequently. It wipes away easily. I don’t do a lot of marking. Just outlines, and guidelines.

    1. Yeaaa I found Pam’s blog and FB page via your wonderful page!
      Guess this is a twofer!!! Have a laugh — caught on to doing the pumpkin right away — the Greek key not so much . . . guess I’m just a rounded person . . .

  10. Not a quilter, but I did make butternut squash soup this morning – and, of course, I always read your blog which makes me think I might be a quilter!

  12. This is so cute! I can’t stipple, either. I hate that there’s no go stopping point – either a place to stop and rest your hands, or to stop and think about how you’re going to get out of that corner you backed yourself into. I’d much rather do something swirly or loopy.

    1. You are absolutely right–the problem is there is no place to take a “breather”. Also, I get the “rules” about stippling stuck in my head and that almost makes me “nervous”. It might be that “rules” are a left brain activity and FMQ is a right brain activity and I can’t do both at the same time.

      1. I read somewhere that when you are stippling, if you accidentally cross a line, just call it something other than stippling – problem solved 😉

  13. This quilt is darling! I do my free-motion quilting on my Bernina 153 with no BSR. I have a problem with my starting and stopping, even with needle down. I seem to jerk when I start up again. Your stitching is so fluid and beautiful. I hope some day I can approach that level of technique. Thanks for the tutorial.

    1. Leslie, It sounds like you are well on your way to great quilting. Now that you’ve identified your problem, you can focus on starting slowly–don’t “gun” your foot pedal as you start…

  19. I don’t use my BSR attachment, because I find it obstructs my view too much. With a simple darning foot, I can see my quilt much better. And after having somewhat mastered stippling, I’ve decided I just don’t like it that much. I’d much rather do another FMQ design.

    1. I’m with you–down with stippling! I love the darning foot,too. I use an offset darning foot for even better visibility. Have you tried that? #24 Bernina.

  21. Pingback: Open Line Friday–Stitch Regulators | The Inbox Jaunt
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