The Pumpkin Scrapatch

 

Kitty in the Pumpkin Patch

 

My tuxedo kitty, Butterfly, looks like a black cat from the back,

so this is her quilt.

 

 

It is a wall hanging so she does not get to curl up on it much, but

 she always finds it and gets as close as she can.

 

I love everything about fall ... the colors ... the leaves ... the crisp apples on the trees ... the pumpkin patches ... the scarecrows and cornstalks ... fall mums ... corn mazes ... and, of course, Fall Quilts!

 

Sew I was very happy to find this fun fall themed blog hop today! 

 

 

Quilts in the Pumpkin Patch
@

Sunshine in the Attic
 

There are some great tutorials in the links and some fun giveaways.

 It is the last day so blog hop to it so you do not miss out!

 

I am not participating in this hop, just enjoying the show

and planning future projects.

I make at least one quilt for fall every year to make my home

cozy and quilty for the cooler weather.

 

These are some of my older quilts.

 

 

This is also one of my first fall quilts.

 

 

The center is a panel.

The border was my first attempt at flying geese.

 

 

I quilted this on my old Brother machine and it was one of my early home quilting efforts.I added a little extra batting under the pumpkins to make them a rounded.

 

I made this quilt last year and blogged about it Here

 

I made freezer paper quilt stencils to quilt this one.

 Tutorial on how I made the freezer paper templates
 and quilted it may be found Here

 

 

Here is a close up of the quilting.

 

Here is a sneak peek at this years' quilt ...

 

 

 

Come back in October as I will be showing you soon for the

 

 

Wicked Blog Hop @ Sew We Quilt
There is a fun 60's Hop happening there now!

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed my fall quilts!

 

Today in my blog reading, I also found some pretty seasonal clip art for quilters. To see more, Click Here.
Thanks for this Free Fall Clipart to Sew Cal Gal 

Have a Happy Quilty Blog Hopping Day!

:-)
 

Quilty Christmas Open House

 Merry Quilty Christmas!

... to all my online quilting friends and welcome to my blog if you are here for the first time via the Quilter's Christmas Party from Sew Cal Gal.

My Christmas Tumbling Blocks small quilt is done!

This quilt was made with no "y" seams, no templates, no paper piecing.  I used only a regular straight quilting ruler and cutting mat. The pieces are triangles and diamonds that are chain pieced into strips and then the strips are sewn together to form the blocks.  To learn more about my method for making these Easy Tumbling Blocks, click on this link or visit "My Tutorials" at the top of this page.

Here are a few more pictures of the quilting. 

Ready, Set, Quilt!

Since my fabrics in this quilt are very traditional, I decided I wanted to use a quilting pattern similar to ones I have seen on antique quilts. 

Walking Foot Curves

To do this I used the walking foot on my home sewing machine and quilted gentle curves over the blocks.

This quilting is interrupted by a very important catnap!

As always, I had my ever present Quilty Kitty Helpers with me in my sewing room.

For the border, I did simple straight line stitching about 1/2" apart.

The I adding my binding by machine and turned and hand stitched it to the back. I always finish my quilts with these quiet hand stitching moments.

My favorite part of quilting is that moment when I complete that last stitch on the back binding ...  tie the knot ...  snip the threads ... smooth the quilt ... turn the quilt over and see my beautiful quilt finished ... and realize ...

 "I made that!" 

That wonderful feeling never gets old no matter how many quilts I make, how big or small they are, how much I struggled with them, how imperfect they are. 

I am really pleased with my quilt and am planning to make a Tumbling Blocks Baby Quilt someday.

Click Here for links to the Complete Tutorial

This and all my free tutorials may be found in

 My Tutorials

If you try this method, please let me know as I would love the feedback.  If you piece a quilt this way, I would love to see a picture!  If you use this method and post pictures and write about it, please link back to my blog.

I will be making more posts today for the

Quilter's Christmas Party. 

Sew please stop back later if you have the time.

My Quilty Door is Always Open

Ho! Ho! Ho!

 ... and a ...

.. for more of My Quilter's Christmas Open House

Please

Read

On ...

Quilter's Christmas Party and Operation Homefront Drive

Hello and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,  my friends!

 

 

My favorite part of Christmas is having my family and friends around me. My favorite Christmas tradition is our annual Christmas Tree Gathering ... getting together as a family and finding our tree, bringing it home and decorating together. 

Today I am gathering online with other quilters and sharing the fun at the Quilter's Christmas Party that is happening over at Sew Cal Gal's Blog.  There are some great prizes to be had from the generous sponsors of this quilty holiday happening. 

There is also a drive to benefit a great cause. Find this button ...

Operation Homefront

... on Sew Cal Gal's Blog.  Learn more about this cause to pause and consider as to why we should donating by reading this post about the  Operation Homefront Drive.

To donate click on the Operation Homefront button on the right of her blog page and  remember to add "Sew Cal Gal" in the comments.

I hope you will open your hearts to gift the families our servicemen and women this holiday season and let them know that ...

Over the years I have made many blocks for several Quilts of Valor initiatives and every block I have stitched with thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices made everyday by our military families.

Q&N Quilt of Valor

On my quilty home away from home on the web, The Quilt and Needle,
 we have a special section where

 The Snug Society Gives Back

in the Q&N Quilts of Valor Initiative threads.  

Above is a photo of our most recent quilt.  For more photos, including one of the recipient and his family read through the thread. In keeping with the QOV Foundation's mission "to cover all service members and veterans touched by war with quilts," the members of of the Q&N have quietly been making blocks and quilts since 2009. Members may nominate any friend or family member to receive a quilt. Many of these quilts have been made by uni-block drives and others have been designed specifically for the recipient.  New members to the Q&N are always welcome.

Throughout the day today I will be posting more and welcome you to my

Quilty Christmas Open House

 

and I will be visiting other participant's blogs.

 

Come join the party!

 

:-)