September 2018 – Pumpkin Block

Congratulations to Eleanor P for winning the Churn Dash blocks.
At the September meeting we saw a few of the previous blocks of the month, notably the Eight HSTs at Once, made into placemats for Meals on Wheels.  And, saw a Tree block in someone’s quilt.  These blocks have turned out to be useful.

Fall is here and Halloween is coming soon.  This block is quite large and would quickly work into a fun, seasonal quilt.  My pattern is made from a picture of a pumpkin wall hanging found somewhere on the Internet so I do not have reference for you.

My pattern has a pumpkin made of 2 1/2 inch squares of various orange, black, and green fabrics.  Use a black and white print for the background, that is, it could be white on black or black on white.  Have fun with this pumpkin.  A variation could be to improv the pumpkin and its face.  I saw a similar pumpkin with an appliqué leaf attached to the stem.
Bring your pumpkin to the October meeting for the lotto draw.  We will also give tickets to anyone who makes the pumpkin but wants to keep if to make a table centre, runner, or door hanging for Halloween.

Pumpkin blocks made into hangings:

MATERIALS

  • 18 – 2 1/2″ squares of various orange prints
  • 5 – 3″ squares of various orange prints for the corners and facial features
  • 1 – 2 1/2″ square of black for part of the mouth
  • 4 – 3″ squares of various black prints for the mouth HSTs and for the nose
  • 1 – 2 1/2″ square of green/brown for stem
  • 2 – 3″ squares of your background print for corners of pumpkin
  • 2 – 2 1/2″ x 4 3/4″ strips of background print for beside stem.  Assemble this row then trim to fit above pumpkin.
  • 2 – 3″ x 14 3/4″ strips of background print for sides.  Trim to fit assembled pumpkin.
  • 2 – 3″ x 15 3/4″ strips of background print for top and bottom.  Trim to fit.

CONSTRUCTION

  • Make HSTs — Use the 3″ squares to make the HSTs and they will be trimmed (important step) to 2 1/2″ squares.
  • Make three sets of orange and black HSTs for the face and two sets of orange and border fabric HSTs for the corners that blend with the border.
  • Nose notes:

 Start with the 3″ black square.
Use an orange scrap and arrange approximately from the top centre to the right bottom.
Sew onto the black square.
Fold back to made sure the orange will be large enough to make a 2 1/2″ square.
Trim the excess black and press again.

 

  • Follow the same method to make the left side of the nose.
    Fold back again and check before trimming off the excess black.
  • Press and trim the nose to a 2 1/2″ square.

ASSEMBLE

  • Lay out your face and assemble.
  • Assemble the row with the stem. Trim to fit the assembled face.
  • Add the borders – sides first then top and bottom.

 

 

 

Note that the orange squares for the pumpkin are quite different in the two samples.

 

 

 

More Halloween fun:

Happy Halloween quilting,
Marilyn