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Saturday, October 8, 2011

A Plethora of Pumpkins!

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere! Look at this pumpkin patch on my dining room table. Last year I was responsible for table decorations for a dinner at church. I already had 6 or 8 of these pumpkins. I had been gifted a few and found a couple more at local thrift stores. I thought if I could just make a few more I could incorporate those pumpkins with some resin and glass pumpkins I had in my fall decorations and I would be set. I looked online for a tutorial and settled on the one found here. I experimented  and decided on some changes. Instead of yarn, I used a few strands of embroidery floss--easier to match the pumpkins, since I already have most of the DMC floss colors. Also, I found that the very long doll maker needles worked much better than the ones in the tutorial, especially when making the really big pumpkins. One of the pumpkins that had been given to me had a leaf on it. I liked that look, so I made them for most of my pumpkins. Also, one I bought at a thrift store had a curly tendril made from a wire covered with green paper. I experimented with some different forms of green wire and think I will add more tendrils to these with green florist wire.

I caution you--be careful about clicking that link. Making these became addictive. I even made another 6 not shown, that I divided between my daughters. DH would look at me surrounded by fabric, floss, fluffy stuffing, and long needles night after night and just shake his head. "I thought you were just going to make a few," he said. I replied that when I got out the resin and glass pumpkins I realized that they just didn't go with the look of these fabric pumpkins. "It would only bother you," he answered, knowingly. And he was probably right, but it would bother me enough that if I could do something about it, I would. Can you say "obsessive compulsive"?

Yesterday was day two of my machine quilting class. I admit that I hadn't practiced during the week as I should have. We were shown lots of flowers, hearts and swirly designs and then given free time to practice designs of our choosing. I figured at this time of year I would be needing pumpkins and leaves for something, so I practiced them on one of my "sandwiches". I am proud to say I am now getting the stems ON the pumpkins (most of the time) and those leaves were really leaves, not just attempts at hearts that looked more like leaves.
I'm not ready to put my skills (and I use the term loosely) to anything "official", but I am seeing improvement. I'll use the pumpkin theme of this post as an excuse for not showing you my attempts at flowers. : )
While putting out the fall decor I came across this table runner, hutch pad and table topper made with a fun pumpkin fabric I found in a thrift store and pieces from my scraps (the reds aren't really pink, as they seem in the photos). I had hurriedly hand quilted them a couple of years ago. I was new to table runners and I should have used a much thinner bat (or, as my DH's Aunt does, just flannel). They also need more quilting, but aren't the pumpkins in the fabric cute?
As I was leaving for the grocery store at dusk this evening I caught sight of the new snow on the mountains west of us and I had to grab the camera for a shot.
It seems way too recently that I was taking shots of late spring snows on these mountains. Where does the time go?                                                                                                                                                                                
As I was taking that shot I had a visitor. I'm not sure if this is Billy or Otis, but he belongs to my BIL, and lives in the pasture right behind our house.

Until next time, may all your pumpkins be great!
Janet O.

21 comments:

  1. Hi Janet. I love your pumkins - they're fantastic. Your machine quilting is coming on a treat - I know how difficult it can be - I've only been doing it myself for a few months.

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  2. YEA more practice and success...looks much better than last week. Improvement is always good, right. I always prefer the Pumpkin or fall leaves theme for Halloween time. Decorating for Church events are always FUN- maybe not always :) Cute Donkey! I don't want to hear or see that 4 letter word (SNOW) so soon this year.

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  3. Janet....all those stuffed pumpkins are fantastic! I love all the different fabrics you used! Fun! And those stems are so cute!

    Your fmq is really getting good! I think you are ready for a real project! Yay! And I love your runners you made! Beautiful!

    I love snow, and those mountains are amazing! What a beautiful sight to see every day! You are very lucky! We live in New England, and Mt. Washington is our highest peak....now very high next to yours! I grew up in WA state, and I really miss seeing the real mountains!

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  4. those pumpkins are sooo cute! i saw eleanor burns making some yesterday on TV and i am sooo tempted! and snow? yikes!

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  5. Very cool pumpkins... good thing I don't have any orange fabric or I'd be trying to make one today! *grin*

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  6. I love your little pumpkin patch. Such fun decorations. I have one large one that I made quite a few years ago, but I can see how the little ones could be tempting. Your FMQ is definitely getting better. i don't take to it naturally either. My teacher had us use dry erase boards and draw the same pattern over and over until we were ready to sew. Mine were still a disaster. I think we did pumpkins and stars a lot.
    Thanks for sharing the mountain photos. We flatlanders sometimes forget how beautiful the mountains are.

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  7. I love all the pumpkins!!!! You did an awesome job!! Love the small quilts, too!! We got rain last night!!! We had been watching the system and knew that your mountains had probably had snow!! Weird weather year.

    Blessings

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  8. Your machine quilting is looking good!----I am still working on mine!

    I love all of your pumpkins sitting close to each other in their patch---CUTE,CUTE,CUTE!----And Mr. Billy or Otis is adorable! :)

    Carolyn

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  9. Your quilted pumpkins ARE great! Way to go!

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  10. Holy Pumpkins, Batman! What a great post. Now you've got me thinking, "Can I make pumpkins for all my guests arriving today for Thanksgiving dinner?" I don't think so unless we have takeout.
    Really love the pumpkin FMQ. I've just started free-motion as well and now when I look at all my previous quilts - they need more quilting!

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  11. Tis the season for pumpkins a plenty at yours! Nicely done!
    Keep practicing with that machine quilting! It's like writing...got to practice and it will be second nature right?

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  12. Practice a lot and you end up with lots of pumpkins - thank you for the wonderful tutorial. Judy C

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  13. I love your pumpkin patch, and I am totally impressed with lesson 2 in quilting - it looks great!

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  14. Thanks for the link -- I think I may *need* another pumpkin or two! Love your whole post...especially the new snow on the mountain and the pic of your nosy neighbor! :)

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  15. Love your little pumpkin patch! The one on the table and the one you are stitching on muslin, too! Not that you need to, but if stitching time is hard to find it helps to just doodle with pencil and paper.
    Your table accessories are lovely - really sets the mood. You were lucky to find that sweet pumpkin fabric in a thrift store.
    Thanks for sharing the scenic photos. I'll show my ignorance here - is that a donkey? I've heard they are very intelligent and affectionate animals.

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  16. WOW! You have been busy. The pumpkins are just too darn cute. Your quilting is coming along great - contrats. Sweet pictures.

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  17. WoW! You have your own pumpkin patch! They are so cute! I would love to make some for Fall but I will have to save that pattern for next year. Your quilting is looking good. I'm not that good with free-motion quilting that is why I use a pantograph with my machine. :)
    Kristie

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  18. I have wanted to make similar pumpkins for a long time but have never done it. Yours look so good. You certainly have a lot of them. I made a bunch of little crochet ones years ago for a co-worker to use as Halloween decorations at a kid's party. They were filled with candy.

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  19. Cute pumpkins! Much more classy than the old fabric and toilet paper models. The ladies at your church were lucky to be able to enjoy your creativity. Your FMQ is coming along beautifully! Billy or Otis must love the camera...what a fun neighbor!!

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  20. Your machine quilting is great- I love your pumpkins. And, I'm afraid to click that pumpkin link. Those really look gorgeous there sitting on your table. I could see where they would be addictive. I love how bloggers always have their cameras at the ready to take interesting photos. I feel like we just saw the leaves sprout on the trees and now they are turning fall colors already.

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  21. Your pumpkin decorations look fabulous! And your machine quilting is lovely - go on be proud of it and use it!!!

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