Sunday 15 September 2019

Pumpkin Love

Once a week I drive past a field where pumpkins lie. Suddenly they are much plumper and dotting the field with orange as far as the eye can see. For some reason, this always makes me feel happy.  Maybe because I did not grow up with such fields, they now intrigue me or perhaps because I loved Halloween as a kid and they remind me of that.  Or it may be simply that the orange found in nature is so cheerful.
 This made me think of past autumn stitching that featured pumpkins.
 Here is the pumpkin I appliqued for the Sew Spooky SAL a couple of years ago. The design is free at the  Facebook Quilts By Cheri Friendship Group.
And my little hanging
that featured this dotty pumpkin.  I experimented with fusible applique and then hand stitched around.
My biggest pumpkin venture was in 2018 when I made the Laundry Basket Pumpkins designed by Edyta Sitar. I loved working on these shown here in progress. 
Have you stitched pumpkins? I'm always interested in stitching more so if you know of a pattern please let me know.

Sighted in the yard this week, a white tailed deer which I got this photo of before it was gone. For a moment I thought he was going into the garage.
This week,  Hubby and I watched three, two adults with a young one, walk out of the woods at the back of the house. They were wary but did not run away with us both there watching them from a distance.

The dogs and I surprised Tilly the Turkey one morning down near the pond. Just like the last time she ran away as fast as her legs could take her and I wanted to shout why don't you just fly.  Then the next day she was out front calmly scratching and sauntering around the driveway. Obviously our almost encounter did not scare her off.  I took this photo from the kitchen window.  Such tiny heads on such big bodies!
Gone are the hummingbirds...it's been two weeks since the last one sighted so I've taken down the feeders. Hubby bought a second one because they were fighting over the one.  Then they seemed to wage war between the two. I never knew hummingbirds were so aggressive with each other.  But I'll look forward to putting the feeders back up next spring because there was a lot of snacking between the fights.

Stitching on a Sunday will be no pumpkins but relaxing and stress free just the same - adding some quilting lines to this runner. The appliqued flowers, a WIP from several years ago.  The fabric I'd chosen for the borders, one of the  Butter Churn Basics by Kim Diehl came in the mail late spring. Its time has come to have it finished.  It will be long enough to fit the sofa table.
A little echo quilting around the flowers to start with I think.
 Em's Scrapbag
Sunday, a day of rest no more.  Hope you are finding a moment to rest though or at least to sit a spell with something you love doing.
Linking this post with Kathy's QuiltsI'd Rather B Birdin'Small Quilts and Doll Quilts,  Tish's Adventures in WonderlandQuilting is More Fun Than HouseworkEm's ScrapbagSum of Their Stories and Viewing Nature with Eileen.




24 comments :

Linda said...

I love your pumpkins! I've planted pumpkin seeds several times in my garden, envisioning a field of pumpkins that my grandchildren would stroll through picking out one for Halloween. And I've only picked two tiny pumpkins from all those seeds - hah!
I made my daughter a pumpkin pillow in 2015. It was my first foray into paper piecing, and I really enjoyed it. Also a little pieced pumpkin for a Farm Girl Vintage quilt. And pumpkin cookies every fall. :D

Sarah said...

I love your pumpkin projects. I've never made any projects using the pattern and I'm not sure why because I love pumpkins...especially cooked! Maybe because we don't celebrate Halloween much in the UK although it is growing in popularity here.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

I like your pumpkins and table runner! The wall hanging is very pretty! We feed the deer and this year we have 6 babies - 3 sets of twins! They are spoiled Deer. The little HERD is getting too big but they would be hurting if we did not feed them as the foliage is gone due to lack of rain. We might get some this week. Hope so!

Little Penpen said...

Lots of pretty fall projects. Your natural wildlife views are great!

Brian's Home Blog said...

Those pumpkins are all filled with such orange goodness!

Mary in Peoria Handmade said...

That first pumpkin looks 3D! Those appliques are perfect with those borders. And, Of course, love all those pumpkins.

Quilter Kathy said...

I have made a few little pumpkin projects over the years... must dig around in the closets and find them!
Enjoy your quilting today!

Karrin Hurd said...

I love your pumpkin quilts! Lovely stitching!

Deb A said...

Such fun projects! I did a pumpkin from a coloring page once in a project. I have a leaflette of little quilts that a group got together and hand pieced then drew to see who won the blocks. Pumpkins were one of them.... Hmmm that would make a fun little project.....

eileeninmd said...

Hello, love the pretty deer and Tilly the turkey strutting away. Your fall hanging and the pumpkins are beautiful. Fun projects. Great post and photos. Thanks for sharing your post. Happy Sunday, wishing you a great new week ahead.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I do love seeing your pumpkin projects, Jocelyn! I stitched the pumpkin from the Sew Spooky QAL also - just the one block. I loved how it turned out! How wonderful to see that wildlife right in your yard! We love to see wild turkeys, but of course don't get them in our suburban neighborhood.

Libby in TN said...

I have a sudden urge to sew with orange!

Nancy J said...

Some years ago on another property we had a massive crop of pumpkins. We stored them in a small trailer in an open shed!!! One day I went to get one to cut up for soup, and it was hollowed out. Then I found another the same, the wee mice had had so many picnics and took all the seeds to store up for their winter meals.Out of about 35 or more, we saved 3. Love your runner colours, perfect for Autumn, " Season of Mists and mellow fruitfulness".

Jenny said...

Halloween was not a thing here in New Zealand when I was growing up, but it seems to be getting more popular lately. Never stitched a pumpkin, but I do cook with them, roast pumpkin and pumpkin soup would be my favourites. Love the pictures of your visiting wildlife, guess the dogs go crazy when they see them out the window?

Daisy Debs said...

Oh ! wonderful to see the wild creatures ! Lovely applique too ....it will keep you cosy and warm on your lap while you put in the quilting stitching .

Siouxzq64@gmail.com said...

All your pumpkins are so nice. LOL the hummingbirds I have seen it at my mom's too. Love the wild things around your property.

magnoliasntea said...

Wow, I love those pumpkins! They're beautiful. We're getting in pumpkin mode here as they're already sited at the markets. The only pumpkins I've ever stitched were white ones that I sewed on my hand-crank Singer machine and made into pincushions. Here's the link if you want to give them a gander.

https://foothillsofthegreatsmokymountains.blogspot.com/2012/09/yay-for-old-and-cranky.html

Rebecca Grace said...

You are so lucky to enjoy so many wild visitors to your yard! Your appliqué runner is lovely.

Susie H said...

Love the critter folks and all your pumpkin blocks/quilts. Our hummingbirds are dwindling. Seems the males have already left which means the juveniles & females will be heading off in the next few weeks as well. You bet they're territorial. I love their chatter as they stake their feeders! Lol! As for a pattern, I saw this one done at retreat last year and vowed to make it. It's called Pumpkin Seeds by The Pattern Basket. The quilt on the cover does not do it justice!

Karen in Breezy Point said...

Your fall projects are all so fun--I especially love your Laundry Basket pumpkins. I have a couple Buttermilk Basin Fall wool projects that I should probably finish up before winter--lol!

Jenn Jilks said...

I love seeing the pumpkins in the field, especially as the leaves die off and you can see them!
I know why the turkeys do not fly much, it takes too much energy!

Hootin Anni said...

Awesome handiwork, and pretty results! Love the turkey too...thanks for sharing his photo with us at I'd Rather B Birdin'.

رامز المثاليه said...
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Sum of their Stories said...

I don't think we have fields of pumpkins much here in the UK, I've never really thought about it and I've definitely never driven past one. There are a few places now that do the pumpkin patch thing for kids so I guess they do grow here! I love your fabric pumpkins, especially that amazing quilt! Thanks for sharing with us at Handmade Monday :-)