Bumpkin Pumpkins ~ UFO Quilt #6 2023

Bumpkin Pumpkins is finally finished!  This UFO is about 4 or 5 years old.  It's one of my own original designs.  The quilting was finished months ago on October 15, 2022.  The next day I sewed the binding on the front of the quilt with every intentions of having this gal done before Halloween 2022.  As you can see that didn't happen.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of orange or black I really like how this one turned out and I can't wait to use it this coming fall.  

It could be the many Lori Holt prints that make me love it so much.  All but 3 of the prints are Lori Holt. 

For the backing I choose to use what I had on hand.  An orange and white polka dot and the rest of the black gingham, neither are Lori fabrics but the dot is Riley Blake.  And in true Lea Anne style I had to throw in one Joann fabric.  Yep the black gingham in the border and on the back are good ole cheap fabric and I love it!  

Then to finish her off, a quick hand written label.  The binding is the 3rd non Lori fabric but it is quilt shop quality but I can't remember what line or designer.  

Oh, I just noticed the date is wrong and this label was put on the quilt before quilting.   GEESH.

Until next time...

I hope you find time to stitch up something sweet!

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~ Next To Be Quilted ~ Bumpkin Pumpkins ~

Do you ever make a quilt top that you love and it becomes a UFO because you can't decide on the quilting?  It happens to me way too often.  That's why I have, at last count, 30 quilt tops waiting to be quilted.  They are tucked away with backing and binding waiting on me to make a decision.  So it's time to just get them finished.  No time like the present, right? So two days ago I pulled out the one I felt was the most important.  My Bumpkin Pumpkins quilt is one of  my published quilt patterns available in my Etsy pattern shop.  I absolutely love this bright and cheery fall quilt.  But I'm still drawing a blank as to what quilting design would look best.  So....it's still hanging just like this on the frame.  Maybe I should just put it on the frame and fly by the seat of my pants.   Sounds like a good plan.   If I'm still drawing a blank later this afternoon that's exactly what's going to happen.

There's plenty of white space for willy nilly background fills.  That sounds doable and easy.  I could give this whirly looking block a little movement with some free motion quilting.  And maybe those pumpkins would look cute with different quilted faces on each?  Hmm...I might be onto something.

And the Flying geese need a little help to fly south for the winter.  My first thought is to do simple free motion arcs from corner to corner but I do that on so many of my quilts.  Perhaps a little more quilting motif brainstorming is needed.

The multiple border is the part that is really giving me troubles.  I'm drawing a TOTAL blank.  I could quilt them separately or together.  Overthinking might be the biggest problem!

My go to quilting design is feathers, feathers and more feathers.  But would feathers work on a Autumn/Halloween-ish quilt?  Well phooey, looks like it's off to Google and Pinterest for a little more quilting inspiration.

 

Hope to see you soon with some quilting in this monster.  

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~ The Inspiration ~

I'm often asked what inspires my quilt patterns.  That's a hard question to answer because most of the time it's a collection of ideas stored in my brain over time until I feel the need to put them all together into a quilt.  With this quilt I had an idea that was growing but needed a little something more.  Before continuing with my inspiration for this quilt let me say ....it's hard to believe I'm actually enjoying these colors.  Orange, black, gray and purple rarely find their way into my quilts. So let me tell you how this happened.  SHOPPING!  Yes, a shopping trip inspired these colors.  All I need to say is Hobby Lobby and you all will totally understand.  

Normally I steer clear of Hobby Lobby, it's just too tempting to buy, buy, buy.  Not just fabric...EVERYTHING!  What a sensory overload...I want it all!  Cute little this and cute little that,but the thing that really caught my eye was the black and white gingham mixed in with the fall decor.  OMG!  You all know I'm a sucker for gingham.   Well I managed to get out of the store without buying a thing but went immediately to Joann Fabrics for some black gingham.  While the inspiration was hot on my brain I went to my computer and started designing quilts.  Now to find the fabric for these quilts since my stash is lacking blacks, greens and oranges.  No purple...I still can't deal with purple.  The orange polka dots below is my first purchase, it will be the backing for this quilt.

Luckily there's some scraps left over from my Autumn Memories (pictured below) quilt that will work nicely in this quilt design.  

 Hopefully I can have this one ready for a quilt top flimsy Friday post....this Friday.  Hope to see you then!

Linking up this post here

https://conniekresin.com/2018/09/linky-tuesday-september-11th.html

 and

https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2018/09/lets-bee-social-241.html

and

https://www.quiltfabrication.com/2018/09/midweek-makers-140.html

Hop over to these blogs for quilt inspiration!

~ Lea Anne ~

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~ On a Roll ~

 Hi-diddly-O Friends!  For the first time ever working out of my color comfort zone is actually fun.  Whoa...must have something to do with Mercury being in retrograde.  I've no idea what that means, all I know is right now the planet Mercury is doing some weirdo stuff and some say it makes strange things happen.  OOOOO....SPOOKY STUFF!  

Well.... out here in Podunk strange stuff happens everyday.  Spooky?  Sometimes...but that's a story for another day.  We'll stick to the strange stuff today.   Example....yesterday morning while letting the chickens out to roam I noticed this ugly little guy in our raccoon trap.  Opossums aren't real destructive so he was free to leave.   For some odd reason he decided to nap in the cage all day.  When hubby came home in the evening he quickly gave sleeping beauty his eviction notice and sent him on his way.  Never seen a critter that wanted to be caged....strange.   It wouldn't surprise one bit if he comes back tonight...I'll keep you posted.

For now I'm back in the Studio stitching my little nine patches....and craving a Pumpkin roll.  This strange craving has nothing to do with Mercury and everything to do with orange fabric.  Orange fabric = pumpkins  in my mind.  And pumpkins = PUMPKIN ROLLS!  YUM!  

Have you ever made a Pumpkin roll?  This is one of the desserts the family insists I make every Thanksgiving.    You could smear cream cheese on cardboard and it would be delicious!  I wanted to share the recipe with you but was too lazy to go digging for it.  Well, I found the same recipe online with a quick google search.  And the plus was this gal is also a crafter/quilter/chef.   The picture and recipe below is courtesy of Adrianne of HappyHourProjects.com

She has several awesome sewing projects that you can find here.  But the one I thought was super cute and on my list of must makes is this cute little bandanna pumpkin.  It's a no sew project, perfect for a quicky seasonal decor project.   I'm pretty sure Walmart and the Dollar General have orange bandannas.   My laziness paid off this time!  Hmm...maybe Mercury is working it's weirdness after all....SPOOKY!

~ Lea Anne ~

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~ Fall is in the Air~

Hi Sweet Quilty Friends!  We had some unseasonably cool weather last week.  It only lasted a couple of days but it was long enough to get the love of Autumn kick started.  Well going shopping at Hobby Lobby was also a big help.  The fall decor this year is loaded with black gingham.  Yeah gingham!  You all know my love of gingham....ANY COLOR!  The starts of a new series of quilt patterns has begun.  Inspiration is a funny thing, you just never know when or where it will happen or where it will lead once it strikes. 

While prepping my fabrics for cutting I had to stop for a bit to read every word on this fat quarter from the Autumn Love collection by Riley Blake.  It brought a smile to my face and a calming in my heart.  Not every fabric has this overwhelming effect, especially fabrics in gray and black...colors I rarely use.  Of course fabric makes me happy but blacks and grays?...not so much.  

It really is the little things that make the difference.   Could this be the start of a new love affair with darker colors?  Or is it just a quick fling?  Only time will tell.  For now I'm loving where this inspiration is headed.

~ Lea Anne ~

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~ Bee Skep Pin Cushion ~

Happy Friday Quilting Friends!  Its a Friday finish and a FREE-BEE for you!  

EDITED ON 1 22 2022

The Bee Skep Pin Cushion tutorial can now be found on my YouTube Channel.  Click the image below to go to the video tutorial.

Mr. Podunk has been a bee keeper for a few years.  I've been wanting to make a bee quilt but something always keeps me from designing one.  So when Jacquelynne Steves asked if I would like to be a featured blogger for her new Save the Bee's Block of the Month I was elated!   If you would like more information about the Save the Bee's Block of the Month CLICK HERE.

While waiting for the Blog Hop to start I stitched up this super cute and easy Bee Skep pin cushion.  

The little queen bee was a last minute idea that turned out adorable.  I will not be giving instructions for the bee but I will tell you a funny little fact about it.  This sweet little queen bee body is made from a cinnamon capsule.  It's a pill filled with cinnamon!  Cinnamon is good for regulating low and high blood sugars.  I usually run on the low side.  Anyway....with a black sharpie marker I drew some lines on a piece of scrap yellow fabric.  Then glued it to the capsule.  A black button with yellow head pins made the head.  The only thing holding the button is the pins stuck into the capsule.  The wings are 2 layers of fabric fused with Heat N Bond Lite in between them.

  

 Now what does every Queen Bee need? ..... Worker bees!

After about an hour of searching for Bee pins I found them....in Jacquelynnes shop!  Geesh....I should have looked there first.  NOW OUT OF STOCK Click here if you like cute pins...she has several different style of pins with different heads.

Awe.....that's better.  

~ Lea Anne ~

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