Punkin' Patch Finished

This little wall hanging was churned out in record time. Mostly it was because it was so fun and easy, but also because I wanted to get it up on the wall in the living room. I wasn't going to let myself do the fall decorating without it! And I was really jonesing for some bright autumn colors and feels.

Punkin' Patch finished at 28" x 36", which is just perfect for where it hangs (pix below). I did something really dumb with the hanging sleeve, however (and NO, I will not go into it here). But I will have to redo that after the season.

However, I was really pleased with the quilting I did, which was rather unplanned until about 5 minutes before I started it. Basically I just free-motion quilted curlicues, vines and leaves. The thread is a variegated gray thread, Aurifil 50-weight in bobbin and top. Done on my Bernina 550QE.

After it was hung up, I realized that I'd never cut the gray squares to sew to the stems to give them points. That's what happens when you're so into the groove that you just wing it after cutting out (most of) the pieces!!

If the quilt police come visiting, perhaps I can just offer them some Halloween treats.....

It's been beautiful and sunny both yesterday and today, so I got some decent pictures of the light autumn decorating I did yesterday. Mostly it's just the little pumpkins from our garden and a few other things thrown in here and there. The downsizing of STUFF continues, and seasonal decorations is part of that.

This decoration is a keeper, though. It's a crazy quilt pillow I made for a contest (won an Honorable Mention, I believe) way back in 2008. I blogged about it here.  The squirrel has a mink tail, the pumpkin in the lower left is felted wool, plus I tried lots of new stitches and beading and flower techniques. It was really fun, and the pillow comes out every autumn.

Here's a view of the east end of the living room. See what a few pops of color (in this case, orange), will do for a neutral decor?

Darla must have overheard me saying that. I was wearing an orange blouse, and she jumped up on me for some loving and kneading. Then she said, "See what an orange Mommy will do for a neutral cat?"

Harvest Challenge

Last fall I entered a pillow into Evening Star Designs' "Harvest Challenge" contest. As I worked on the pillow, I posted some detail photos here and here . Once the deadline was past, I shared some pictures of my pillow here. Here's a shot of the entire pillow.


Yesterday, owner Carolyn Cibik announced the winners. Although I did not win first place, I was given an Award of Distinction (along with two other women). The first place winner was Janine Franc, with an incredibly beautiful cushion. That woman can STITCH!!

I am both humbled yet pleased with the results! Does that make sense? Please go visit their Harvest Challenge Gallery and enjoy the beautiful, colorful eye candy. I think it's wonderful when there are venues and contests in which we crazy quilters can show our work! Evening Star Designs put together a kit of fabrics, trims, threads and beads we had to use (some of) and they were a dream - of the highest quality and value. I would enter another of their contests again in a heartbeat.

After you've looked at the entries, please enter your vote for the Customer's Choice Award. But I warn you - you'll have a difficult time choosing!! :-)

Harvest Challenge Block

Last May, Evening Star Designs announced a Harvest Challenge contest. Carolyn put together a remarkable kit of harvest fabrics, trims and beads. The purchase of this kit was the entry fee to the contest. The original deadline was October 6, and my piece (a pillow, or cushion) was completed for that date --- BARELY! LOL. When I found out that the contest deadline was extended to November 6, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was able to work some minor changes and additions, with creative input from a special friend.

Anyway, I've waited for a week now, and I'm dying to know the results. However, I had an epiphany this morning and decided I don't mind not knowing..... no matter how my piece does, I'm very happy with it. It was one of the most rewarding projects I've ever worked on.

I started it before my DH got really sick in September, and worked on it in the ER, his hospital room, when he got home and was asleep, while in the waiting room at the doctor's office, and when he was home, recovered and in fine form enough to tease me that I should add some "bluetonium" to it (his terms for blue plastic beads, ggggggggggg) !!

This is the completed pillow, which measures 15 x 15".

One of my very favorite features was this large motif that I fussy-cut from the black print fabric that was provided. The motif was not whole, so I placed it along the left side where it would line up with the edge of the pillow. Once it was appliqued on, I began beading it. Each leaf is outlined in gold seed and then black hex beads. There are spots beaded here and there on the interior of the design as well. I also added the requisite spider web (with no inhabitant!) in that area.

The spider web is connected to vines that sort of "grow" out of the leafy green fabric. This fabric was one that I added to the mix and is a favorite of mine for autumn blocks (I used it in my November 2002 block that was in the Quilting Arts 2002 calendar). I used silk ribbon to embroider more leaves and sort of carry the pattern over the lower seam line.

This central area contains a mass of flowers in different shapes and colors. The yellow crocheted one is a vintage motif cut from a doiley. The red "dahlia" I explained about in an earlier post here. Other flowers are ribbon roses, folded flowers, yo-yos. Leaves are various ribbon and SRE treatments, as well as more beaded leaf motifs from the provided print fabric.

This is a close-up of the lower right quadrant. The fibers and beads and ribbon were required elements. The lace and buttons on it are vintage from my collection. I don't know if you can see, but I did make some stumpwork "berries" to embellish another piece of that gorgeous black print fabric.

Finally, here is the lower left quadrant. I blogged about the squirrel and wheat in the link above, and the felted pumpkin here. I learned several new things in working on this pillow, which I guess is always part of the fun and challenge. Hope you enjoy it!