Day 83 – Pumpkin Patch

This design is also featured in the DVD Beginner Free Motion Quilting Fillers, as well as the ebook From Daisy to Paisley.

Okay, I told you this would happen! As soon as Halloween is behind us, I’d start creating fall designs!

free motion quilting design pumpkin patch

In truth, I really can’t claim complete credit for this design. Sherry C sent me some photos of quilts she had stitched with pumpkins. I’d been playing with the circular shape myself, but I thought they looked more like Chinese lanterns.

But seeing Sherry’s quilt made me realize what a cool design this could be. Thanks Sherry!

Inspiration – Sherry sent me not only the images of her free motion quilting, but also photos for 6 different quilt tops!

I’ll definitely be sharing my ideas for quilt designs over all of these quilts soon.

Difficulty LevelBeginner. The pumpkins are really not hard to quilt, just make sure to start with a nice circular shape and then fill it as evenly as possible.

Design Family Independent. This is a meandering based design so it pretty much works like stippling.

You can stick pumpkin patch anywhere on a quilt, but you may want to mostly focus on uncomplicated areas where the pumpkins won’t compete with the quilting designs around them.

Directional Texture – No direction. The pumpkins are really attention getting, and the swirly pumpkin vine adds to that effect. As far as general movement goes though, your eye is not really drawn to any one direction with this design.

Suggestions for Use – I can definitely see using Pumpkin Patch in the sashing of a fall quilt. I’ve seen a quilt with appliqued maple and oak leaves that this would also look terrific with.

Let’s go quilt,

Leah Day

LeahDay

Leah Day has been teaching online since 2009. She's the creator of the Free Motion Quilting Project, a blog filled with thousands of quilting tutorial videos. Leah has written several books including 365 Free Motion Quilting Designs, Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day, and Mally the Maker and the Queen in the Quilt.

11 Responses

  1. Ethne says:

    Oh this is just right for project/s I have in mind for my brother and his fiancee – if they'd been able they would have been married at halloween this year – but they'd had to hold off till the 30th Oct 10
    Super design

  2. Anita says:

    I love this one (and the coffee bean design too)!

  3. manelson says:

    Lanterns! Perfect for Chinese New Year projects.
    Thanks!

  4. Anonymous says:

    Love it, and it could double as Christmas lights.
    Judy B

  5. Brandie says:

    I just love pumpkins. I made a similar pattern, free hand, on a border. I wish I had thought this up myself. Good job!
    I love what you are doing, it's a real inspiration. Thank You!
    Brandie@abrandiecreation.com

  6. This also reminds me of Christmas ornaments amidst a tangled string of lights – just do Christmas balls instead of pumpkins – how cute would that be?! Thanks Leah for your creativity and inspiration!

  7. Jennwith4 says:

    Been practicing this one all day! My circles need work.

  8. Thanks for this one- did it on the border of an "It's the Great Pumpkin" quilt today…it was fun and just one step beyond loops which I was familiar with. You made it seem simple enough to try. THANKS!

  9. I did this on the outside border of a "Great Pumpkin CHarlie Brown" quilt today and it was SO easy…thanks so much! It was just a little different than loops which I was comfortable with. Thank you for making things seem possible! This added a fun element to my quilt!

  10. Firstoption says:

    Excellent posting of Patch Designs, that is great for us, thanks for this good effort for us.
    Your sharing is very well very helpful for me.
    Thanks

  11. What a perfect quilting design for the fall quilt I just put together! I was stressing over the design I would quilt on it. I'm a beginner quilter and this looks easy enough if I practice a little first. I think those pumpkins will surely look real when quilted on a quilt with pumpkins on it already. Thanks for de-stressing me!

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