Pumpkin Patch Quilt Finish

Pumpkin Patch, aka Hocus Pocus, is finished! You can read about the inspiration for this quilt right here.

This seasonal quilt was such a joy to make. Apparently I really love fall-appropriate fabrics, because I had a ton in my stash. It was a pleasure to pull a variety of browns, orange-y reds, creams, and golds from my stash, and I added pops of blue. I love every single piece of fabric that went into this quilt.

Although I love this pattern, the instructions were challenging. This is NOT a criticism of the author, because the pieces went together beautifully (or at least they were supposed to!), and there were pressing directions for the seams, always important for seam nesting. There were three sizes and shapes of pumpkins, and each size had its own set of instructions. Then there was one size of leaves and three different orientations for stems, so I found myself going back and forth between pages which became very confusing. I want to make this pattern again, but I'll have to rewrite it for my brain to comprehend!

I love this pretty blue print for the backing. You know how you buy a piece of fabric on sale and put it away for just the right project? In 2011 I purchased an end-of-bolt of over three yards on sale at a local quilt shop. Eight years later I found the perfect fit! I wanted to use a solid piece of fabric on the back, since there is so much patchwork going on in the front, so this was ideal.

I free motion quilted a meandering design, which is my go-to quilting pattern for now. I need more FMQ practice to do something different!

For the binding, I machine-sewed front and back. I am preferring this method more and more over machine sewing the binding to the back and then hand sewing it to the front, as it holds up better when laundered. I used two different variegated threads that blended nicely with the binding and backing, and I like the effect.

As much as I'd like to keep this one, I made it as a birthday gift for my daughter. She has already seen it and loved it, so I need to get it boxed up for mailing before I change my mind!

Pumpkin Patch Quilt details:
Finished size: 68 x 44
Pattern
Hocus Pocus by Margot Languedoc

Fabrics
Front: Scraps and stash
Back: BonBon from the Chocolat collection by Three Sisters for Moda
Border and sashing: Grunge Moutarde by Basic Grey
Binding: Andover/Makower Bloom Bouquet in Red

Superiors Threads
Piecing: #50 So Fine in 402 Pearl and 502 Genoa Gray
Quilting: #50 So Fine in 402 Pearl
Binding: Front - #40 Rainbows in 806 Desert Rose; Back - #40 King Tut in 1002 Holly and Ivy
Quilting: Superior #50 So Fine in 402 Pearl

Quilting
Meander free motion quilting