Welcome to the release of the seventh block for the Fall Into a QAL.

This QAL is brought to you by Partners in Design: Where Friends and Fabric Meet.

Presenting Pumpkins Aplenty

This block is designed by Bobbi Bridgeman of Snowy Days Quilting. Click here to download this free pattern. Remember these patterns are free only as long as the Fall Into a QAL is in process. Don’t delay, download your pattern today.

Making This Block Just a Little Easier

I really enjoyed piecing this one and I hope you do, too. Since I’m on vacation, first kissing baby toes and then galavanting around the state of MN on the Quilt Hop, I’ve got a few quick tips to make piecing this block easier. I’ll be back next time to continue with Lesson 3: Adjusting the Volume (a focus on choosing background fabrics—also called low volume fabrics) of Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Guide to Fabric and Color Selection for Quilt Blocks.

1. Review Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Steps to Making Accurately Pieced Blocks found here. I’ve updated that post with a couple of new pictures and added a couple more tips. So I encourage and invite you to revisit it even if you’ve already read it. I’ve been using my hand weight in a new way to help secure my ruler while I cut. I must say it gets more of a work out now than it ever did sitting on the shelf!
2. Starch, starch, starch your fabric before you cut. Use a good spray starch such as Best Press. I buy it in the gallon size! This block has many tiny pieces and starching will help keep them from stretching out of shape and make working with them easier.
3. Chain piece. The pattern is written to do one pumpkin at a time. I set them up and chain pieced them which made the block go together so much quicker.
   

   Making sure to sew just to the right of the line towards the corner that will be trimmed away will help your HST be the size it should be.

4. Start each chain with a folded strip of fabric and then overlap the HST and sew, overlap the next one and sew, etc. This will keep the fabric from being pulled down into your machine into the little hole meant for the needle.

Join this QAL

You can join in anytime. Each 12.5″ (unfinished) block will be released every other Tuesday with the last one scheduled for release on October 16th. You are free to make these blocks any way you want. However, if you are wanting to enter the contest, be sure to read the rules found in the Enter to Win section below to make sure your entry counts. 

The patterns will remain free on the respective designer’s blog until November 13, 2018. Designers may choose to keep them free after that time or make them available for a charge in their pattern shops. The final finished top containing all 12 of these blocks (it doesn’t have to be quilted) link up for the mega giveaway is November 13th at 11:59 EST.

Enter to Win

A winner will be selected at random from all the blocks posted. Details are listed below.

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THIS

FOR MAKING A PUMPKINS APLENTY BLOCK

Tag-Along Craft Storage Travel Tote (Patterned/Grey)

Provided by everythingmary.com, a family-owned company based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, dedicated to providing stylish, clever ways for sewers and crafters to get organized!

Entering to win the prize above is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Everyone (You must be 18 to be able to enter to win prizes) gets to participate because International entries are welcome! You do NOT need to have a blog to enter. Hosts and designers are not eligible to win.
2. Make a block using Bobbi’s pattern. Take a picture of it. Slight variations of the pattern are ok such as embellishments but keep your block true to the designed pattern if  you are entering the giveaway. The block should definitely be recognizable as one made from this free pattern. Deviating too much (or substituting a different block entirely) will cause your entry not to be counted. If you have questions if it’s allowed for entry into the giveaway, please ask me before you cut.
3. Post a picture of your block before 11:59 PM EST, August 20 either on the linky party found on Bobbi’s post here, on the Facebook page, or on Instagram #fallintoaqal.

Winners are drawn from the eligible pictured blocks and prizes awarded every other week. A mega grand-prize using all 12 of the block patterns sewn into a quilt top/flimsy (quilting not necessary) will be awarded at the end of the Fall Into a QAL .

See These Hosts for Inspiration and Tips

on Making the Pumpkins Aplenty Block

*Block Designer — here. Please visit her blog to download your free pattern.

• April at JANDA Bend Quilts
• Vanda at Quilting with Vanda
• Sherry at Powered by Quilting
• Bobbi at Snowy Days Quilting*
• Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter
• Abbie at Sparkle On
• Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my Pumpkins Aplenty block quickly and accurately pieced using my can of spray starch and chain piecing.
  

Thank You to Our Sponsors

These are our prize sponsors throughout the QA. The sponsor for each bi-weekly prize varies. The Final Grand prize bundle and sponsors will be announced 10/16/18.

In addition, the following members of Partners in Design are providing prizes as well:

• Abbie at Sparkle On
• April at JANDA Bend Quilts
• Kathleen at Kathleen McMusing
• Sandra at Sandra Healy Designs
• Sherry at Powered by Quilting
• Vanda at Quilting with Vanda

Come on Back for the Next Block Release

Join me on August 21st at 12:00am EDT for the release of the eighth block designed by  Jennifer of The Inquiring Quilter. I know you’ll really fall for this one!

Don’t Miss Out on My Previous Fall into a QAL Posts

Tu-Na Quilts: Big Announcement!!! (QAL introductory post with a schedule of when the blocks are released and a sneak peek at the fabrics that I’ll be using.) Yes, I’m seeing spots!

Tu-Na Quilts: Block One—Hedgehog

Tu-Na Quilts: Block Two —Harvest Basket

Tu-Na Quilts: Block Three — Bonfire

Tu-Na Quilts: Block Four — Sunflower with Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Steps to Making Accurately Pieced Blocks

Tu-Na Quilts: Block Five — Acorn with Lesson 1: Let’s Take the Wheel for a Spin of Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Guide to Fabric and Color Selection for Quilt Blocks

Tu-Na Quilts: Block Six — Pie with Lesson 2: Variety is the Spice of Life of Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Guide to Fabric and Color Selection for Quilt Blocks

What I Learned Today:

1. Just do it!!! Nike says it right. I’ve needed to make a quilt label for a month already. I do not like making them. So today, I just sat at the computer and created a nice label. It only took about 30 minutes and that’s including the art.
2. I can also draw, yes draw, a nice flower using Word on the computer. I never thought about doing that before. I have no idea where I got the idea to use the Word program. But it worked beautifully and now the quilt label has a daisy or maybe it’s a sunflower. It doesn’t matter which as it’s beautiful and I made it!
3. I’ll have to write a post and show my label. I’m pretty pumped about it!

Question: How do you like to eat your pumpkin or do you prefer to decorate them instead? I enjoy making pies and scones with fresh pumpkin. When the kids were young and living at home, we painted the pumpkins or used knives to cut elaborate designs in them. I can’t believe I let my kids (and 6th grade girl scouts) handle those sharp blades but I am happy to report that they all have their fingers intact.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again. If you want to be notified when my next post publishes, please consider subscribing using one of the three methods available on my sidebar: email, WordPress, or Bloglovin. I’d love to have you be part of my reading family.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

At this time I am not affiliated with any company, services, or products that I mention here on my blog. I just happen to like them.

Linking to:

Pumpkins Aplenty Block Party at Snowy Days Quilting

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

WIPs at Silly Mama Quilts

BOMs at Katie Mae Quilts

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Moving It Forward at Em’s Scrapbag