Hexie Pumpkin Pot Holder

Turn a few hexagons and some easy appliqué into a festive pumpkin just in time for the autumn season.

MATERIALS

• Scrap green print or tonal • Assorted scraps of 13 orange prints and tonals • 1 fat quarter light tan print • 1/4 yard dark tan print • 71/2" x 91/2" rectangle cotton batting • 71/2" x 91/2" rectangle needle-punched insulated batting • Thread • 13 ( 3/4") precut hexagon papers or cardstock • 1/4 yard 18"-wide fusible web • Spray starch • Basic sewing tools and supplies

CUTTING

Prepare the leaf and stem pieces for fusible appliqué using patterns given and referring to Raw-Edge Fusible Appliqué on page 40. From light tan print: • Cut 1 (91/2" x 20") strip. Subcut strip into 2 (71/2" x 91/2") rectangles and 1 (11/4" x 5") strip for hanging loop. From dark tan print: • Cut 2 (21/4" by fabric width) binding strips.

COMPLETING THE PAPER PIECING

1. If not using precut hexagon papers, use the pattern given to carefully trace and cut out 13 cardstock hexagons. 2. Pin a cardstock hexagon to the wrong side of each of the orange scraps. Cut out, leaving a generous 1/4" seam allowance all around as shown in Figure 1.

3. Fold the seam allowance over the sides of each cardstock hexagon, finger-press in place and baste to hold, overlapping corners and using big stitches as shown in Figure 2. Do not baste through the cardstock. Press to hold the folds.