Friday, November 1, 2013

October House Quilt Block

 
This 12"  October House quilt block is part of my Calendar of Houses Bee Quilt.  A friend and I organized this on-line bee a couple of years ago after being members of two previous on-line bees.
 
There were thirteen of us in the bee - from the United States as well as England and New Zealand.  Every month, each of us made a block for a member and a different member made a block for us.  The house design was to represent that month.  My dear friend Jodi made this block for me. 
 
 
Each person also sent a smaller, signature (siggy) block along with their 12" block.  I incorporated these into the back of my quilt. 


Isn't this a wonderful siggy block? 


This October House block represents Pumpkin Day - a special family holiday that my parents hosted at their home every year for their children and grandchildren.

 My dad grew pumpkins in his garden every year, so each grandchild could pick their own pumpkins.
 
The grandchildren are all grown now.
 
 
But we all have such good memories of Pumpkin Days over the years.
 


 
 
 
One year, relatives from Sweden came for Pumpkin Day!
 
Pumpkin Day always included a meal prepared by my mom.
 
Pumpkin Day Dip
2 cups powdered sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
15 ounce can pumpkin
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
 
1.  Beat the powdered sugar and cream cheese until well blended.  Blend in remaining ingredients.  Store in an airtight container.
2.  Serve with gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, and/or apple slices. 
 
 
 
Even pets were part of the celebration!
 
Does your family have a unique, special holiday tradition?  Inquiring minds want to know.  Please answer in the comment section below.
 
You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.

5 comments:

  1. I do not celebrate this date here in Australia. Many others do.
    I am interested in finding out more to do with the monthly decorated houses blocks

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  2. Wonderful memories full of happiness!

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  3. We have a family hayride here every year. This year was our ninth year. We have the hayride, face painting, hotdogs, smores, s'macos, and tons of fun. The kids (4) invite their closest friends and all the inlaws come. It is wonderful, but exhausting! This year we had 60 people! I am still finding hay!

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  4. We didn't celebrate a special holiday day in my family, instead, every summer for many years, we'd have up to 500 family members in my grandparents back yard (it was almost 2 football fields in size) for games, skits, food and fun. My grandfather did this for his mother in law, until her health prevented her from coming. I still miss those reunions.

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  5. Since my birthday was on Halloween, we could never celebrate that day as there was no sitting down to a meal with constant trick-or-treaters arriving all evening. Then, with my own kids, there was even more to prepare with costumes and decorations. At least this year I was out on a Scout leader training event and could skip the whole thing.

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