We’ve never before repeated a blog post twice in a row, but we received such a positive response to last Saturday’s post that we decided it was a good time to break that rule for this Throwback Thursday. Besides, new pumpkins have been added.
The post introduced my mom Meta, otherwise known as Oma, and her stuffed fabric pumpkins from repurposed materials. My son, Sam, made an Etsy page—titled Oma’s Pumpkin Patch—for her, and readers purchased 34 of the 42 pumpkins she had for sale before the end of the day!
Oma was thrilled and got right back to work picking out fabrics from her stash and creating more pumpkins. Sam got busy sorting, packaging, and mailing the picked pumpkins. He has now listed a newly photographed fresh batch, and we anticipate updating the Etsy store every week or so—according to Oma’s inspiration. We’ve made it easy for anyone to check in to see what’s growing in the pumpkin patch with a permanent link in the right-hand column of all my blog posts.
An extra thank you to all the 20+ readers who took a moment to say hello to my mom, and even tell us their own “Oma stories.” She read them all, just about cried, and said it “made her day.” If you like her work please leave a message for Oma in the comments section of the post below. I’ll make sure she sees it.
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“Is It Drafty in Here?
Fabric Collage in Drafts”
A reminder that we have brought back the Pandemic Collage Coping Free Pattern. Get your free pattern by visiting the Patterns page—susancarlson.com/patterns/—and using this Coupon Code:
goawaypandemicfreepattern
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Susan Carlson Fabric Collage: Spiral eWorkshop
Wondering if fabric collage is for you? This eWorkshop is intended for beginners in fabric collage. The spiral project is simple, low stress, but still teaches the basic techniques of fabric collage. It also serves as a handy refresher course for those with more experience.
Susan Carlson Fabric Collage: Sea Turtle eWorkshop
Learn fabric collage with Susan Carlson. Each step is clearly written, illustrated with photos, and demonstrated with video. Learn with a Sea Turtle then launch into any fabric collage project you wish.
Fabric Collage Master Class
For instructions on the entire fabric collage process, you can purchase the Susan Carlson Fabric Collage Online Master Class Manual. Using video, photos, and text I take you from soup to nuts, beginning to end in creating your own fabric collage masterpiece.
Serendipity Quilts for Sale
$29.95 plus shipping. Full color throughout. Four complete projects, start to finish, of increasing complexity. Learn fabric collage with this book.
I have your book, and love all your work. I have used your glueing technique for my latest wall hanging, but not quite as you do, because I am trying to make realistic landscapes. This has made it easier than piecing!
Please tell Oma that her work is fabulous, what a talented lady.
Oma, I love your pumpkins and that in some of your descriptions you tell the materials you used.(the woven blanket made me chuckle) I imagined you searching your home for anything and everything that you could use for pumpkins. Is anything safe? I also just had to buy your white chenille pumpkin.. When I was a child we took a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. My mother bought me a white chenille bathrobe with a peacock on the back. We didnt get a lot of store bought things so that was special. Thanks for the memory.
Life goal: Grow old like Oma.
Oma’s pumpkins are wonderful. Oma’s story brought back so many cherished memories of my Grandma. Grandma and Grandpa raised 5 children on a very limited income, and were very resourceful in providing for their family. Grandma sewed most of the clothing for the family and knitted wool socks and mittens. The year my aunt was in kindergarten, my grandma made her a winter coat out of a fabric used on the paper mills paper machine (my grandpa worked for the paper mill). Grandma dyed it a pretty green. It turned out that the fabric was so heavy, my aunt had a difficult time walking to school. Grandma was very resourceful, but this time her resourcefulness didn’t quite work out. Once Grandma’s family was raised, she discovered the world of quilting and sewing mittens (instead of knitting them). Every Christmas, 18 grandchildren received a pair of mittens and a pair of wool socks, and we each received a quilt for our wedding. Grandpa got involved also. He cut the pieces for the quilts and Grandma sewed them together. Grandma’s love of sewing mittens produced an over abundance. She donated them to various charities, and became know as the “mitten lady”. I carry on her love of quilting and mitten sewing. I make my mittens out of felted wool sweaters. Each year my friend and I get together for a full week of mitten sewing at our annual “Mitten Polooza”. Thank you for sharing Oma’s story and pumpkins. Both brightened my day.
Thanks for sharing. Your Mom’s pumpkins are beautiful. It’s wonderful that your son is helping with her Etsy page. It’s so good to see the love of family. I’ve followed you for years. One of my fellow quilters took your workshop. Our group then used the technique to make a collaborative Under The Sea quilt project. Congrats for your ability to adapt to our new world. I’ve enjoyed your posts and the few Thursday classes I’ve taken.
Dear Oma,
My grandmother raised me and she was a wonderful, loving, artistic woman. I am so blessed to have all the memories and skills she shared with me. And from the photos of you and Sam, I can see that same love and affection coming thru. . . . Plus I know Susan loves you to the moon and back. With all that said, I would love to buy a couple of your pumpkins for a dear friend (also an artist) and she LOVES a good twisted pumpkin stem . . . By any chance do you have such a thing? We love looking at the velvet ones that seem to pop up around this time of year, but alas, no twisted vine stems! Let me know. . . And if not, then I’ll still pick up a couple for her. Take care!
Hi Laura! I will check with my mom about her pumpkin stem stock! And then I’ll have her read this next group of lovely comments—thanks for adding your story—so nice to hear from you, take care too!
I love this post Sue.. I miss seeing you, your Mom and Heidi! I’m so glad she is still making pumpkins! She is amazing!