Melon Patch quilt block

Melon Patch

August 2, 1933-The Melon Patch block "is a pattern from the old south, where it has always been a great favorite with quilters and collectors." wrote Nancy Cabot when describing today's quilt block.

The Melon Patch quilt block is still popular today. It has also been called Orange Peel, Lafayette Orange Peel, Save a Piece and Pumpkin Seed. It is sometimes shown with "petals" that are more slender.

The Melon Patch quilt block pattern is available in Electric Quilt's Blockbase  program as #1527b.

The block can be pieced or appliqued. I pieced my 6" block.  You can download my templates here.

The Alabama Beauty block from June 6, 1933 is a variation of this block and one of my favorite blocks too.

The Melon Patch block is much simpler to make!




There are only two basic shapes.  They get pieced together like this-

  

 You just make four sections and rotate them to make the block.

Eleanor Burns has a unique applique way to make the Melon Patch block using fusible interfacing which can be found here. Quiltsmart also offers pumpkin seed printed interfacing to use to make applique blocks.

There is a tutorial on piecing the Melon Patch block and a pattern for a 16" block at All People Quilt.

I found this Pumpkin Seed or Melon Patch quilt at Tiny Glutton.

A copy of Nancy Cabot's pattern can be seen here. There is an antique pink and white Melon Patch quilt with signatures here and an antique red and white quilt here.

Tomorrow-Crazy-Quilt Star