Tutorial for Melon Points

I do not pretend to be the best point maker but I have managed to get a few of them nice and pointy so decided to write up how I am doing them now. I wish I had been so attentive in the past. There are 256 melons in the 4 corners of each of the 64 blocks the 1857 Album Quilt. I chose to do the melons instead of the diamonds partly because I could cut them out in minutes with one of my custom GO dies and partly because there are exactly half as many points as there are in the diamonds. My granddaughter had a long weekend sleep over at the farm and she was my photographer and my nurse.

Each block has either a melon or a diamond in each corner and they will come together as a flower.

I gently creased each block on the diagonal then placed the melon in the corner lining it up with the crease on the inside and the corner on the outside. I have decided to cut the blocks the exact size including the seam allowance and plan to stitch them up so the points just touch to create the flower. In other words, I will not be trimming them later.

Using matching thread with a knot, I come up behind the melon at 1/4 inch from the point.

I  crease the point under, pinch with my thumb then take the first stitch through the background.

Now, using the #10 Milliner's needle, I use the point to grab just in the crease and roll it under.

Take a stitch

Pull the point back out making sure it is sufficiently pointy.

And now take the next stitch  holding the crease in place with my thumb.

Photographer selfie.

When I get to the other end, I fold under enough seam so that it is 1/4 inch from the edge of the background.

Then stitch it.

Stitch up to 1/4 inch from the other background edge.

Now take an extra stitch to secure before turning the corner.

Sometimes I clip a bit of the point off. Sometimes I snip off too much. This will make it less bulky.

Getting ready to turn the corner.

Using the tip of the needle, I grab the crease near the last stitch and turn it under being careful to not grab too much or grab the background. Then pinch this crease in place. 

Now holding the crease with my thumb, I take use the tip of the  needle to turn under a second bit. Here it is easy to mess up so be patient and keep going. If you mess up one, there are several hundred more to get it right.

Now, before taking the next stitch, I carefully pull out the point of the double stitch I had already made.

Guess I wasn't quite as careful as I thought. I felt the needle prick my thumb, but Ava spotted the blood and helped me avoid a mess. Speaking of which, if you do get blood on your fabric, your own spit will take it out.

I hope this is helpful. Blessings,
Chris and Ava