Good Deed Seeds Inspiration for Pomegranate Die

Appliqué, and particularly circles, can be intimidating for a lot of quilters, even seasoned ones. My pomegranate die, with two circles and two cat’s eyes, not to mention two curved leaves, may seem intimidating, but in truth, they make everything easier! I love using them because they help me achieve accurate results so quickly and effortlessly, and they make all my projects look great!

Why this design? I have always loved the pomegranate, both as a favorite autumn fruit when I was little, and now for the deep symbolism it holds in the Judaic philosophy of performing unspoken acts of kindness during one’s lifetime.

I am blessed with a wonderful daughter-in-law who is Persian-Jewish. She introduced me to the mitzvot and the story of the pomegranate seed. Each fruit is said to contain 613 seeds, just as there are 613 good deeds, mitzvot, in the Bible. Pomegranates are eaten on Rosh Hashanah to wish for good deeds and a year as plentiful with goodness as the seeds of the pomegranate.

My idea for the quilt (as well as my Mirage fabric collection with RJR Fabrics) came from this story, and the need for the die cut shapes came from making this quilt. These shapes, however, can be used for so much more than just pomegranates! Circles and leaves are universal in appliqué designs and can be used over and over. The cat’s eye can serve for, well, obviously, cat’s eyes, but also for wider leaves, stylized flowers and….dare I say it?…..there seems to be a resemblance to a sock monkey mouth…..

In using die cuts for so long, I’ve learned a few tricks to make cutting even easier. Here’s one: When you get the die set up to go through the cutter, put the die on a slight angle, and it will feed through easier.

So take a leap of faith and try this pattern, which is easier than it looks. Use the AccuQuilt GO! Pomegranate die, and my pattern, to create a gorgeous quilt of your own, to cherish and keep, or to give to a loved one, as one of the many good deed seeds in your life.