Patriotic Pineapple Quilt

After 10 years, this red, white and blue Patriotic Pineapple quilt is done. I think. Maybe...

Border or No Border? What say you, Internet people? I got lots of suggestions from Facebook and Instagram--you will see below what I decided...

The particulars:

8" blocks
1" finished "logs"
2" finished red centers
set 8 x 10 blocks: 64" x 80" as is

I intend it to be a large throw size, not a queen-size bed quilt. As a throw, it is fine as is. For a Double bed, I could add a border, 4" all around. That would make it 72" x 88". But, who has a double bed?

Double bed batting I have on hand and plan to use is 72" x 93"--that wouldn't really work, it would be a bit too narrow for the quilt with 4" borders.  A 3" border would be 70" x 86"--that would be tight but I can make it work, I think.

I will quilt it on my Bernina Q20 sit down longarm. If I baste it carefully, the 3" border would work. But does it NEED a border?

The book that started this whole project was published in 2010, Trash to Treasure  by Gyleen Fitzgerald. I bought her Trash2Treasure ruler too, and made about half the blocks with it:

When I finally got back to this, about 6 month ago, I began using the Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool Ruler, since most of the students I would be teaching would have this one:

Both rulers work fine. I found the Creative Grids ruler to be my favorite because of the grip-stuff on the back of CG rulers. Once you figure out the instructions, of course. One of the best things about Creative Grid rulers is the instructions for each ruler is on their website--helpful if you lose the pamphlet that came with the ruler. And they often have videos there to show exactly how to use some of the specialty rulers.

In January I wrote about Quilts I Should Finish This Year. This was #1. So, I am either finished or close to it--you decide.

Next up, $795, begun many years ago, 2006, I believe:

Geese 1.375" x .6875"--Paper Pieced.

There are little projects that will be fit in between this one but it will also be finished this year.

Are there long-term projects you are working on and plan to finish?

As for the Patriotic Pineapple? My husband suggested blue so blue borders it is, from four different blues, cut 3". Finished size is 70" x 85":

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Keeping Busy at Home

In this unusual time, when we are being asked to stay at home to "flatten the curve", I try to keep things as normal as possible.

As a quilter, I make quilts--that is who I am and what I do. The Patriotic Pineapple is almost done--one more row and this half is done and can be sewn to the other half:

My usual routine, that continues:

1. Be at work in my Studio from 9-4 most days
2. Lunch break about noon
3. Elliptical exercise after lunch, shower, fresh clothes
4. Cook the standard meals, nothing fancy
5. Keep a running list of groceries needed, hubby does the shopping
6. Turn off the TV at 9 a.m., keep it off until 5 p.m.

What I am doing that is not the "norm":

1. Staying home, since March 15 when I returned from Retreat.
2. Only going in the yard to snap Spring photos--pollen makes me cough and that is just not what we want to do right now.
3. Not spending time booking airfare and  hotels, preparing Supply Lists, and class samples--3 jobs have been canceled for April and May, waiting to see what happens with two trips in July and two August.
4. Calling one friend each day just to talk--we are usually too busy. No excuse right now.
5. Spending too much time on Facebook--working to cut that back. There are quilts to make and pretty much everyone is saying the same things.
6. Finding it hard to remember what day of the week it is--lots of folks seem to have that problem right now.
7. Missing my Littles--they only live 30 minutes away but we are all "sheltering in place" so won't get to hug them for a while yet--we do FaceTime most days:

Sam and Stella on St. Patrick's Day

Back to  quilting. I am trying the Starch Method with leftover Yarra Valley fabrics to make more Double 9 Patch blocks, even though my Sample quilt was completed last year and my smaller Demo quilt was completed last month.

Pros of Starching Fabric:

The precision on small blocks is better. These have .75" finished squares and the 9 patches are 2.25" finished. When I used a few strips that were not starched along with starched ones I could see a difference--the firmness of the starched fabric kept things in place while sewing.

Cons: 

It takes time to apply the starch and let it dry, overnight is recommended. When I want to sew, I want to sew NOW so waiting is not in my nature. I have been spraying the fabrics for the next round while sewing the current round and pressing them dry if needed. Do not press while still wet--this will dry the starch into flakes--not what you want.

The quilt will need to be washed when completely done, quilted and bound. Starch is made from corn and bugs can be an issue with starch that remains on fabric. I usually wash quilts when done, but not always.

Since I wanted to do something with these little 9 Patches, they have become my current Leader/Ender project--when I run out of starched strips, I'll stop making them and that will determine how big this little quilt will be:

Quilters are probably better able to fill their time, being at home for so long, than many people. I feel for parents of young kids who have to work from home, like my son and daughter-in-law. My concerns are for all those who still have to leave their homes: healthcare workers, grocery folks, restaurants trying to stay afloat. And for all those fearful of financial worries.

And for my brother-in-law who had a stroke March 14. March 19 all hospitals in Alabama went under a No Visitors Order so his wife and kids cannot see him at all. They live an hour away and can only get updates by phone with the nurses. Today he continues to breathe without assistance, so that is good news. 

Stay calm, make quilts, wash your hands. This will pass and we'll all be back together soon, I hope.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Teaching Locally

Since I am home for a while, before a busy travel schedule begins, I have several local classes.

The other day I taught Smitten to 4 quilters:

My Sample

Blocks on the wall at the end of the day

Trish

Karen

Robin

Carolyn

They enjoyed learning that Y seams aren't HARD, they are just not FAST.

On President's Day, I taught Patriotic Pineapples to 8 students:

Blocks on the wall at the end of the day

They used either the Pineapple Trim Tool ruler from Creative Grids OR the Trash to Treasure Ruler from Gyleen Fitzgerald--both make 8" Pineapple blocks, with 1" finished logs. Each person learned how to use the ruler she brought to class.  

In the afternoon, I showed them how to paper piece the block, if they wanted to. Some had never tried paper piecing before so it was something new to learn. Most kept going with regular piecing and their ruler--the second block comes together much faster than the first.

It was interesting to me that several students had wanted to make a Pineapple quilt for years and either had not started yet or could not understand the instructions with their ruler or pattern. Having a class available made it the right time for these quilters to start this project. Great quilts in the making.

The REAL reason I offered this class is to force me to get back to my Patriotic Pineapple quilt, that WILL be finished this year:

Only 46 blocks to go...

Coming up soon locally is my favorite class to teach: Antique Rose Star by Machine. I teach this all over the country to large classes and we have such a great time:

March 7 and 21, 2020, Huntsville Sew Creative. If you are local, please don't miss this opportunity--this is the only time I will offer this class this year locally. You will be amazed at what you learn and how easy these blocks, with 72 pieces in each, can be to make.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

Log Cabin Quilts

Like many quilters, there are certain blocks that just speak to me. Some are "bucket list" quilts that are on the list. Some are just "wouldn't it be nice to make one of these someday" dreamer quilts.

Today let's look at Log Cabin Quilts--here are a few of my favorites.

1. Barb Vedder's Big Pineapple  Ever since I saw Barb working on this on Instagram, I have wanted to make one. This link shows how she spray basted it for machine quilting--I'll be eager to see it finished:

2. Antique from Julie Silber. This is a great log cabin Julie said was 1930's. The colors are so bright and pretty and cut small enough, can be made from today's contemporary fabrics for this look:

3. Antique on Display at the European Patchwork Quilt Meeting, Show Photos from Teri and Kara. There are a lot of beautiful quilts in this blog post. Notice how different this one feels from #2--very dark vs. very light:

4. One I have made before and would like to make again, in a bed size this time:

It is based on this old crib quilt I learned about at Appraisal classes in Paducah, 2008:

5. One Giant Log Cabin Block   Anita Grossman Soloman  Antique quilt circa 1880. Featured in the book Rotary Cutting Revolution.   Ever since I saw this quilt, I've wanted to make one like it: 

  I have made a few log cabin quilts over the years:

My first, 1989, made for and sold to Christmas Year 'Round magazine:

The basic Log Cabin, titled "Waste Not, Want Not" 1993:

Half Log Cabin, 1995, begun in a class with Sharyn Craig:

Batik-y Log Cabin, 1997:

A one-block Log Cabin, 2014. Pattern from the book Utility Quilts by Carolyn Forester, given to a friend. Hand quilted with "big stitch":

Creative Log Cabin, 2017, made as a class sample then used as a gift for a man I wanted to give a quilt to:

This year my Patriotic Pineapple is a "must finish" but some of these are still calling my name.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Quilts I Should Finish This Year

Many of us get excited to START a new project, but don't always FINISH those previously started.

Here are a few I really WANT to finish in 2020:

1. Patriotic Pineapple--I put this on my local teaching schedule to force me to dig it back out and get her done--it's about half way done and all I need is time to make it a priority:

2. Economy Block: this one is a replica of an antique top I bought a few years ago from Julia Kelly-Hodenius, owner of Pique'. It is a bit more than half done--the top photo is one block: 

 The antique top:

3. $795: A funny name which I may explain later. This was started years ago and I really WANT to finish--hoping this is the year. I have two of these rows done, about 26" wide x 54" long. I am either 25%, 50 %, or 66.67% finished:

4. Star of Texas: designed years ago from a very small graphic I saw. I wrote to the person who designed the graphic and got permission to make a quilt like it--in the old days when that sort of thing happened with letters through the mail. It took all my math skills to get this far--I remember working in 1/32 of an inch increments--nuts! 

Now I don't care for the background fabric and will replace that with a more contemporary fabric. All of this has been stored for at least 20 years but this might just be the year I get back to it:

In addition to all the usual projects I am working on, class samples, blog posts,  BOM commitments, etc., these will have to work their way into my schedule.  Having them out of the closet, on the design wall, visible, will help get them moved to the front of the line.

I'll bet you have a few UFO's (unfinished objects), or PHD's (projects half done), or PIGS (projects in grocery sacks). Whatever we call them, at some point we were excited enough to start them. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

UFOs, PHDs, PIGS, Ongoing Work

Whether you call them:

UFOs:  unfinished objects or
PHDs:  Projects Half Done or
PIGS:  Projects in Grocery Sacks

We all have  them--projects we start with good intentions that somehow get put on the back burner as something more exciting or more pressing has to get made.

Here are some of mine:

Diamond Jubilee--the quilt I intend to make to celebrate my 60th birthday--which happened two years ago.  This one is getting moved up the list, eventually...

I finished this top yesterday.  The hexagons are 1" and where made from a pack of 5" Charm squares, cut into quarters--the 2.5" squares fit the paper very well.  This was started at International Quilt Festival, Long Beach, CA 2009. For some reason, I didn't take any handwork with me and, of course, that was a mistake.  The great vendor, Cotton and Chocolate had a brilliant marketing plan:  They sold a "kit" packed into a plastic travel bag with their name and address on it, that included a Clover Desk Needle  threader, best notion ever, a spool of thread, a package of needles, and your choice of a packet of Paper Pieces shapes for English Paper piecing.  You purchased your choice of a MODA charm pack and they cut the 5" squares into 2.5" squares for you.  Sucked me right in.  All you needed to be sewing was a pair of scissors and they would be delighted to sell you those too, if you needed them.  They now include a Glue Pen for fast and easy basting of fabric to paper and today they even have a kit for machine sewing the hexagons, here.  This became my "take along" project for years until I finally buckled down to finish it.  Up next, it gets machine quilted. And, yes, I applique'd the hexagon top to the striped fabric borders; no way I was finishing it with the traditional hexagon zig zag edge.

Another favorite I am eager to return to:

Patriotic Pineapple blocks.  I really love this and lots of fabric strips are cut and ready, but, alas, it's not on the wall currently.

Today I took down my Lifetime Quilt to make room but here is what it is starting to look like:

This is my Leader/Ender lifetime project--I can't die until I finish it so I'm sewing it slowly...  Each half square triangle is 1.25" finished. Shown here are 5 blocks, each 20" square.  See the link above for step-by-step photos of my process.

Stella's Splendid Sampler needed more room so I  rearranged the design wall:

Only 16 more blocks to go, 8 weeks left.  I'm ready to see the end of this one.  The patterns are all free currently and available at The Splendid Sampler. A book is being printed for release after the project ends in early 2017.  It was more challenging than I expected but it's fun being part of a Facebook group of almost 24,000 members and who knows how many more who signed up with email.  Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson must be overwhelmed and amazed at the interest their little project has generated.

When Stella's Splendid Sampler comes down, here is what is going UP:

Sue Garman's Ruffled Roses--the Block of the Month quilt for The Quilt Show, 2011.  I still love it and am determined to finish it in 2017.  I wrote about my Turned Edge Applique' method here.  Having it prominently displayed on the design wall will be just what I need to get this one done. Guessing it will take me about two months to finish the top.  The pattern is still available from Sue's website:  here.

There are more projects I need to get back to, of course, but this is probably enough for 2017.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara