Friday, January 22, 2016

A friend saves vintage blocks, and a Pineapple Beginning

What a great way to start the day - aren't they beautiful?  Look at the giant white ones in the middle!   

In mid-November at the Guild give-away table, sat a large stack of vintage blocks.  Kinda sad and not well done but .... I grabbed them, shoved them in my friend Jody's hands and said, "Here make something of these!"  Poor woman - I didn't even give her a chance to object but she's creative, energetic and gets things D O N E !  Hmm, lots of piecing, by hand, not sophisticated, yet beautiful in their humility.   Some lady was using her time wisely, using what she had.  There is even some fussy-cutting. 
 

In mid December, (yes, less than 1 month later) Jody dropped by my house with a big wrapped "something" under her arm with instructions "do not open 'til Christmas" ... well of course I failed that edict.  After she left, I opened it ... and cried with joy. 

Look what she did with the "unloved" blocks!!!  She repaired some, added the inner black sashing, added the dark border purchased when she and I had attended some quilting function together.  She often finishes her quilts with a sliver of color against the binding.  She then washed it all, and those blah, tired-looking blocks turned into something beautiful!!!   Quilters make and give quilts away - we seldom receive a quilt, especially one with meaning.  How lovely  that she gave these blocks a real life.  It's prettier than this photo, and is now my TV-watching lap quilt.
 
 

  Above is the backing - perfectly lovely!  Thank you Jody!!!


New project ....

a Pineapple Quilt, using 2 slightly different blocks.  I'm loving it!  This design came with a DVD purchased thru Annie's Catalog/Craft catalog, and the DVD features Gyleen Fitzgerald.  (I LOVE my quilting DVDs!)  Oh My Gosh, I am loving this one!!!  I DID purchase her ruler  (about $14) which I also love.  Each block came out exactly correct, square and true.  (There is another ruler at Annies, but with more lines, options, cost - I chose the simpler version)..

If you have never made a Pineapple block, and are not paper piecing, you really need a ruler made for this technique.  The block is very easily pulled out of square and is trimmed and checked after each round.  These strips are cut at 1.5 inch, and the block finishes at 8 inches.  Also, her technique trims the blocks from the back.     


15 comments:

  1. How wonderful to save the orphan blocks! And Jody certainly turned them into a silk purse from a sow's ear. I do hope that she labeled this handsome gift.
    Your pineapples are quite colorful and look very true, good work!

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  2. I LOVE the vintage quilt! What a great friend!! The pineapple quilt is going to be wonderful too!!

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  3. Jody did a gorgeous work with those vintage blocks. I like the 2 blocks for the pineapple quilt, this lay-out is beautiful.
    Hugs

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  4. Great save of the vintage blocks. I have done that a time or two (or three or four) myself, but have yet to get them beyond flimsy stage. : )

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  5. Jody is a genius! What a beautiful tv quilt you have now! I love contrasting backs.

    Agree with you on the Pineapple ruler. I bought one (a different designer) after paper-piecing some blocks (too tedious). Unfortunately the one I got didn't work for the blocks I was making (hexagon shaped) although the test block made with it did get used in a project. One day a full quilt! Look forward to seeing yours!

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  6. That rescue quilt is beyond wonderful . . . makes my heart SO happy.

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  7. Judy did an amazing job and fast too. Love, love, love this quilt.
    Wonderful pineapple quilt too.;^)

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  8. Wow, that collection of old blocks reminds me of my DH. He can get real scroungy looking when he is working, but he cleans up right nice! :-))

    Your pineapple quilt is gorgeous. A really good advert for the special ruler. I tried one once sans paper or special ruler. Right tricky. And frustrating. Yours looks great.

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  9. What a wonderful quilt gift! It turned out great and I love the vintage fabrics. Your pineapple quilt is gorgeous too and if I ever make one, it sounds like good advice to have that special ruler.

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  10. Gorgeous, both the quilt your friend 'finished' and gifted you for Christmas and your pineapple quilt. Such beautiful fabrics. 😀

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  11. Yea for rescuing old blocks. I've been making wall hangings and lap quilts from blocks made by his grandmother in the '50s or 60s. The wall hangings are hand pieced 9 patches. Ugh not the most accurate but I love the bright fabrics she used. So proud of my friend for wanting to use these blocks. (And paying for them to be made). Gyleen is a wonderful teacher and has wonderful ideas.

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  12. What a wonderful quilt you received from your friend. Those blocks did work up nicely. Your pineapple blocks are great. I have not made a pineapple quilt yet. It is on my bucket list though. Nice colors.

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  13. Your new vintage quilt is georgous. Your friend had an awesome vision for the blocks. Very pretty pineapple blocks. To me these blocks have always looked very difficult to make. Enjoy both of your quilts.

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  14. Oh!! The unloved blocks quilt is fantastic!! Good for you for shoving them in Jodys hands - ha ha ha!! Your pineapple is beautiful!

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  15. The unloved block quilt is just wonderful now. What a great friend you have.

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