"Pineapple Parade"

LOL - I just love that name, especially for this Pineapple quilt, which is a little bold, ostentatious, bright in some places and marching all in the right directions, many colors, all marching at the same rhythm!  PERFECT name.  (I had to check the dictionary for the right "P" word to go with "Pineapple".)  This is the second Pineapple I've done in last few months - I LOVE this technique, not difficult at all with a decent ruler.  Mine is from Gyleen X. Fitzgerald, who I "found" when I purchased a DVD from Annie's Craft Catalog.  Lucky me!

Above, that far right are Sally Terry  style feathers.  In this case, they are too cramped, but usually I like them.  There are 3 borders, each one slightly wider to accommodate a corner treatment (not shown) 

Hearts are always good, aka "xxx ladies on a barstool"!  Third border, finally decided on today, is a Baptist Fan.  I am struggling to learn to incorporate 3 borders that seem to blend together, yet stand out, not too big, not too little and still be in keeping with style of quilt and one that I know how to do!  Not so easy!

Above is just to show the bold backing.

I quilted the quilt top with a King Tut quality thread, with a fine Mettler Silk Finish on the back - this usually works together for me, but in the borders, the same King Tut was not the best and I finally took out several first tries, then changed to Essential Pro which sews like butta!  This combo works very well together for me, and the Essential Pro is fine and blends in so well.  One sees the texture not the thread.  I need to remember this!

I am nearly finished - wanted to show it.  

Pineapple, Border, My Blue Heaven

(I am almost over my Washing Machine Rant (previous post), feeling almost recovered from feeling like an ignorant fool for getting cheated by the industry, and EPA.  I just hope the next person considering a washing machine will be informed.)
+++++++++++++

Here is my finished Pineapple top - this is the second Pineapple I've done in last few months - OK, I'm obsessed!  Note there are 2 separate blocks in this version.  Contrary to general opinion, this is NOT a difficult block at all, IF you use one of the wonderful rulers available.  The border was 3 separate strips, each one slightly wider, resulting in corners that look like an extension of the blocks.  It's 72" x 80".  Tomorrow, off to my LQS for batting. 

If the centers are all light, the entire quilt has a lighter appearance.  I LOVE the spool-like features at the corners.

I've used this border on another Pineapple quilt (below, years old, and PP'ed) - it seems exactly what was needed for a border.

New subject -- below is a photo of blocks I've saved for years, kinda remembering it came from Bingo Bonnie's blogspot.  Thank you Bingo Bonnie for this inspiration!  I've lost track of her blog - but I STILL love this block.  She calls it My Blue Heaven, not to be confused with Quiltville version of the same name, but slightly different.   It's on my To-Do list -- isn't it the perfect scrap project?  I have several baskets of 2 1/2 in. HSTs, knowing I can use them ... soon I hope.   

Another Pineapple Version, Photo 2

Between getting groceries, working on P.T. at Wellness Center, helping DH after dental surgery today, pick up prescription,  I threw these additional blocks together.  27 done, need 63.  I'm really liking it!

(Note - no cooking, no dishes, no walks, no shower, no cleaning, etc.  Hey, this ole gal deserved to choose her vices! )

I already have ideas for the leftovers!  Oh dear - when will I have enuf? 

Another Pineapple Version

This one is truly scrappy, in my favorite colors, I call "foresty".  There are 2 different blocks, called "X" and "O".  I'm aiming for 63 blocks, 7 x 9.  Blocks are 8 inches finished, and strips are cut 1.5.  I used the maker's ruler, especially made for pineapple quilts. 

Hmmmm - this one looks a lot like another one, finished a few months ago.  I'm really LIKING these!!!  I found the DVD on Annie's Craft Catalog, and the designer is a lady engineer, Gyleen Fitzgerald.  I believe a person can sign up for her on-line class, but I chose the DVD. 

Award, & Pineapple Quilt is DONE

First, I have been given an award from Elsie Montgomery at http://www.elsiequilts.blogspot.com/. Thank you Elsie, along with your kind words. Don't we all just have the best time, playing and coloring and cutting? I think we may all have become 'stuck' in Kindergarten (which I never got to attend!), only now we have grown up girly toys! Now, the rules say I must pick 3 of you to give it back .. oh my, I must give a few days thought to that ... you ALL have given ME so much in the way of ideas, support, inspiration entertainment and more! I'm thinking I know who it will be, but ... wait a few days.
For the longest time I've had nothing to say -- at the moment, my mind is bursting! (When it rains it pours!)

Here is my final decision for the corner treatment on this Pineapple Quilt. (edge is straight, photo is crooked!)

And here's the whole, DONE, and a closeup of some of the quilting.

Two thousand three hundred fifty-seven (2357) to the best of my counting ability! Including the backing and scrappy binding. It finishes at about 62 x 74.

I definitely wanted the center to blend into the border. Those boxes are actually HSTs, inserted into the border between the quilt center and the border strips. They were faced with fusible interfacing, and then pressed and appliqued down. That was easier than cutting all those separate parts, but still was time consuming. This is the second time I've used that technique - easy peasy! That particular box of strips is empty. And for those of you who get 'stuck' on matchy-matchy, I used all lights and all darks in this quilt, no mediums, and I was NOt PARTICULAR in my choices. And the pieces that I thought would not 'do', were the pieces that gave it life -- a bright blue, and some light yellow! The blocks are about 6 inches finished. I also did a scrappy binding.

Paper piecing is the way to go with small logs. My machine has knee lift and auto-thread-cutter, both amazingly efficient tools for this project. I just pressed the button to cut, and start again, with no thread snarls. Sweeeeet!