Fall Festival Sewalong ~ Pineapples

Hello, everyone! Time for my March quilting show and tell posts. I'm afraid I was quite the slacker here, I couldn't begin to get all our assignment done. Sorry, Lori [Humble Quilts]. (Colors are off in today's photos, I don't know why. They are all lighter and prettier in person.)

Pattern by Jan Patek
 to help you see what's going on here

The month flew by and I focused mainly on other projects during March but I did get  part of our March sewalong blocks done. We are rushing through this project. I know some quilters would love to have it done for this autumn. Understandable, and fine! But I can't begin to keep up and truly did not try.

I was so looking forward to making my pineapple blocks. They are the main reason I decided to make this quilt, I just love these funny folky guys. Yes, Kelley says they in no way look like pineapples! And Mel says pineapples do not belong on a Fall quilt. (Not so---they are a symbol of hospitality and plenty since colonial times.).

I chose to make my pineapples using reverse applique. For my non-quilter friends, it goes something like this:

It was a new skill for me and was a challenge. I think I improved as I did the three pineapples, each with five holes to be sewed. I love learning new things and enjoyed taking my time, getting it --well, not  perfect--but good? Pleasing? My mantra or focus this year is ''good craftsmanship". It may slow me down but I hope to be proud of my work.
It's always interesting to see a project in photos on the computer screen, despite the odd colors that sometimes appear. The leaves on the the three pineapples are the same green textural print, yet it looks so washed out on the aqua version. I may come back later and redo that one.

I would love to do an entire Pineapple quilt someday--maybe not reverse appliqued, though.
........
As I often mention, winter is, for me, a time for being indoors and machine sewing. So it wasn't easy to find days for handwork, which I usually do outside, either on the beach or on the deck with Mo.

 This is Mo's almost most favorite thing to do, after car rides and gnawing greasy chews. He just loves our sewing hour in the sunshine. (Yes, okay, we sat out in the snow a few times! He's a very determined little man.) It looks odd to see a pug at home wearing a vestie or harness; I am training him not to bark when he is on the deck and I attach a short leash to bring him to a quiet sit. He barks at seagulls and other dogs and the feral kitties and the neighbors. Not a lot, but he should not bark at all!

At the end of the month we had one more lovely day and I quickly set up and sewed one of the March Basket blocks.
I wish I had more of the taupe polka dots, love them!

The others are just inklings on my work table.

And I didn't even approach making the 40? 60? Wild Geese spacer blocks. The method I prefer using requires multiple  5 1/2" squares of fabric, and I am eke-ing out fat quarters as it is. That little job will be last of anything for my Fall Festival.

Later this week I'll show you my other March projects. I have THREE quilts at the quilter right now, and two more almost ready to go, once I save up the quilting money. I wasn't such a slacker after all? And I'm making the roasted radish/ parsnip recipe, even as I type. I'll report back on that too, the good, bad, or icky results.
See you soon.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

Check out Lori's blog to see everyone else's FF blocks : Humble Quilts beginning Monday 3/3