Hi! March 1st is here. The Lion Wind is howling. Do we welcome March 2021, or do we cringe. It is never a good month, is it, but let's hope for the best.
Today is Part Two of February sewing. while I didn't work much on my Silent Night Stars, Blue Pineapples was on my schedule for this winter and I am pleased with how it has gone so far.
Keep in mind this is a throw sized utility quilt, for chilly cocktail time evenings on the deck or beachy picnics. It could be a play mat for small visitors if I ever again have friends come to visit and play. It can be a sofa throw. Whatever.
Here are my first 13 blocks.
I plan to space the blue pineapples quite far apart, give the indigo batiks room to show off.
But I may need to make more, as I did with Baby Pineapples last year. [I'm superstitious, no matter what I decide, I will have to squeeze in one more for 14 not 13.]
Going backwards, the idea was inspired by Baby Pineapples, but with changes.
Here is the pattern drafted and used.
I wanted the corners more casual--a little crooked, so I cut extra large triangles and trimmed.
This is a trimming template.
Frixion pen before cutting one at a time.
The template also is used to trim the stem portion, to be sure it all fits and is square. Left column is untrimmed.
Normally I might cut the templates from matte finish gridded Mylar sheets, but I haven't found the kind I like online and haven't been to JoAnn's to choose in person in more than a year. (JoAnn's is all we have here, so I value the shop despite rude naysayers. My Flags of the American Revolution quilt was entirely sourced at Joann's; came out beautiful, in my opinion.)
The stem and leaves are straight stitch machine applique instead of intricately pieced as BP's were. The edges of the appliqued green should soften and fray over time, adding dimension and a certain Who Cares/ Use It/Wash It! vibe.
Over the next few days I hope to finish trimming the first blocks and doing a partial piecing at least, before clinic day next Monday and the following ten days are wasted. Wish me luck and focus.
This is for Bovey Belle, a blog friend from Wales who is a quilter. She was mentioning a project where she has more or less given up finding a brown solid to complete it. Here were my first try outs ordering online, for brown. Not easy, is it. Blue Pool/ Chocolate Milk quilt rescue [ongoing].
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I've been collecting worn out cashmere sweaters to make a little blanky for Mo. He likes me to tuck him in at night in the winter. I had planned to cut off the upper body and sleeves, but Mo loves the sleeves!? Pugs have a thing for resting their chin on anything that they find--chair rails, your hand, sofa arms---and he really loves it if I tuck the sleeves under his chin at bedtime. Yes he is pampered, he is my little loyal friend, after all.
Have a good week everyone.
Talk to you soon!
love
lizzy
gone to the beach....
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