LaVieEnRosie

Seven sevenths...

That's a different way of saying "done".  Finished.  Complete.  I'm movin' on to something new!

It was almost funny how fast the three blocks went... once I finally had a chance to get to them.  Then I was chasing daylight trying to get the last row sewn together, then sewn to the other six rows so I could take the top outside and get a halfway decent picture.  

Ta da...

It will get quilted - haven't a clue how but I think it just needs allover quilting - and then bound.  I have already decided what to use for that - something neutral-ish.  I'll get the backing pieced in the morning and then I will start working on something different.  I'll tell you more about that next week, for now let it suffice to say that I really learned something making this quilt - just not what you might expect.  

This quilt is made with three different blocks - 28 medium/dark blocks (light sides / dark corners), 18 light blocks (dark sides / light corners) and 6 light half-blocks.  The dark blocks are set in four rows of seven blocks each, and those rows alternate with three rows of light blocks.  The light rows are comprised of six light full-blocks and two light half-blocks at the opposing ends of the row.  The light rows are then offset with the dark rows - the seams between the blocks fall at the half-way point of the adjacent block - and yes, I had to trim about 1/2" from each of the half-blocks.

My blocks measured 11" x 11" when they were complete - they now finish at 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" - and right now, my quilt top measures 74" x 74".    

Now about that Possibilities Pineapple Ruler - it isn't for everyone.  

Several ladies in the club/class didn't like the ruler at all.  Actually, that's putting it mildly.  It isn't that it's difficult to use, it's that some aspects of it are counter-intuitive to some folks.  I think it is a personal preference sort of situation, it may not be how you like to work, the sort of process that feels natural and right to you.  It's a bit like cars with automatic transmission or stick shifts - you know what you prefer, and you know what you're willing to live with.  With the ruler, I think the one of the biggest issues is that you have to be willing to give up a little bit of accuracy.  No matter how careful you are, and no matter how perfect your seams and piecing are... the odds are that are least a few of the corners and blocks are going to get a little "off".  

The primary benefit of the ruler is that it's faster than paper-piecing and you can use that mountain of scraps you've got, especially those 1 1/2" strips.  If you love paper-piecing, that's the best method to get as-near-to-perfect as possible.  I like paper-piecing but I don't love it... at least not enough to make a big quilt.  Not right now anyway.  

While I love Anita Grossman Solomon's method, I can't really speak to how it works since I still haven't used it... someday, right?  If you're interested, you might want to check Anita's Craftsy class - Traditional Quilts Made Simple.  (Pssst... if you use this link, you can save 25% on the class.)

As for the Pineapple Ruler, the primary challenge is keeping the blocks the same size, and keeping the strips squared up, and making sure everything is the same size.  Okay, that's three challenges but they all relate to each other.  It's the trimming.  Just so you know, my blocks didn't all match up perfectly.  About 75 percent of the seams have all six seams matching up perfectly or almost perfectly.  (Yeah, yeah... I'm that lucky, not that good.)  About 10 percent have one seam that is off by as little as 1/8" and as much as 1/4".  The remaining 15 percent... let's just say "you won't really notice".  The irony is that it is usually just one corner that's off and those three seams in the corner can be off a little... or a lot.  I haven't a clue how it happens but it seems that everyone I know who uses the ruler has had that happen to some degree. 

For anyone considering making a pineapple quilt with the Possibilities Pineapple Ruler, I suggest that you treat the blocks just as you would a Log Cabin block - measure, measure, measure.  If you pre-cut your strips, you can see if the sides of the block are shrinking or growing.  Since I was trimming my strips down by 1/4" after they were joined to the blocks, I was essentially trimming my blocks to a consistent size after each and every row.  I think that was a huge help in keeping my blocks the same size.  

But it meant a whole lot of additional trimming... and trimmings.

That's a 1-gallon jar and it is stuffed, packed tight and still over-flowing.  Or it was.  Yes, I dumped it into my big trimmings bag, the one that goes to the shelter for stuffing dog beds.  

Now that I'm done, I can tell you that I fully expect to make another pineapple quilt in my lifetime - I really like the block and all the variations.  And barring some revolutionary new ruler or method, I expect I'll use this ruler again because despite the drawbacks, I liked it and I am happy with the results.  

Though I am going to have a chat with my brilliant friend, Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts.  While trimming blocks, it occurred to me that her Fit to be Square ruler might work beautifully for making pineapple blocks.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Just in case you're curious... the leftover strips and pieces have been bagged back up and are ready to be returned to my friend.  The cutting table is clean and I've put a new blade in the rotary cutter.  Cutting all those strips and all that trimming will sure wear out a cutting blade.  I think I used at least three - trimming the blocks is so much easier with a sharp blade.   

Two last things... I made a couple of changes to the Possibilities instructions.  Instead of a single large corner triangle, I finished the corner with an additional strip and a smaller triangle in each corner.  I also didn't like the idea of using rectangles for the corners.  It results in a fair amount of waste and bias edges in the corners.  So instead of cutting the rectangles to whatever size is in the instructions, I cut 2 squares and cut the squares in half once on the diagonal.  The corners still needed to be trimmed after piecing but the trimmed corners were on the straight of grain.  (Mostly.)  If you're using a large triangle without the extra strip, cut the squares are 6" x 6".  If you've added the extra strip, cut the squares 5" x 5".  Both are "generous".

Okay, I made three changes.  My strips are narrower - they finish at 3/4" wide.  And there is an additional row of strips - six rows instead of five... four changes.  

I'll stop before I think of something else.  

So there you have it.  Pina Colada.  Okay, that's not what I'm calling it... I don't know what I'll call it yet.  Given that my Mom has already claimed this one for her bed... I might let her decide on a name for it.  

For now, I'm calling it Done.   

I was [this] close...

I had pieced my medium/dark blocks...

I had twenty-five of these.  I'm good... I think.

I had pieced my light blocks...

I needed eighteen of these.

And I had pieced my light half-blocks...

I needed six of these.  

The setting I'm using is a little different, it isn't the "usual" pineapple setting.  For whatever reason, I've always been drawn to quirky settings - the more unusual, the more I'm probably going to like it.  For this one, I had seen antiques - in person and in books - that used some of the same elements.  Some had off-set blocks, others used the positive and negative blocks - medium/dark and light to create a different secondary pattern.  Then I saw a quilt that was the best example of these variations.  I thought it was an antique.  

Actually, everybody thought it was an antique.  It's been identified as such by folks on Pinterest, some with the mistaken belief that it was part of the Infinite Variety - Red and White - Quilt show two years ago.  The quilt was hanging in New York City during the show, and it is red and white.  But the quilt hanging at The City Quilter - a terrific quilt shop in NYC - was made by Anita Grossman Solomon of Make it Simpler.

Anita developed a terrific technique for making pineapple blocks - no ruler, no foundations, no templates - and this amazing red-and-white quilt is the result.

This picture is Anita's - it can be found here.  A picture of the full quilt - and more information about Anita's workshops - can be found here.

Just so you know, Anita does workshops with her pineapple technique.  She also has a terrific Craftsy class - Traditional Blocks Made Simple.  It includes a discussion of her pineapple technique so if you're wanting to make a pineapple quilt but aren't sure about the rulers or paper-piecing, this might be the answer.  

Anyway, back to my scrappy quilt.  The notion of making medium/dark and light blocks, and then off-setting them for the secondary design stuck with me.  So that's what I set out to make... and I'm 6/7ths done.  Six rows are done - joined, assembled, pressed... complete.  But the last row is going to be a little bit... delayed.    

Those medium/dark blocks?  I made twenty-five of them.  Somehow... somewhere... it must have been during a hot flash... I calculated that four rows of seven blocks each totaled twenty-five.  As near as I can guess, there were about fourteen reasons for my thinking twenty-five was the right number... which makes fourteen ways in which I was wrong.  W.R.O.N.G.  It is a zip code I've spent plenty of time in.  Yes.  There's no escaping it.  I'm three blocks short.

That doesn't sound like a huge problem because I had cut a mountain of strips - enough for at least two quilts.  Except for one teeny tiny little hitch... after finishing my light blocks, I gave my leftover strips to a friend.

Oops.  

She happily gave the bags of strips back to me... maybe because I hinted that letting me "borrow" the leftovers would probably be preferable to giving me three of her finished blocks.  

So now I have to make three more medium/dark blocks.  As soon as I'm done with those three blocks, I'll show you my quilt top.  It's not quite as spectacular as Anita's Red & White version but I love it.  

One last thing... if you're interested, I've been  cleaning out "the closet" and I've got a few things in the shop.

Happy Monday!

 

True confessions...

A dear sweet friend sent me an e-mail last week that contained the link to a blog post that made me think our telephone  convesations had been bugged.  It was the sort of thing that friends talk about... as in, I'm pretty sure you've probably talked about some of the same things with your "besties".   It was one of those posts where you laughed, nodded your head, said, "... exactly!" a few times and then laughed some more.  

The post is titled "My 7 Dirty Quilting Secrets" and the blog is Crafty Garden Mom.  It is written by Tanesha.        

Because I'm a girl who likes the occasional picture - even bad pictures - I'm going to include a few random pictures.  Just  because.

My Mom's Mother's Day / Birthday roses.  They're still looking nice - and yes, the roses have a teeny touch of green in them.  

So here are a few of my "secrets"....

I am not a perfect piecer.  I never have been and with the way my eyesight is going, I'm not sure I'll ever get there now.  Some days are better than others but the truth is that I have "issues" with that perfect exact scant 1/4".  I'm usually just a thin thread's-width off.  And you know what?  Whatever.  I don't really care.  I'm not building a rocket that needs to land on Mars with pinpoint accuracy... okay, bad example... but you get the point.

Perfect piecing takes time and practice - lots of it.  It is a skill that takes time and work to perfect and I applaud those people who have achieved that kind of quality workmanship.  I used to be better but the realities of life, work and such now means that there are weeks that pass without my getting to sew a single stitch.  Yes.  Weeks.  

So while there are things I will rip out and re-do, there are others that are "good enough" for me.  Are you shocked?

That sort of addresses that scant 1/4" seam thing too.  It's important.  I can give you a jillion reasons why... not the least of which is that it does make piecing easier.  We - meaning you - should strive to achieve perfection... but seriously, I'm not going to fault you if it isn't perfectomundo.

And while we're on the subject, if your piecing is perfect, don't go beating up other quilters because you're perfect and they're not.  If you've entered your quilt in a show, then your being a little closer to perfect is commendable.  But in a class or at a guild meeting... seriously, what purpose does it serve to make others feel badly about their work? 

I am not nearly as organized as I would like folks to think I am.  Exhibit A.

 
These are actual labels on some of the storage drawers in my workroom.  I also have drawers labeled "Various & Sundry", "Random Rulers" and "Odds 'n Ends".  

I never should have read that Albert Einstein had a really messy desk because in my mind, that means I naturally, logically equate clutter with genius.  Yes, I know where everything is.  And yes, I finally got some of the scrap/odd-sized piece drawers sorted by color but that's as good as it is ever going to get because... the rest of that doesn't really matter to me.  (I sort of wish it did but it doesn't.)  My sock drawer is about the same way - the socks are in there.  We're good. 

This might also be a good time to mention that I am a terrible "stylist".  I don't "prop" well and I'm not good at "accessorizing vignettes".  Where do people go to learn how to position the scissors "just so"?  How many buttons do you need for it to be just the right amount of random?  Is there a class for that?  

Yeah, yeah... naked envy is running amok.

While I don't pre-wash anymore - it takes too long and it really is a chore - I am a bit obsessive about "prepping" my fabrics by starching and pressing them.  The only reason I do that is because I'm too attached to my steam iron.  I will not - repeat, will not EVER - give up using steam to press my pieced units and blocks.  I know... the purists out there are mortified that I use steam to press my seams.  They can get over it - now.  I've said - written - it before and I'll say/write it again - I can make any block flat and square with enough heat and steam.  Period.  But because fabric does shrink when moisture and heat are applied, I take the precaution of prepping them so that happens before and not after.  It's a case of picking my battles - I know which ones I'm going to lose.

Just so you know, I do make it a point to recycle the plastic bottles from the starch.  

While I happily give quilts to friends and family, I'm tired of random non-quilting folks asking if I sell my quilts.  Or worse, if I'll make them a quilt... you know, one that matches the couch in their living room.  Just kill me now.  I made "custom" quilts specifically for people or situations a few times in my life and each experience was worse than the one before.  I won't horrify you with the details... actually, extensive therapy has helped me purge them from my memory.  I'm sure you've had similar experiences.

And will those same people also stop telling me that their "grandmother was a quilter."  And "you must be very patient".  (Yeah, right.)  I sometimes think the only thing most people know about quilters is what they remember from the movie "Witness". 

I also have more fabric than I will ever need or use.  And so what?  I might joke about my "historical collection", that I'm preserving fabric for future historians but the truth is that I do sometimes feel a bit guilty about it.  I do use it and I do regularly go through it and donate it to charity groups, guilds and Goodwill, but I still have a lot.  And having too much doesn't keep me from adding to the stash.  But I also know that the choices I make are mine - nobody else is paying my bills.  

I am also keeping it for my mother.  If something "unexpected" should happen to yours truly, all that fabric is guaranteed to mean my Mom will have lots of company, well-wishers and "assistance" in the days - hours? - after my untimely demise.  Though I don't know where "my friends" are going to park all those U-Hauls... but I also know that won't be my problem.          

And like Tanesha, I don't always enjoy the online quilting community as much as I wish I did.  While the overwhelming majority of it is inspiring, creative and energizing, there are aspects of it that are frustrating.  From Pinterest - oy vey, that's a topic on it's own - to blogs, I think I'm finding it all a bit less enjoyable because so much of it has become a business, or all about business.  I will happily admit to sometimes thinking "a pox on BlogHer!"  While I completely understand that blogging can be a lucrative business - Pioneer Woman? - so much of it now is about advertising.  Yes, I am as guilty of doing that as anybody else on occasion but are you starting to feel like the only buzz that is being created by all the blog-hops and social-media-cross-pollination is one big Zzzzzzz?  Do you simply download the free pattern, leave a comment to enter the drawing for (fill in the blank) and ignore the rest?

With blogs, I'm also betwixt and between about responding to comments.  I feel horribly - terribly! - guilty when I don't answer each and every comment with an e-mail but since I can't bring myself to send just a quick "thank you for commenting" - I think we all know I'm a bit chattier than that - do I answer just some?  And if I don't get to it right away, is it awful to respond a week or ten days later?  That might be worse than not answering it at all.  So I stick my head in the sand and hope the e-mails answer themselves.  (Yeah, right.)

Whew.  I think I feel a little bit better getting that off my chest... so to speak.  

I'm going to go get a glass of wine and sew a bit before I go to bed.      

Huh?  Yes, I occasionally enjoy a glass of wine when I sew.

That sort of explains the imperfect piecing, doesn't it?

Blogger interrupted...

Ooops.  I'm sorry about that.  I had good intentions, and I had plans to be around last week.  But life got a little busy.  It was all good... but I was hoping for a little more "quiet".

I did get a little "pine-appling" done...

 It was my Mom's birthday on Thursday so I baked a cake - a Carrot Cake.  It's tradition.  It was very good.  

I did some of the other pine-appling too.

I finished two more rows - one Light and one Dark - after I took this picture.  Only a few more rows to go and I'm done with the Alternating blocks.  I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get this sewn together on Tuesday... I'll let you know how that goes.  I'll also share more about what I'm doing with my blocks - how I made them, what I learned, the change I made to the ruler Instructions, etc.  Yes, the blocks are slow-going and yes, they can be a bit tedious, but I'm still enjoying the process.  

But it does have it's entertaining little drawbacks...

These were the trimmings from just one row.

These are all my trimmings fo far... why do we like to do this?  It can't be just because the snips look cute in the jar.  It's kind of like an itch you just have to keep scratching.  

It's also been a bit of a revelation.  I'm fairly organized.  I wanted to be ready to do each row when I got to it... so I did a lot of cutting before I started sewing.  I sorted my strips and kept them in boxes - my favorite little project boxes.

Lights.  

Mediums & Darks.

So I don't have the longer strips cut into short strips yet, that's easily done when the time comes.  

Here's the problem... if I have my strips somewhat nearly sorted in boxes, why did my cutting table look like this on Sunday afternoon?

Seriously!  The boxes are balanced on other stuff and there is a ruler and more strips balancing on top of the project box!  I've got other strips everywhere - ditto for a few random rulers.  

I can't wait to be finished so I can clean up - clear off! - this mess.  

So I can start making a mess with this...

It's a "just for fun" project and it couldn't be more different than my Pineapple quilt.  

That's it for now... I have rows to sew and a mess to get to.  

Happy Monday!

Five days... in a row?

I know.  I'm surprised too.  

But I had some "stuff" to share/mention so here I am.  

The Hat Trick quilts in Sinta and Sherri's Year of Schnibbles parades - have you seen them?  I love them all.  Even the square quilts - maybe especially the square quilts.  I thought it was pretty funny that some were a little worried that I might object to the change... though at least one person is on record as writing that the borders on only two sides is just plain wrong.  How funny is that?  I love that the patterns are changed to suit your preferences as I've never thought of them as anything more than a "jumping off" point - a place to start. 

I haven't yet gotten around to all the blogs but I will... this weekend.  Before the Kentucky Derby... after the hockey game but before the others... in between packing patterns and stitching a binding... and making pineapple blocks.  That actually sounds more tiring than it will be as most of that will transpire while I'm sitting on the couch.  

The project boxes - I was asked about those...

These are them... thems are these.  

I got these at The Container Store - they call it a Translucent Project Case.  It measures 12 - 1/2" wide x 10 - 1/2" deep x 1 - 3/4" high.  They're $7.99.  I was told by my former dear friend that they "list" for $9.99 at JoAnn's but you can use a coupon and maybe a Senior Discount.  

I use the boxes for all sorts of things... for storing thread:

For perle cotton:

For keeping small pieced of fabric related to a specific small project together:

They're also a terrific size for toting your "sewing stuff" to retreat, class or wherever.  They hold a 9" x 9" square or 6" x 12" ruler, and a whole slew of other tools.  The latch is quite secure.  My experience so far is that the boxes are pretty durable, I've had a few of these for about five or six years.

I also got a little work done on the blocks for my "long-term" project.  Seventy-seven done... at least 120 more to go.  

But those will have to wait because I will get a start on the alternating pineapple blocks this weekend.  I've made a note to take some pictures along the way to show you what I've done with my extra trimming steps - and to show you the change I made in the corners for the ruler.

 Happy Friday and have a terrific weekend.

 

 

Senior moments...

No, this isn't about my Mom.  I wish!

I was having a really good day yesterday - Wednesday.  After receiving a very nice note from the Binding Fairy telling me that she only bestowed favors on little piggys going to Market, I stitched two bindings onto quilts.  I also made a couple of blocks for one of my just-for-fun projects - pictures coming soon - and I pulled fabric for another project.

Some "vintage" American Jane - enough for two different projects... which is sort of the plan.

Anyway, it was a good day.  I got a bunch of work done and was just returning from running some errands with my Mom when a dear friend called.  She had just been to that "big box store" and found that they were carrying a plastic project box that we both love.  While the price was a bit higher than what we pay elsewhere, you could use the 50% off coupon, thereby saving a couple of dollars.  

Okay, let me just interject that I don't need any more of these boxes right now but a good deal is a good deal.  And I'm sure I could find a use for another one.  So even though I was still in the garage, helping my Mom out of the car, I was considering it... and that's when hit me with IT... the words that ruined my day completely.

"But Carrie... you can save 20% more because it's Senior Day."

Make that my formerly dear friend.

I still have seven years to go for that!  Though it does make me wonder... unless they give you the discount automatically - which would be kind of depressing - do you ask for it?  Or do you pay the 20% to maintain the fantasy that nobody knows you qualify for the discount?

After telling you that I am hoping to do some "just for fun" sewing this summer, I wanted to tell you about a couple of books that have come through the door recently.  

The book on the top is Liberty Love by Alexia Marcelle Abeqq.  Liberty of London fabrics.  That was enough to sell me on this book - I have Liberty Lawns and some of the Lifestyle cottons.  Like many other quilters online, I immediately fell in love with this quilt, Marcelle's Medallion.

I have been inspired - and a little envious - of the many beautiful versions that have been showing up online in the past month.  But it was Cindy's version - Hyacinth Quilt Designs' Cindy -  that made me decide I needed to make one sooner rather than later.  It's spectacularly wonderful and you can see it here.

You want it too, don't you?  

Patchwork Please! by Ayumi Takahashi - the Pink Penguin.  I have always enjoyed Ayumi's blog because no matter what she's making - pincushions, clothing, bags and quilts - her projects always have a unique and wonderful combination of fabrics, colors and style.  It's a terrific book - and the Triangle Patchwork Box Pouch is on my "to do" list.  It's seriously cute.

 Just so you know, the projects in Ayumi's book might send you on a hunt for some wonderful Japanese fabric... Ayumi can help with that too.  Ayumills Etsy Shop.  

In the Studio with Angela Waters.  I'm sorry about the blurry cover for this book - but it goes without saying that my picture is the only blurry thing about it.  Even if you don't machine-quilt, and even if you don't ever want to machine-quilt, Angela Walter's books are well-worth the read.  It's simple - Angela is incredibly talented and she's a very skilled quilter/artist/craftsperson.  I always learn something from a book like this - and from Angela's first book, Free-Motion Quilting.  The information is well-presented and the books are terrific "reads" for anyone wanting to learn "more".  When it comes to knowledge, more is always better.  And Angela has a lot of it.  If you're not familiar with it, Quilting is My Therapy is her blog.  (And she's on Craftsy - here and here.)

You know this girl!  Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life.   This is her first book - and definitely not her last - and it is titled A Quilting Life: Creating a Handmade Home.  Sherri's book is a reflection of her blog - she doesn't make just one thing.  There are pillows and table-runners, bags and baby quilts, big quilts and wall-hangings, and the projects are such that they are appealing to long-time quilters but won't confuse newer-sewists.  My favorite thing about the book is that it is written in a lovely style that isn't "this is how you do this" so much as "this is how I do this".  It's a beautiful book.  (Congratulations, Sherri.)

It's Sarah Fielke - that's enough reason for me to get the book.  Never mind the title - I don't think I'm ever going to love actually doing hand-quilting.  Even the big-stitch thing.  I love the way it looks but I think I prefer having feeling in my fingertips.  If you feel the same way, you're still going to love Hand-Quilted With Love.  The quilts in the book are amazing.  (Yeah, yeah... I'm running out of superlatives.)

There are a couple of quilts in this book that I want to make... starting with this one:

String Sane.  Lots and lots of 1 1/2" strips... I'm going to need more rotary cutting blades.  

The last book is Simply Retro by what's-her-name... Miss Thimbleblossoms.  Camille.  

(Please forgive me for the truly awful picture of this book cover!  After goofing around and having it pictured somewhere the past two days, I completely forgot to take a picture of this book earlier today.  So this was taken a few minutes ago with my phone.  Maybe I am older than I thought I was!)

I love this book.  It's simple - I love what Camille does.  The first time I saw a couple of her patterns - Mama's Boy and Bloom - it was love at first sight.  Camille's style is unique, original and unmistakeable... but you already know that.  Modern?  Absolutely!  Traditional?  That too.  There isn't anyone else who can take a block, make it 20" or 24" big and have it look as awesome as she does.  (And I think a few have tried.)  Exhibit A - the quilt in this book titled "Vintage".  I am going to have to make that one really soon.  And Baby Love.  (I hope I don't need to have a baby to make that one... cuz' that boat has sailed.)

If you don't have this book in hand or on order... I'm not sure we can be friends.  (I'm kidding!)  It's beautifully photographed - by Camille... how annoying is that?!? - and the projects will appeal to every level of quilter.  Each and every one of the quilts will work with any style of fabric.  Like Swoon - which I would vote for being the best quilt pattern ever... EVER - the projects in Simply Retro are versatile enough that they will adapt to any style of fabric or quilter.  Yeah, yeah... she's that good.   

All those nice things said... I do have one teeny tiny itty-bitty bone to pick with the Supreme Ruler of Planet Simplify... it's about scrappy bindings.  She's does this with her little bits and pieces of leftover bindings...

You'll have to get the book to get the particulars... for now, let it suffice to say that it's brilliant.  Simply.  Obviously.  Startlingly.  Genius.

@(#*#$

I do this... 

First I have to climb the step-stool to get one of these suitcases... the one on the bottom, of course... so I can retrieve this...

Seriously.  What is wrong with this picture?  

I think the first problem is that my leftover bindings are in little rounds.  Clearly the key is ovals - I must learn to think in ovals!  

I'm suddenly starting to feel a whole lot older than I thought I was.  

Will somebody please pass the Geritol.

This little piggy...

I'm the second one... the little piggy who is staying home.  Other little piggys are going to Market but not this one.

Note:  Lest anyone get their knickers in a bunch, that's a metaphor, not a commentary!  

No, I won't be going to Market in a few weeks.  After the year I've had, the best decision was to stay home and get some rest.  I received my contract stuff from Quilts, Inc. several months ago, then received a lovely e-mail checking up on me.  When I told Rose that I couldn't commit to going because life was a little nutty, she and Karey were incredibly supportive, and they were willing to wait until the very last minute for me to make the commitment to exhibit.  

But the reality is simple, even if I felt I could get to Portland and have a booth, I would be woefully unprepared.  While I have a few things almost ready, all of those necessary going-to-Market-side-things have been a bit neglected.  I don't think I need to tell you that I haven't blogged nearly enough!  Okay, it's not like I didn't kind of fly by the seat of my pants on parts of it all just a bit in the past but this time... even I know it would have been a bit too much.  Though... maybe I could have brought the fabric I intended to use for the quilts I had planned to have at Market!  It isn't like it would be the only unfinished quilt ever to "show" at Market.  

Funny side story I just remembered...  A few years ago, after saying to someone that the patterns weren't ready because the covers were "at the printer", one of my favorite shop-owners teased me that what I really meant was "I hadn't even started writing the pattern yet."  That probably explains why I liked her.

At least somebody is happy I'll be home.

Rosie had to join me while I was watering plants yesterday morning.  She always manages to get a bit wet during the process... it's a retriever-thing.  And a goofball-thing.    

So while I will miss seeing friends - always the best reason to go to Market - I can't say that I regret my decision all that much.  Please remind me I wrote that on Friday, May 17th.  

In the meantime, since I don't have all that crazy pre-Market sewing and prep to do, I'm going to do a bit of just-for-fun/just-for-moi sewing... like my pineapple quilt.  And the binding for this quilt...

And something from that book.

And a there are a couple of quilt patterns I've acquired over the years... and a quilt from another book I came across recently... I've got a list.

The best part of all of it?  No deadlines.

You know... this little piggy is not crying one bit.  

It's a lot of strips...

I'm halfway there...

This isn't the setting I'll be using, there are alternating blocks that are pieced a little bit differently.  But you'll get to see that next month.  I'll start the remaining 24 blocks this weekend.  The good news is that the remaining blocks should go a little more quickly as I have already cut all my strips - and saved some leftovers.  

While this counts as the fifth Pineapple quilt I've made, it is the first one that is a scrap quilt.  Are you surprised?  When I first got the book and ruler - by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith... brilliant quilters, shopowners and all-around nice ladies - the fabric choices were a bit "limited".  If you've been quilting less than fifteen years, you have no idea how good we have it now.  Seriously!  But that's a subject for another day.  

As with the Log Cabin quilt that most folks say is the origin of the block, they're perfect for scraps and the design possibilities and variations are limitless.  If you doubt that, search the International Quilt Study Museum collection for Pineapple or Windmill Blade quilts.  Then do the same on Google Images, Flickr, and Pinterest.  The variety is pretty amazing.  

I'm sure you've seen the glorious French General version - titled Rendezvous - by Cathy at Quilting on Main Street.  It's spectacular.  Cathy did three terrific posts on her quilt, the Possibilities Pineapple Rule and her fabrics.  It was hard not to scrap my scraps and copy this quilt... it isn't like I don't have any French General fabrics around.  Nicole of Sister's Choice was inspired to make a similar version and she's blogged about the ruler as well.

Both used this ruler - and so did I.

 It does a terrific job... but... it does come with a few caveats.  

First - pineapple quilts use a lot of fabric.  A lot.  With my blocks, a bit more than 1/3rd of each strip goes into the seam allowance.  Most pineapple block methods have "some" waste, and some have a lot of waste.  If you add up the strips required in the instructions for the Possibilities ruler, you'll see that one block uses just a little less than 1 fat quarter of fabric.  That's right - figure using about 1 fat quarter for each 12" block.  And depending on the method you choose to use, you'll either use a little bit less, or a little bit more.      

There are essentially five ways to make a pineapple block.  The first is to essentially "wing it".  I'm not kidding!  A few years ago, I read an account from a woman who said that's how the blocks were pieced.  You sewed tiny strips and sort of "eye-balled" the corners as you went along.  

The blocks can be paper-pieced - or foundation-pieced.  Of those two, paper-piecing is the easiest because you can photo-copy your block onto foundation paper.  I think paper-piecing provides far and away the best results because... well, it's paper-piecing.  It's perfect.  The only real drawback is that you're limited on the size block you can make.  You can draft the rows to any width and you can use as many rows as you like, so long as your pieced block doesn't measure more than 8 1/2" in size.  Years ago, I used to see foundation paper that measured 11" x 17" but I don't know if it is still available.  

The third method is to piece the blocks using connector corners - flip-and-sew.  Joanna of Fig Tree Quilts wrote a terrific pattern - Pineapple and Figs - and made several spectacular quilts using this method.  No special rulers or templates required - just rectangles and squares.  Joanna is brilliant when it comes to that sort of thing and the method is such that achieving great results is easily done.  I think the only drawbacks are that the size isn't easily changed - unless you're as clever as Joanna is - and there is a little bit of waste with the fabric.  I think it's also a bit harder to use the contents of your scrap basket.

The fourth method is using a technique developed by Anita Grossman Solomon of Make it Simpler.  Anita has workshops - The Scrappy Pineapple - and books - Rotary Cutting Revolution - that demonstrate her techniques for cutting trapezoids and triangles using just a few rotary cuts.  You don't need a special ruler and there isn't any wasted fabric.  It's a terrific technique.

And then there is the Pineapple Rule by Possibilities.  There are other pineapple ruler but I like this one.  Okay, until a few weeks ago, I didn't even know there was another one but from what I've heard since, this one is better.  

Using it isn't difficult, but it does take a little bit of practice to get the hang of it - where to line it up and so on.  In addition to Cathy's excellent ruler tutorial, there is a YouTube video and an instruction sheet available as a PDF. file/printout.  Once you do a row or two, I found that I settled into a very nice rhythm piecing the blocks.  For each "row" - lights or medium/darks - I attached the strip to one side and pressed.  Then I attached the strips to a second side and pressed, and I continued until all four sides were done.  Then I trimmed the blocks.  Then I started on the next row.  

The trimming went quickly - even doing 25 blocks at one time.  

The challenge is keeping the strips even and the blocks square.  But it also isn't difficult so long as you stitch evenly and you trim the corners carefully.  The only other thing to mention with Pineapple blocks is that there will be some bias edges to deal with.  It isn't something to worry about, you just need to remember the bias is there and not stretch, pull or do something to distort the block.  But don't let that scare you off - these blocks really aren't as hard as they might look.  I promise.   

I did make a few changes to the "pattern" included with the instructions available online.  You're surprised?  First, I wanted my finished rows to be a little narrower than the 1" finished width.  Mine finish at 3/4".  But I had this mountain of scrap strips measuring 1 1/2" - a 1/4" wider than I needed them to be.  So... should I trim the strips before I stitch them to the blocks?  Or after?  Either way, I was going to be trimming a lot of strips.  So I went with after.  That meant two "trimming" steps, but it really didn't add that much time.  And having uniformly sized blocks was the welcome by-product of that.  

I also chose to add an extra strip to the corners to make the corner triangles a little bit smaller - and a little bit less prominent.  

These are my finished blocks.  

I purposely went really, really, REALLY scrappy, and no, I didn't worry about value or shading when I joined strips.  If there was even a little bit of contrast with color, value or pattern, that's all I needed.  

The funny thing with these blocks is that as much as I love the traditional colors and fabrics, I really want to make a lighter, brighter, funkier Pineapple quilt.  Since I need a "summer project" to entertain me, this just might be it.  I haven't even finished the first one and I'm already planning the next Pineapple quilt.  (Quilters.  We're a twisted bunch.)

But first I need to finish this - my current weekend-just-for-fun-and-me project.  

Actually... I might use the other half of these Layer Cakes for my funky pineapple quilt.  :)

 With a little luck, I might start on this pile tomorrow.  After I finish a few other things... but I might get sidetracked enough to make one block.  I'll let you know how that goes.  

Happy Tuesday!   

Wall-runners & table-hangings...

I'm always a bit slow.  Until I started making the little Schnibble quilts, I had only made four small quilts.  So here I am, I've been a quiltmaker for almost 30 years (child prodigy) and I've made a couple hundred quilts in various sizes but until last November, I had never made a table-runner.

The only reason I got around to making one is that somebody had to do it... but I'm probably getting a little ahead of myself here.

Last year, after two years of leaping tall buildings and dazzling everyone with their creative genius,  Camille Roskelley and Joanna Figueroa decided to retire as the Scrap Lab Design team for American Patchwork's Quilts and More magazine and accept their well-deserved recognition as Designers Emeritus.  After a lot of begging, pleading, whining and bribery - by moi - the lovely folks who make the decisions for Quilts and More - Jill Mead and Jody Sanders - asked me to be one half of the new Scrap Lab team.  

The best thing about this is getting to meet Patty Young, albeit a bit long-distance.  Do you know Patty?  She is the brilliant mind behind ModKid Boutique.  In addition to the fabulously cute kids clothing she designs, she also does gloriously beautiful fabric for Michael Miller.  Patty also writes a terrific blog. 

For our  first collaboration as a team, we were able to use Patty's current collection Textured Basics.  

Picking the fabric was probably the easy part because when Jill asked Patty and I if we could think of anybody we'd like to ask to participate, we came up with about 382 names.  Julie Herman of Jaybird Quilts was on our list. 

All three of us were given a half-yard of Natural Texture - a cream textured background fabric - and six fat eighths - three stripes and three polka dots.  From that, we had to make something.  Because the goal is always a bit of variety, we discussed the different projects that everyone would make.  Patty had already designed a wonderful pillow from her fabric that could be made with that amount of fabric so we had one pillow.  

Used with permission from Quilts and More® 2013 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

That's Patty's pillow in the upper right corner.    

After Jill hinted that a table-runner is always welcome because they're very popular... I volunteered to make that... unless Julie really wanted to.  Smart girl that she is, she said she had another idea.  She had a couple of really, really good ideas but after some discussion with Jill regarding additional materials, she decided to make a very clever - and really cute - lunch trio.  It's a Table setting consisting of a coordinated placemat, coaster and napkin made with 60-degree triangles.  (Julie is incredibly creative with those triangles - just check out what she's done with her Hex-n-More ruler.)  

So we have a pillow, a table-setting trio and a table-runner, right?  

Not exactly.  

Editorial decisions were made and my table-runner became a wall-hanging.  But it will always be a wall-runner to me.  

 Used with permission from Quilts and More® 2013 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Yes, I made this from the fabric packet provided!  And yes, I machine-quilted this myself.  

If you'd like to make any of the three projects, you'll need the Summer 2013 issue of Quilts and More and a kit.  You can get that from Patty at ModKidBoutique.com.  The kit is $15.00 and that includes shipping.  

If you'd like to see more of Patty's fabric, the Fat Quarter Shop has some terrific bundles of her recent collections.

So there you have it... my first almost table-runner.  You'll have to wait until August to hear about what happened with the tote bag I made for the Fall issue.  

Two three last little things - thank you, thank you for the kind thoughts and good wishes.  I appreciate it very much.  As for the pineapple blocks, I'm done with the first twenty-five blocks and I'll start the remaining blocks later this week.  I'll also be back tomorrow - at least that's the plan - to tell you more about my blocks and quilt.  After making this very traditional one, I think I'm going to need to make a scrumptiously happy version this summer.   (Hint hint!)  

And finally, after resisting mightily for as long as possible, I have taken the Instagram plunge.  I've had the app on my phone for ages - at least two years - but never got around to actually signing up and using it.  (I warned you... I'm a little slow with some things.)  But because I don't want to miss out on friend's summer vacation pictures, I signed up.  It pains me to admit this but it's actually a lot of fun.  Though I do only have seven pictures so far - I need to get out more.  If you're on Instagram, I'm CarrieRosieAz.  

Happy Monday!  

A manicure?

Yes.  Today, my Mom and I went for manicures.  We both needed them desperately - and since we were out and about doing a few errands, it seemed like a nice way to finish the afternoon.  

Yes, my Mom and I were "out" today.  As in, she's "out" - not in rehab.  While I'd considered a jailbreak or three over the past several months, I could never quite bring myself to go through with it because... well, the reasons are pretty obvious.  But last week - last Tuesday to be exact - my Mom was finally deemed well enough to head home.  She still has to gain some weight - can you believe she's under doctor's orders to eat chocolate? - and she'll still need some physical thereapy, but so far, so good.  There are different routines to adjust to but everybody, including Rosie - maybe especially Rosie - is happy and doing well.

(But hopefully not well enough not to need her gastroenterologist.  My Mom has a gift - a gift for finding incredibly good-looking doctors.  Distractingly good-looking doctors.  Now if only she could find one that wasn't married.)   

So will you forgive me for forgetting about you?  

What if I brought you flowers?

On my way home from the class/club I do at Olde World Quilt Shoppe last Saturday, I stopped at the grocery store and couldn't resist these roses.  At $9.99 for 12 stems, it's a miracle that I didn't buy two bunches.  According to the label, the color/variety is Cherry Blossom.  

Hmmm... everything's coming up roses... okay, so I might need to do something about that "clear the decks" part.

Yes, life is returning to a little bit more normal-like... 

It isn't normally this messy or cluttered but I was cutting strips for a Pineapple Quilt.  And that meant going through scraps... pulling out the contents of my scrap jars... scouring long-forgotten boxes and bins for even-longer-forgotten leftovers, UFOs and so on.  It's been a hoot but it's also meant cutting the necessary strips has taken significantly longer than it probably should have.  Especially since these are just the mediums and darks.  

The lights are a little neater... perhaps, maybe, almost a bit compulsively so.  Hold on a second... I need to go mess those up.  

This project came about a few months ago when the lovely ladies in the classes asked about doing a big quilt for one of our projects.  After talking it over with Dee - the owner of OWQS - we decided to do a Pineapple quilt using the Possibilities Pineapple Rule ruler.   While I had made several pineapple quilts when the ruler first came out in - aack! - 1989, I have wanted to make a scrappy version for a few years now.  I have a specific setting in mind for my quilt so I have to make 25 blocks one way and 24 more another way.

This is my first block...

I have 24 more that need just one more dark strip and the corners to be finished.  This one is done because I needed at least one completely, totally finished for class.  My blocks will finish at 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" and the strips/rows finish at 3/4" wide.  Since I really did pull strips and little pieces from the scrap jar, a few fabrics are only going to be used once.

In between working on these blocks, I've been playing with Comma and Boho for some little quilts.  And some blocks for a little project I forced encouraged my classes to do.  I'm a little behind with these so I don't think the quilt will be done by the last meeting next month... so I'll get to keep bothering them over the summer... long after they thought they'd escaped me.  

So after finding time to sew a bit of a challenge these past few months - I really did have a couple of "droughts" that lasted more than two weeks - things are looking up.  Messy.  But up.  

I just might have to go get some more roses.  

Happy Friday!  

I know you won't believe me but I'll be back on Monday to show you my first ever table-hanging / wall-runner.

And the rest of my pineapple blocks.