Quilt block mania block of the month, November

It’s time for a few pineapples to add to the fruit salad or serve up in slices. The Quilt Block Mania theme for November is food and I’m looking forward to Christmas and summer. Pineapples and mangoes and melons all say “It’s time to party”.

There’s nothing like checking out the pineapples and covertly pulling out a leaf to check it’s ripe when at the market or in the supermarket. Some places are starting to sell them with the leaves cut off, but that just looks suspicious to me. How are you supposed to check it’s going to be just perfect without the leaf test?

I am (slightly) tempted to grow a few pineapples, but they are so hugely prickly that the impulse seldom lasts long. Instead, I’m going for the quilted version. I’ve tried a few different versions. Initially I thought pieced with straight lines, but it looked too stylised. Then I thought pieced with curved lines, and the first set of lines are easy to sew, but! …. then you have to sew the crosswise lines and get all the intersections to line up, and I hastily changed my mind.

Then I thought I could cut out the strips as one piece and sew it on, but I get a bit fussy about what goes on top, and i wanted the pineapple pieces on top of the lines. I know that’s a small point, but still. So I decided the thing to do would be simply to trace the pattern as is onto fusible web, iron it to the pineapple fabric and then cut out each rectangle in order and apply it to the background. This worked fine. I put the pattern behind my white piece of fabric so I could see it and then ironed in place, just as you might do with any other applique.

I decided it’s really important to use a very sharp fine pencil to get the pieces as accurate as possible so the illusion of the lines works. My first attempt was a bit ordinary and I’m redoing it so I have a new and improved version. After all my different strategies and work and the cup (Melbourne Cup, horse race) and picking up my sewing machine (which has been on holiday getting a makeover for about 6 weeks) I’m getting a little behind, but it’s happening.

I hope you enjoy all the wonderful food designs and have fun making some fabulous blocks and quilts.

Check out the designers and download the patterns!

12 inch blocks, quiltmania bloghop, appliqueSusan Griffithsfood, 12 inch block, quilt block mania, applique, pineapple1 Comment