🍍 WELCOME! 🍍
Hello and welcome to all visitors from the
A big thank you to our hosts:
Stay tuned through the end where you can sign up
for some wonderful blog hop prizes! I've also added
a couple little giveaways on my own so make sure
you catch them all!
Typically around here we drink coffee, lots of coffee,
but because today is special, feel free to grab some
wine or a tropical drink of your choice, imagine a
lovely sunset over the beach and let's do this!
It may be September but summer isn't over yet!
Today we're heading off to the Tropics!
Well...if you can't be there, you can at least bring
a little of it into your home with the cute little block
I'm sharing with you all today.
First a little about me:
Speaking of the tropics, my high school sweetheart and I
I will soon celebrate our 30th anniversary in Jamaica!
Our nest is empty but out of it came 4 children who
have grown into some pretty incredible adults:
Daughter 1
KU Music Ed Grad and SAHM, married to KU Architect
with 2 children and one on the way--yay!
Daughter 2
WSU Health Science Degree and Washburn PTA Degree
Son 3
Creighton Finance Degree and Business Analytics Degree
Son 4
Cadet at The US Military Academy West Point
Pole Vaulter and Captain on WP Track Team
We just got back from West Point where we attended
the Class of '23 Ring Ceremony: pics and post here.
Like most of us, I began sewing at a very young age
but it wasn't until my late 20's that I made the switch
to quilting--and I've never looked back!
In March of this year, I upgraded to my longarm to a Lucey,
and took over one of the upstairs bedrooms for my studio.
(shown here but I really need an update post!).
I began successfully selling quilts on Etsy last year and am
working toward starting a quilting business. I've been a
pantograph quilter for 5-6 years but I'll soon be purchasing
a computer for Lucey and we'll be off and running digitally.
After taking a couple classes from the talented Julia Quiltoff,
I'm also working to perfect my skills at custom quilting.
🌴 Now let's head off to the Tropics! 🌴
Palm trees, flowers, beaches and fruit!
Hubs and I are major foodies and love to cook.
When trying to settle on which one of those tropical
themes to go with for the hop, hubs had just made our
favorite pizza: sweet pig pizza with all the yummy toppings of
pulled pork (hubs had smoked himself), ham
and...pineapple. It was the start I needed.
If you keep up with me, you know I love traditions.
Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality.
When sailors returned safely home, they would hang a
a pineapple on their doorway to invite friends and
neighbors in or a visit! This is why today you often
see a pineapple on welcome signs.
I've created two projects for you to bring the welcome of
the pineapple into your own home. And both are so easy
that you can whip them out today--right after
you visit the other bloggers on the hop.
To keep this super-simple I'm using only squares and
half-square triangles (HSTs)--and all from scraps.
The beauty of an HST project is that you can alter it to fit
any size squares you want! You can also use any method
of making HSTs you like.
Here are a few links for methods and charts for
fast HST construction.
Choose whichever one(s) fits your size of scraps.
These should help you make some pleasing, plump,
pulchritudinous pineapples--posthaste!
(It means "physically beautiful" <wink>)
THE MINI WALL HANGING
We'll start off with the mini:
For ONE pineapple, you will need:
2 background squares
6 HSTs in background/green combo
4 green squares
4 HSTs in background/yellow combo
16 yellow squares
Choose your layout for the pineapple stem.
Sew together, first in horizontal strips....
And then the strips together, pressing seams downward.
If you've chosen tiny like I did, you may want to
use a spray stabilizer for ease.
For the fruit section, repeat these steps referring
to the above diagram for the layout.
Sew the stem to the top of your fruit section,
pressing this seam open.
Finish as desired.
I chose to add a small border
before quilting, binding and hanging.
My 1 1/2" (unfinished) squares resulted in
a mini measuring 6 X 10.
THE TABLERUNNER
Now that you've had a taste for how simple and
fun this block is, let's dig a little deeper into that
scrap bin and make a table runner!
For this one, I chose to use 2 1/2" (unfinished) HST's.
This resulted in a runner measuring approx 11 x 39".
8 background squares
12 HSTs in background/green combo
8 green squares
12 HSTs in background/yellow combo
32 yellow squares
Repeat the above steps for each pineapple.
Once you have two pineapple blocks completed,
choose your layout for your center section with
the remaining 4 HST's yellow/white combo.
Sew into pairs, pressing seam open.
Next, sew the two units together, pressing seam open.
Sew 2 background squares together; repeat with the other two.
Sew one of these units to each side of your HST "diamond"
as shown below.
Next sew this diamond unit to the tops of each of
your pineapple blocks as shown.
Can't you just imagine a candlestick sitting right here?
Finish runner as desired.
For mine, I added a 2" (unfinished) border.
Other ideas for this block:
I ran out of time for more but how about pillows
for your sunroom or porch swing? Casserole-sized
pot holder? Or even a whole pineapple quilt?
Just note that the block is twice as tall as it is wide!
All it takes is squares and HST's and you'll be
sending out a tropical welcome in no time!
And now for the giveaways!
The Grand Prize Package
$25 gift certificate from Rebecca Page
$25 gift certificate from Gardensong Fabrics
Fabulously Fast Quilts book by Amy Smart
(donated by Patrica’s Mia is Mine Blog)
Crib size Quilter’s Dream Dream Angel Batt (by Brenda)
Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail digital pattern (by Melva)
Aurifil thread (by Melva)
Three stash builder bundles (donated by Island Batik)
To enter to win the grand prize, please sign up with
the rafflecopter at the end of this post!
My Prizes
scissors, each paired with a FQ just waiting
for new homes among my followers.
(Fabrics are the closest to "tropical" I could find!)
To enter: comment below telling me how you follow
and your preference on the FQ's: "Batik" or "Blue".
First choice goes to the first winner selected.
Hopefully the second winner will choose the other!
(Sorry, US mainland residents only.)
My own giveaway will run through Sept 12th.
I'm not super technical so I'll have the hubs choose two
numbers on Sept 13th--my birthday! Then I'll drop you
a line to the winners. Please be sure to leave your email
address if you are a no-reply blogger!
I appreciate your visit and spending time with me
today! Now it would be great to get to know you!
Please feel free to follow along by any method
Please feel free to follow along by any method
listed off to the right there.
(Though Bloglovin' has been iffy lately!)
Don't forget to visit the other posts for today
and the rest of the hop!
Happy quilting!
Get On Board with Sewing Blog Hop Line up
Thursday, September 1
Anorina Samelia’s Mum
Brenda Songbird Designs
Cheree The Morning Latte
Denise For the Love of Geese
Friday, September 2
Karen Karen’s Korner
Nancy Grace and Peace Quilting
Sharon & Susan Ms P Designs USA
Nina-Marie Creations – Quilts, Art, Whatever
Monday, September 5
Karrin Karrin’s Crazy World
Linda Texas Quilt Gal
Yvonne Quilting Jetgirl
Emily The Darling Dogwood
Tuesday, September 6
Gail Quilting Gail
Melisa Pinker ‘n’ Punkin Quilting & Stitching
Carol Quilt Schmilt
Wednesday, September 7
Melva Melva Loves Scraps
Tammy Tamarinis
Leah Quilted Delights
Patricia Faith, Trust & Breast Cancer
Comments
I love both fabrics.
but I can see using the "burgundy" in our front room and the "Blue" in our kitchen
quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
I follow you and other favorite bloggers by bookmarking blogs in Google! Bloglovin has been a “ problem child” lately! I’m just old fashioned I guess!
We have Dark red, denim blue and cream in our family room. So either FQ would be fab!
Hope you are on the mend…..I still have a lingering cough from my bout with the Coronavirus the first 3 weeks in August! Blech!