First of all, I made a couple of patterns, one for free and one payable. The first one is a set of foundations for a 2-Inch and 3-Inch Pineapple Block on Etsy. It includes two pages of templates. Assemble the blocks in the order given on the foundations or add more fabric on opposite sides of the block. These foundations are a great way to use up your scraps, especially HSTs from all of your favorite projects.
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| Preview of Pineapple FPP Pattern on Etsy |
I decided to make this pattern available after after Sandra @hohenbrunnerquilterin asked us, her bee mates, to sew the larger Pineapple block in the Background. I received a lot of requests to make the pattern available after they saw the blocks on IG and a friend of mine, Katrin made the block and posted on her blog. I had forgotten how much fun these were to make. I had so many "scraps" lefter over, I could make both the three inch and the two inch blocks.
I have only made one quilt with the Pineapple block, a very special one for my mom's 60th birthday. I wanted to make her something really special, because she inspired me to start Quilting. I think she liked it, but couldn't really appreciate it the was I did. Although she quilted for a couple of year and even taught classes, she was really a traditional quilter. She wasn't impressed with the beautiful Long Arm Quilting by Brigitte Heitland.
Two things that are really special about the is quilt are 1)the Andover fabrics that my mom and I bought together in Phoenix, AZ when she lived there for a couple of years and 2)the inset corner blocks set-in on all four sides. I will never ever do that again! Brigitte took extra Special care NOT TO quilt them but to let them stand out. The quilt was kindly given back to me in 2016 when my mother died.
Another freebie is the pinwheels block I first made a couple of years ago for a pincushion. I wrote a very quick example of how it was made and posted in my Instagram feed. Allie and Me Design wrote a really awesome tutorial in GERMAN for the pincushion.
I still never wrote an official tutorial in ENGLISH, but I did write a step-by-step instruction sheet in GERMAN recently just for the pinwheels. You can download it here on the Instant Downloads page of my website. The photographs are clear and measurements are in centimeters. Enjoy.
The are good things and the bad things about writing patterns and tutorials. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with other quilters and sewist to help make the entire process simpler and more enjoyable with awesome results. I still get tickled when I see someone make a pattern of mine! What I don't like is the amount of time it takes to write a thoroughly well-written pattern that goes unappreciated. I really don't expect a lot of appreciation in return, not even a thank you, but the rude tones and comments can be left aside. Everyone wants a Rolls Royce for free and there'd better be a big ribbon on it too! Sorry, this still irritates me. Coming down off my soap box now.
I will also be teaching at Karlsruhe two different classes in May: "Sew Smaller" and "Bindings." I generally limit the amount of participants in my classes to 12 students, but there was such an overhwhelming interest in the bindings class, we the increased the amount of participants to 20. I am really looking Forward to both of these classes!
In June, I will be teaching a "Cathedral Windows" class again in Munich at Quilt ét Textilkunst. Participants are also limited to 12. Reserve your seat, because they are going fast. Quilt ét Textilkunst is celebrating 20 years of business with a year filled of exciting courses with sewing celebs, giveaways, sew-alongs and more!
I am still designing for magazines and hope new blocks will be published for Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks. I love designing my own, original blocks.
Thanks for dropping by!
