Sunday, August 22, 2021

My Pineapple Log Cabin Is Quilted, and I LOVE IT SO MUCH!

Oh my gosh, you guys -- I am so, SO pleased with how the quilting turned out on my longtime UFO pineapple log cabin quilt!!!  😍😍😍

Pineapple Log Cabin Quilt with Moulin Rouge E2E

Pineapple Log Cabin FAQs:

I was so relieved when I got to the bottom of this quilt without having to piece any extra batting on the sides!  The widest batting comes is a stated width of 120", and packaged batting usually gives you a few inches more than what it says on the package in the length, but the width of a roll is the width of a roll.  Whew!  Normally, I make sure to have at least 4-6" of extra backing AND batting on all four sides of a quilt.

Glide Thread in Sea Foam, Moulin Rouge E2E Quilting Design

Talk about playing "batting chicken!"  So, let's talk about this Sea Foam thread color!  My first instinct for this quilt was a more traditional off-white or ivory thread color, but I wanted to keep the focus on my piecing design and on my fabrics.  

Those white threads blended into the neutral background fabrics nicely as expected, but they contrasted too much and felt distracting against  the vibrant red Kaffe Fassett border print and the blue and green strips within the blocks themselves.  

Glide Thread in Sea Foam is Subtle Against Background Fabrics

Once again, the solution was a pastel -- Sea Foam green looks surprisingly neutral against the light background fabrics, yet it blends much better and looks more attractive (to me, anyway) against the more saturated colors in my quilt top.  This is why I need to have so many thread colors in my arsenal!  

Glide Thread in Sea Foam + Moulin Rouge E2E Quilting Design

I am so pleased with how the quilting turned out.  Having a hard time choosing which pictures to share with you, so I'm just going to overload you with all of my favorites!  I love the definition and texture I got from the Quilter's Dream Wool batting, and no -- the quilt is not at all stiff.  It will be even softer once it's cleaned to remove all of the heavy spray starch I used throughout my foundation paper piecing.

I Loved Revisiting All the Different Fabrics While Quilting This One!

A quick note about that: quilts made with Quilter's Dream Wool can absolutely be washed at home per the batting manufacturer's care instructions, in a cool gentle wash cycle and cool/low heat dryer.  No steam, ironing, or hot dryers, though, because the merino wool batting is thermally bonded with low-melt polyester fibers to prevent shrinkage and bearding (common problems with cheaper wool batting) and laundering with excessive heat or steam could destroy the batting's loft.  Dry cleaning is listed as an alternative cleaning method, and I'm considering that option because the quilt is so massive and I don't want to cram it into my washing machine at home.  Another concern is that I am not sure I prewashed all of the fabrics in this quilt (I know, I know -- shoot me!) and there's a possibility of one of the darker reds or blues bleeding in the wash.  I've had a couple bad experiences with dye bleed in quilts that I washed at home in my HE Miele washing machine and I think it might be due to there just not being enough water in the super-high-efficiency machine's wash cycle to rinse away any loose dye before it redeposits onto lighter fabrics.  So I'm considering taking the quilt to a local place that does their cleaning on site, explaining my concerns, and seeing what they recommend.  If I had not used starch in construction, I would put this straight on the bed after binding it -- but starch attracts critters and starch isn't soft, so it needs to get washed out one way or another!  Plus I'm sure dust, skin oils from handling, lotion residue etc. has accumulated on the quilt throughout the protracted on-and-off construction process.

😍😍😍 This Just Makes Me HAPPY!

This Quilt Has Been In Progress for SEVEN Years


Are you sick of looking at pictures of my quilt yet?  Because I'm not.  And there are more...

Yellow Floral Backing Fabric Was a Clearance Score From My LQS

You guys, I think this is my favorite quilt that I've ever made!  I'm really happy with all of the choices that I made along the way, from the fabrics used and the color and value placement, to the accuracy of my piecing, the borders, the quilting design, batting and thread...  Maybe this is my Penultimate Pineapple Quilt and I should stop quilting forever now.  You know, quit while I'm ahead!



...Because, how could I ever top this one?!



It's not totally finished yet, of course.  I still need to trim away the excess batting and backing, design and stitch out an embroidered quilt label, and bind the quilt -- and since this quilt is MY baby, I'll be hand stitching the 13 1/2 yards of binding needed to go all the way around the perimeter of this monster.  That will take some time.

120 x 120 Pineapple Log Cabin Quilt, After Quilting

I know we all love the Before and After photos, so here's a Before Quilting shot that I took when I was in the process of adding the borders:

Before Quilting, Draped Over My Previous APQS Machine

And here's the antique pineapple log cabin quilt that mine was inspired by, using the same size blocks, same number and size strips as mine.  I loved how the variety of background fabrics used by the original quilter make the blocks look kind of like Asscher cut diamonds:

74 x 76 Antique Inspiration Quilt

Tuesday's To-Do List:

Another busy week ahead, with an interior design client's window treatment installation on my schedule for Friday and a Be-YOU-tee-full client quilt next in line for custom quilting!  It's a Judy Niemeyer Quiltworx design, Prismatic Star Queen, and I can't wait to lavish this quilt with all of the time, attention, and TLC it deserves.  Spoiler alert: there will be FEATHERS!  So my personal quilting goals for the week will be limited to the following:

  • Trim my pineapple log cabin quilt
  • Design and embroider a quilt label
  • Attach quilt label
  • Attach binding to the front of my quilt

If I have time, I might piece another block for my Retro '80s Sampler quilt, but honestly, that's not likely.

PSST!!  I'd Love to Quilt for YOU!

By the way, if you or any of your quilty friends has a quilt top or two that needs quilting, I'd be delighted to quilt for you!  My turnaround for edge-to-edge quilting is currently running about 3-4 weeks, and you can click here to find out how to book your quilt with me.

I'll be linking up today's post with the following linky parties:

MONDAY

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts

TUESDAY

To-Do Tuesday at ChrisKnits

WEDNESDAY

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

THURSDAY

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation  

Put Your Foot Down at For the Love of Geese

FRIDAY

Whoop Whoop Fridays at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre

 TGIFF Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday, rotates, schedule found here: TGIF Friday

 SATURDAY

UFO Busting at Tish in Wonderland

36 comments:

Jenny K. Lyon said...

Of course you love this quilt - it is gorgeous! I LOVE THIS QUILT! I bet you run into your quilting room several times a day to pet and admire it. Worth the 7 years!!

Jill said...

It’s gorgeous! Amazing how quilting makes a top come to life. I like the sea foam thread color choice. I’ve used Quilters Dream Wool batting for a hand quilted quilt. It produces a nice loft without being heavy. IF the quilt is laundered in a machine, definitely use several color catchers.

Gretchen Weaver said...

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! This is so lovely! After you trim off the excess batting and backing, lay it on the bed and take a picture to show us. Yes, it will be hard to make a quilt that will top this quilt but I'm sure you'll come up with something. Savor this accomplishment for awhile though, at least until you've finished the binding, happy stitching!

Sandy said...

OMGosh, Rebecca Grace! It's beyond amazing how beautifully this quilt has turned out! The precision of the piecing, the gorgeous quilting -- just glorious! As for Quilter's Dream Wool batting, I agree with you -- it's a wonderful batting and will make your quilt so cozy and soft! HUGE congratulations!

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Quit now? You're just warming up!!!! Love that panto and the thread color. Well, that's the details. The entire quilt is absolutely beautiful!

MissPat said...

It is a spectacular finish and thank goodness you won the batting chicken. Now to get through the washing. Of course, first there's hours of hand sewing the binding, but that will let you savor all the pretty fabrics again. I'm confident your fingers will start itching to design something new in the near future.
Pat

Brenda @ Songbird Designs said...

Absolutely GORGEOUS, Rebecca!! I'd say it was well worth the seven years it took to complete. As far as stopping now...no way, girl!! Why stop now that you've mastered the process?!!!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Good call on the Sea Foam thread, Rebecca! The pastels in our thread collections are often just the right choice for bridging the gap between the lights and brights in our quilts.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

What a finish! Truly beautiful. That sea foam green thread was a brilliant choice for the quilting. Have you considered going to a laundromat to use one of the big washers to wash your quilt? You can wash in cold and put in a lot of color catchers. . . .you could also wash it in your bathtub. . .yes, it is a lot of fabric to deal with. You could squeeze out the moisture by hand and finish with a spin in the washer. I don't know that I would want to sleep under the dry cleaning chemicals. . . .It is always good to have options!

Denise said...

As expected - GORGEOUS! You should be very proud. Fingers crossed that the washing goes without a glitch. d

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

What an accomplishment. I must say that your quilt is so much prettier and your colors really help the entire have a completely different look! Smart move on your part to select the light beiges! You must enter this one in a Quit Show! What a Beaty! Congratulations.
Hugs

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

it turned out wonderful and I knew it wouldn't take you a really long time to quilt it once you got it on the frame. I have washed quilts just a little smaller than that in the machine but it is hard - as some others have said you could wash it at a laundry with a big machine and even bring it home to dry laying it over the yard perhaps for a while until it is almost dry and then putting it in the dryer for a short while to fluff it up? (on low) you will figure it out - it is beautiful and so many different colors

Vicki in MN said...

Such a beauty!! So glad it is one you love bunches as it was a lot of work 😊.

Nikki said...

Your quilt is gorgeous!!!!

Marie said...

GORGEOUS, from stem to stern!

LA Paylor said...

you're so funny! No Im not sick of it... so beautiful,. Bleeding risk is only one reason I prewash... who knows who's touched that fabric before I met it, and the chemicals used in processing are mighty toxic to me especially when pressed in piecing, as well as the feel of the fabric.
I don't know how gentle dry cleaning chemicals are either.
Years ago I took a class with Katie Pasquini Mausopast and she used wool in her giant wall pieces. She steamed it and it retained loft but I don't know what brand she used.

Darlene S said...

Absolutely gorgeous. I love it too! I hope you will enter this quilt in a quilt show to help inspire others. Truly the best Pineapple Quilt I have ever seen. Over the top amazing quilting too!

JustGail said...

What a beast! The quilt and your machine, and I mean that in the best way possible :-) This quilt is gorgeous and well worth the work and wait. Thanks for your explanation on your quilting thread color choice. I've looked back through old posts labeled "threads", and didn't see (overlooked it?) where do you buy threads from? The local shop I get to has a *very* limited selection of colors & brands, pretty much just the basics of white, off-white, and a few tans-browns, grays-blacks. I don't blame them - there are hundreds, maybe thousands?, of options available.

Ramona said...

Oh WOW!!!!! Rebecca Grace, this quilt is beyond gorgeous! I am so excited for you to have this almost finished and almost ready for your bed. This is one of the most beautiful quilts I've seen. What color will your binding be? Please post pictures once it's on your bed. And if you ever get tired of it, I'd be glad to take it off your hands for a while. :)

Quilting Gail said...

Love the quilt! Love the quilting!!! Beautiful!!!

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

It is just so incredibly rewarding about stepping back and seeing our job well-done! Enjoy!

Linda said...

I love it too! I was thinking if it was on my bed I would just lay on it and stare at it. I hope you are keeping it!

Preeti said...

3492 pieces and 120" square!!!! My eyes popped out of my head. The stats alone on this quilt are staggering. Kill me if I ever consider a quilt that is 120" in any side. You know most quilt shows won't even accept a quilt this BIG. And then it is a spectacular beauty. It is workmanship at its finest. I am in awe. I could say Kudos or Bravo but words fail me and they are really kinda inadequate to describe this quilt. Seriously, you can retire now. How will you ever top this one? I like what Ramona said :-p

Urbanite said...

Nawwww, not "quit while your ahead", it's "Quilt while your ahead!" Spectacular.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

Gorgeous quilt! No wonder you are so happy with it. Once again your quilting choices are perfect. I'll have to keep that use of pastel thread in mind! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.

D.L. Austin said...

Stunningly BEAUTIFUL!

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

From your last post, a quilt blessing something I've not heard of but think a wonderful idea. What a beautiful photo to commemorate it too.
Meanwhile, this quilting is beautiful and nice to see up close to enjoy those gorgeous colours together.

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

That is huge!!! and it is just beautiful - love the border and backing fabrics - they totally add to your quilt!! Go snuggle!!!

Barb N said...

Oh my goodness! Just this week I have been contemplating making a Pineapple Quilt. Looking at ideas, trying to decide if I have the fortitude to make it come to life. And then I ran across your link - just awesome work! I know how much work went into stitching in all those strips, and the result is amazing. And congrats on making the batting work - that's a nail biter at times, eh?

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

What an absolutely stunning quilt! I hope your local cleaner has some great advice or is ready to help you get this quilt cleaned so you can get it on your bed to start enjoying ASAP!

Cathy said...

Wow! Wow! Wow! It is gorgeous and elegant!

Jenny said...

Of course it's your favourite quilt, what a stunner! Well done indeed.

Kate said...

That's a quilt with a lot of WOW factor. The piecing is perfect and the quilting really shows off the piecing. Sea Foam would not be a color I would have ever considered, but it does look great on both the light and the dark. Congratulations on finishing off a favorite quilt.

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Oh my, I love it too! Well done with the pastel thread, very pretty. What a beauty!!
Thanks for sharing ;)

For the love of geese said...

Beautiful finish and I understand how accomplished you must have felt removing it from the frame. Well done!

Wendy @ Wendysquiltsandmore said...

Congratulations!!!!! It's gorgeous. So much thought must have gone into this quilt. It all works together so well. From the colours and precision in the pineapple blocks, to the Kaffe print on the border. I love everything about it. Well done!