Log Cabins make curves

This week my daughter who is an exhibits designer at the Smithsonian here in DC asked one of her co-workers what she was doing while staying home. She responded, I'm making wavy quilt blocks. Heidi asked, "You mean curvy log cabin blocks?" "Yes," her co-worker replied, "I'm using this ruler designed by Jean Ann Wright." Heidi exclaimed "That's my mother." Needless to say her co-worker was astonished. It truly is a small world. Then her co-worker said, "Your mother is brilliant". That's bragging, but I couldn't resist telling you. It's not often our children hear that about us old folk.

 I do have a 4th of July quilt, I Love America, that is just right for our Independence Day holiday coming up this Saturday. It is a perfect banner to display as we mark the birth of our country. As usual you can obtain the ruler and pattern on my website, jeanannquilts.com or my Etsy shop.

I demonstrated the Curvy Log Cabin Trim Tool on The Quilt Show.com - episode 1904. My appearance starts at minute 43 into a 60+ show. The Quilt Show is an internet based program hosted by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson. You must be a member to see the shows. It is well worth the membership as you can see all of the back shows and new ones yet to come. 

Doodle - Half Log Cabin

Doodle, How many hours did I spend doodling on paper when I was in school? Too many, to be sure. Here is a "doodle" like fabric from Kim Schaffer who designs for Andover Fabrics. It's just my style. These particular fabrics are no longer available but there are fabrics aplenty out there that would be just right for this quilt. The 8" Log Cabin Trim Tool was used to make the quilt. The pattern and Creative Grids ruler are both available in my Etsy shop: JeanAnnQuilts.

Half A Block....

When I was a child my mother often said "half a loaf is better than none".. This was in response to my always wanting more...more dessert, more M&M's on my peanut butter and M&M sandwich. More dresses to wear to school. I was in elementary school in the early 50's when almost everyone wore homemade dresses...only the most affluent families actually bought ready-made clothing.

As a quilter I enjoy making "half a block". The Log Cabin block is my favorite so why not make some Half Log Cabin blocks. Here are two quilts I made (and have patterns for. You can quickly sew up the Glory In The Cabin table runner for your out-of-doors 4th of July picnic and then make the Bento Box Briefcase for the day when you can go back to work. Ruler and patterns are available on my website jeanannquilts.com and in my Etsy shop JeanAnnQuilts.

The Glory in the Cabin table runner uses the 8" Log Cabin Trim Tool and the Bento Box Briefcase uses the 6" Log Cabin Trim Tool.

Hexie quilts sale!

Remember all those stacks of quilts (6 of them) that I showed you in May. I am selling some of the finished quilts in my Etsy Shop. Two of them are hexagon quilts. Have a Cuppa Hexies is a wall quilt perfect for kitchen or breakfast nook and Sugar and Spice is a twin bed topper. Only one each! Go to Etsy.com and type JeanAnnQuilts in the search bar..note there are no spaces between the words in the shop name.

        

                      Have a Cuppa Hexies - $35.00    -         Sugar and Spice $119.50

I plan to offer more of my quilts for sale in many designs (not just hexes) throughout 2020. Mark my Etsy shop as a favorite to be first to get the announcements. 

Hexies and precuts

Hexagons can be easy to make including those pesky "Y" seams that. most quilters think they must avoid. My friend Ann from Mississippi changed me to design a Hexagon Log Cabin ruler. Here are some quilt patterns I designed using precut Layer Cake Squares and a Jelly Roll. All are available on my website jeanannquilts.com

Hexies Go Round Quilt using precut strips - Cut the Cake Quilt using Layer Cake Squares

Scrappy Pineapples

Let's make a pineapple quilt. Of course I have patterns and The Pineapple Salsa and Pineapple Salad are available in my Etsy shop. Just go to Etsy and search for Jean Ann Quilts for these two patterns. The Pineapple Trim Tool can be ordered from my shop in Etsy too. 

Pineapple Salsa is made with a precise color scheme layout. You must follow the directions carefully to make the alternating red and black blocks. Pineapple Salad is made with scraps placed in random manner. Just pull the next scrap out of your grab bag and stitch it to the next row.

Pineapple Salsa                            Pineapple Salad

And....from bright scraps, here is a quilt I made just because I couldn't quit making pineapple blocks.  I have lots and lots of scraps that needed to become a quilt. I selected yellow as my background fabric and used the darker hues for the pineapple pieces. The great thing about pineapple quilts is that you can pick any scrap and plop it in your block and it will look good.

Layout Diagram                         Pineapple Basic

The diagram that shows how to connect your blocks in row. You can add a simple border to complete your quilt. The instructions to make the blocks are included with your ruler. They are step-by-step with plenty of diagrams. I always make lots of diagrams because I rarely to read instructions, I like to look at the diagrams and go from there.

More Pineapples

Not everyone likes to make mini-quilts. Here are some quilts using 8" and 10" blocks. They have a 2" center square and 1" strips. Making a pineapple is easy using the Pineapple Trim Tool. I love to make scrap quilts and the pineapple block is a perfect choice for scraps. I usually alternate prints or solids for the bright/dark strips and a white or pale beige or grey for the light strips. A good contrast in values of lights and darks helps to make a block so the pattern stands out and grabs attention.

Here is a Pineapple quilt I made as a table topper. I am trying to reduce my inventory of finished quilts in the stacks that I have featured this spring. Call it Spring cleaning. This quilt is for sale in my Etsy shop. Simply go to Etsy and search for JeanAnnQuilts.

This Pineapple quilt was made by Peggy Segatto Ramich, a member of the facebook group, Grid Girls. This is an active bunch of quilters led by Deb Heatherly. They have virtual events and Mystery Quilt events. A New mystery starts June 8 and it promises to be lots of fun. 

These two patterns and the Creative Gris Pineapple Trim Tool can be ordered on my new webpage. jeanannquilts.com

Tiny Pineapples and Charm Squares

Let's call this Pineapple week. My standard Pineapple Trim Tool is so popular that I designed a mini Pineapple Trim Tool. This ruler makes 4"-5"-6" blocks with 1" center squares and skinny 1/2" strips. The 4" block can be made using charm squares. Got a stack of those squares sitting around saying, "I want to be a quilt?" Here is your chance to sew them up so you can buy some more. Patterns and ruler available on my website - jeanannquilts.com

The South Beach Pineapple Treats baby quilt made for my great-granddaughter, Adelaide.

Charm Squares featuring 1800's prints were used in this quilt. Alternating Pineapple and Bull's Eye blocks, both made using the mini Pineapple Trim Tool to sew them perfectly.

Dog-gone It!

The newlyweds, Thomas and Madeline have adopted a dog. Her name is Stella. Stella went to their wedding. Only a small lakeside wedding with ten people in attendance due to quarantine would invite the family dog. Of course I made a quilt for dear Stella. The quilt is called Licorice Drops. 

Stella napping on her quilt.                     Stella at the wedding.

The quilt and instructions to make it using 10" layer cake squares is included in my latest book Pineapple Play. It is made using my 10" Pineapple Trim Tool. Making pineapple blocks is easy using the ruler, and the book has step-by-step photos to show you how. Licorice Drops is one of the quilts featured on the cover.