Friday, October 25, 2013

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Pineapple Two-Color Quilt

My entry in this fall's Blogger's Quilt Festival is my only two-color quilt, Rendezvous.

 
I am absolutely smitten with the fabric lines from French General.  I looked for a design that would make the most of the colors in this fat quarter pack from the Rouenneries Deux collection and settled on the pineapple block to combine the various shades of red with the neutrals.

 
The pineapple block is made in rounds, similar to the construction of the (much easier IMO) log cabin block.  I cut my fabric into 1.5 inch wide strips and used a special pineapple ruler to trim and square up the block after each round.  (You can read more about the ruler and how to use it in my post here.)
 
 
Working on five or six blocks at a time, the quilt gradually began to take shape on my design wall.  I reserved the darker toned neutrals for the blocks that would form the outer border of the quilt; in this way, what you see as the border was formed by color placement in piecing the blocks.

 
Here is a photo of part of the finished quilt, where you can see how the border turned out.
 
 
Rendezvous was quilted by a long arm quilter, Karen Thompson, using a traditional French motif, the fleur-de-lis.  You can see it more clearly in the second photo below, where the motif ran off the edge of the quilt into the surplus batting.  Of course, this was trimmed off to apply the binding.
 


 
For backing, I used a red-on-sand floral print from one of the French General fabric lines.

 
Here's the finished quilt again.  Rendezvous is 68" square (49 blocks, arranged 7 by 7), perfect for a throw quilt on the couch. 
 
 
I'm entering Rendezvous in the Two-Color Quilt category in Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Click over to Amy's blog to see lots more quilts in the biggest quilt show online!

20 comments:

  1. This really turned out so lovely! When I saw Nicole share it back when you finished it, that is how I found your blog! Also, this quilt was my inspiration for using French General in my Dresden Doilies quilt! Thanks.

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  2. This is one of the most beautiful quilts ever Cathy! Good luck with your entry.

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  3. Cathy, this pineapple quilt is stunning... Loved it the first time you showed it off on your blog... and still loving it.
    Love the French General Fabric's (one of my fav).
    This is a Winner !!!

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  4. Beautiful pineapple quilt. Love those French General fabrics.

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  5. FG is perfect for your pineapple quilt. I really love the way it turned out!

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  6. Your quilt is awesome. Back to your question a week or so ago, a pineapple quilt is definitely on my list. It looks like a perfect pattern to use all those luscious French General fabrics. Your quilt will get my vote.

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  7. Your quilt is fabulous! I hope you win!

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  8. This is one of my favorite pineapple quilts, such great fabric and color placement :)

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  9. Fabulous fabrics, pattern & quilt !

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  10. WOW--beautiful quilt! Love French General fabric

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  11. It's just gorgeous! I can't imagine how time-consuming those pineapple blocks would be (and I think log cabin blocks take a while!). Thanks for sharing it with us.

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  12. Oooh this is so gorgeous, I absolutely love love love it!

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  13. Beautiful! I have a pineapple on my quilting bucket list, and this just moved it closer to the top. :-)

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  14. Your quilt is looking lovely. The fabrics are great and work so well with this design. Love the quilting.

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  15. Beautiful....love your selection of fabric and pattern.

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  16. A wonderful looking quilt, I love the pineapple pattern! And with red and white/cream you just can't go wrong! The fleur-de-lis look so nice in the quilting!

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  17. Wow! Spectacular quilt! I really love the fleur de lis quilting too!! Incredible!

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  18. RE: your comment on Nicole's blog.
    Cathy, I had to chuckle. Yours was the most efficient hint re linen storage. Long ago, I tried the pillowcase system for a few months and finally settled on your method of launder and replace. Perfect!

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