Pineapple Quilt QAL Finishing Info

If you participated in the Scrappy 

Pineapple Quilt QAL this past year this post is for you!

We are at week 33 out of 36 so it's time to start

thinking about how to finish your quilt!

1. Trim blocks.

Trim 1/4" from the black line/square

going around your "slices" as shown below.

2. Remove papers.

I prefer to remove the paper right before I sew the blocks together.

It would be very cumbersome to remove them after!

The only parts you have to worry about when doing this

are the stitches around the perimeter of the block that aren't 

crossed over with another line of stitches to secure them in place.

To ensure the stitches don't come undone right there,

simply hold down the stitches (with one hand) where you're about to start 

pulling off the paper and pull the paper off with your other hand.  I have

some videos on this saved in my "Paper Piecing" highlight bubble on Instagram.

This is going to take some time so put on a good movie 

(or let your kids work off some of their chores!) 

3. Sew blocks together.

Lay out your blocks in a 6 x 6 layout.

Sew the blocks together into rows.  Press the 

seam allowances in one direction, alternating with each row.

Sew the rows together and press the seam allowances 

in one direction.

[This photo was taken a few weeks ago so I didn't have all 36 blocks done.]

Note: when you sew the blocks together, you will notice that the seams are going 

in the same direction (they aren't able to nest, which is ideal in quilting).  

There is no way to avoid this on this particular block.  But don't worry!  Just go

with it.  You won't notice any bulk when your quilt is finished.  Also, I didn't pin anything when

I sewed my blocks together.  Everything is pretty exact due to the nature of

paper piecing - sewing on the lines, trimming the completed blocks 

1/4" from the lines, etc.  Just be gentle and try not to stretch your fabric/blocks.

FINISHING FABRIC REQUIREMENTS

I will share 3 options...

Note: WOF = width of fabric.

** Disclaimer - I did not have my editor review any of the above

fabric/batting requirements like I usually do for my wholesale/retail patterns.  

I think they are all 100% correct but if you find any miscalculations 

please email me at gigisthimble@hotmail.com so I can make the corrections.

1. No border.

This will finish at approximately 74" x 74".

Backing: 4-2/3 yards (cut 2 pieces, 84" x WOF)

Binding: 2/3 yard (cut 8 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF)

Batting: 82" x 82"

2. Inner and Outer Border.

This will finish at approximately 89" x 89"

Inner Border: 2/3 yard (cut 8 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF) 

Outer Border: 1-7/8 yards (cut 9 strips, 6-1/2" x WOF)

Backing: 8-1/8 yards (cut 3 pieces, 97" x WOF)

Binding: 7/8 yard (cut 10 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF)

Batting: 97" x 97"

3. Inner and Large Outer Border for Applique.

This is for those of you that want to do something similar

to my original pink and green Pineapple quilt.

Note: if you decide to do this you will be on your own

for designing the applique pieces themselves.

Also, I did a 5 x 5 layout in mine.  The following info is for

a 6 x 6 layout so you can use all of the blocks made in the QAL.

This will finish at approximately 96" x 96"

Inner Border: 2/3 yard (cut 8 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF) 

Outer Border: 3 yards (cut 9 strips, 10-1/2" x WOF)

Backing: 8-2/3 yards (cut 3 pieces, 104" x WOF)

Binding: 7/8 yard (cut 10 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF)

Batting: 104" x 104"

QUILTING IDEAS

I will share 3 options...

1. Custom quilting.

This is the most expensive and time-consuming option.  

Prices range depending on the design, density, and whether it's done by 

computer or free hand.  Sometimes, the turn-around time can be long too!

So get a price quote and estimated turn-around 

date from your longarm quilter beforehand.  

Work with him or her to choose some custom quilting designs

that suit you and your quilt.  Or let them surprise you!  Here are some 

close-ups of my pink and green Pineapple quilt quilted by 

Melissa Kelley (@sewshabbyquilting on IG) in American Fork, UT.

It was all free-motion quilted (not computerized).  Her prices now start at

.06 cents per square inch and go up from there!  She's an incredible quilter!

You can check out the rest of the details for that quilt HERE.

2. Semi-Custom Quilting.

My friend Susie Smart made a pink and green

Pineapple quilt recently and she gave me permission to share these

pictures of the semi-custom quilting she had done on her quilt.

Semi-custom is when a longarm quilter quilts one specific

design in each block and then possibly does something different on the border 

and/or sashing.  It's not an edge-to-edge design but it's simpler than 

full-custom quilting.  These 2 designs were done by computer.

Susie's longarm quilter was Camille Mendel in Sandy, UT and 

she charges .04 per square inch for this type of project.

I think it turned out beautiful Susie and Camille!

If you're looking for more semi-custom quilting ideas,

I think this could be really cute as a block design on a Pineapple quilt:

Glam Block by Karlee Porter Link

3. Edge-to-Edge Quilting.

This is the least expensive option when it comes to hiring out your 

quilting and it's what I usually do on most of my quilts.  The standard

price for this in my area is .015 cents per square inch.

Check with your quilter for pantograph suggestions and prices.

Here are some ideas that I think would be lovely on a Pineapple quilt.

Most any kind of Orange Peel design would be really cute, 

especially on a small scale.  I like that it emphasizes the diagonals

of the pineapple block and that it's not directional.  

Here are a couple of Orange Peel ideas or google,

"Orange Peel Panto" for other variations.

Orange Leaf by Karlee Porter Link

Diamond Peel by Quilting It Link

Cross Hatch Quilting would be another swoon-worthy

idea for your Pineapple quilt!  It's simple yet so striking and classic!

Crosshatch Link

Or straight grid quilting would be just as good!

I love this quilt so much!  Photo used with permission

from @frannyharrington on Instagram.

This could be cute if you want something a little loopier:

Hoopla by Karlee Porter Link

Cat Eyes could be fun!

Cat Eyes by Karlee Porter Link

I've used this next one before on a quilt and loved it!

I would just discuss sizing with your longarm quilter and have him or her

make the space between the lines of the pantograph bigger 

or smaller than the "slices" on your blocks so they don't compete with each other.

Stud by Karlee Porter Link

This next one reminds me a little bit of the custom quilting

that was done on the blocks of my pink and green Pineapple quilt.

It's called Garland.

Garland by Karlee Porter Link

 Those are just a few ideas but I'm sure there are lots more out there!

If you click on the links you can sometimes see them quilted out.

Or just google those names to find similar-looking pantos.

Tell me, what are your plans for quilting your Pineapple quilt?

Well, friends, that was a lot of information!

I hope that answered all your questions on 

how to finish your Pineapple quilt.  Please let me know if you have

any other questions and good luck finishing yours!

I can't wait to see it.  If you post about it on Instagram, please tag me

@gigis_thimble and use the hashtag #perfectpineappleqal

or you're welcome to email me photos at gigisthimble@hotmail.com.

RELATED LINKS:

Pineapple Papers

Original Pineapple Block Paper Piecing Blog Tutorial

Pineapple Block Video Tutorial

Pineapple Block Printable Instructions

Start of Pineapple Quilt QAL Instructions and Fabric Requirements

Happy quilting!