Cowboys and Pineapples

Posted on April 9, 2020 by prairiemoonquilts in Quilts

It’s high time I showed you a couple quilts I finished back last year. Yes, back in 2019, which already seems eons ago, right?

I could never get any pictures because the weather was so bad, and if the weather was tolerable, the wind was blowing 50 miles an hour, much like today — it’s a beautiful day, but so dang windy. It was hella windy yesterday, too — so windy that we rushed Ranger’s birthday party just so we could get back inside out of the wind, AND . . . while we were eating supper, we heard it blow the roof off our goat lean-to.

So last night, instead of sitting quietly binding a quilt with a cat in my lap, I was outside with My Cowboy till almost dark, putting the roof back on the goat shed . . . in the wind . . . which just made it that much more difficult. No one ever said that ranch life is easy, tho. But we ARE isolated, which, right now, is a very good thing!

Here’s the first finish I want to show you. A couple years ago, at one of our guild retreats, we had a jelly roll race. Our retreat happened to coincide with National Jelly Roll day, so we decided it would be a fun activity to have during our retreat. From my stash, ahead of time, I made EIGHT jelly rolls, and donated them to fellow guild members for free, if they promised to donate the finished quilts back to the guild for our Comfort Quilt stash.

This quilt was made from the jelly roll I kept for myself — cowboy fabric, of course!

Also, I had in my stash this piece of cowboy flannel. Someone gave it to me — I know I didn’t buy it — but it was perfect for the back of this quilt to make it all snuggly. I used an old piece of ombré with stars on it for the binding.

I’ve been on a finishing spree since last fall. When I got done traveling for the year, I set in trying to clean up my own mess. And I have finished a lot of things, and I’ve been using up quite a bit of yardage from my stash to make borders, backings, bindings, and pillowcases. I hope to continue on that same track.

So far this year, I have not purchased any fabric, and have not started anything new. Considering we’re nearing mid-April, this is HUGE for me! HUGE! And still, my UFO count has grown by about 21 projects, because as I’m cleaning, I keep finding UFOs that somehow never made it onto my list. Just the other day, when digging out my oldest UFO to load on the quilting frame (there’s a sneak peek of it in my last post), I found this set of guild exchange blocks that I evidently won at some point, and stashed in the cabinet with a bunch of other stuff!

There were only 10 blocks, which could explain why I never did anything with them. Also, hardly any of them are the same size, so that makes setting them together a bit trickier. Already, I’ve made another 2 blocks to go with them:

I’m going to add frames to each block, then trim them all to the same size, and set them 3 x 4. I may add a border, just to use up more fabric. And I’ll piece a backing from my stash. Winning!

And here’s another one of my oldest UFOs, now finished. I started this scrappy Pineapple quilt in a workshop at a Missouri State Quilter’s Guild retreat, probably in the late 90s. There was a specific technique to it that I have long since forgotten, but it was pretty slick.

I pieced the border out of scraps as well, and it was originally a much wider border. I had the grand idea that I’d appliqué something in the border, but I realized years later that it was never gonna happen. So I ripped out the little bit of appliqué I had started, cut the borders down to be a bit narrower, and finished it up like it is. And I’m perfectly happy with it, and super glad that it’s done.

I used various older prints from my green fabric bin for the backing. And you can see that on both quilts, I did my simple go-to all-over meander quilting, just to get them done quickly. I’ve already washed them both, and now they’re all crinkly and soft and ready to be used.

When my youngest daughter was in junior high, she was in a Home Ec class where they were to learn to sew a pillow. Since I had a leftover block from the quilt, I gave it to her, and she made her pillow out of it. And I think that is the only sewing project she’s ever done!

I’m keeping the quilt for her, and she will someday have it and her matching pillow for her own collection!

I’ve finished several other things this year already, but I thought I’d show you these two older ones first. I’ll be back later to show you what I’ve gotten done so far this year. Happy stitching!

21 responses to “Cowboys and Pineapples”

  1. Nice you’re getting so much done! Love the cowboy quilt and backing. I made a jelly roll quilt years ago and it was such fun I don’t know why I haven’t made more. I’m working on odds and ends, hoping to eventually call one of them finished. It’s never time wasted if I’m making progress on something.

  2. Deanna says:

    YAY FOR YOU! So many finishes and fun ideas. It is a good time for the satisfaction of wrapped in a new quilt.

  3. That has to feel good to work your way through those UFO projects and finish them. I’ve been doing the same and getting several of my quilt tops finished. Many I have sent to friends for special occasions they happen to be celebrating now, or as a pick me up when they are struggling while all are shut in right now. It is so special to see or hear their joy when they open their gifts and know that they can feel the love being sent their way in the form of a quilt!

  4. Angela Neese says:

    HA! What perfect timing! I’m on MO Star’s email list and rec’d a fun “questionnaire” titled “What Quilt Pattern are You?” I’ll bite – turns out I’m a Pineapple Quilt (according to Jenny, anyway) This is a pattern I’ve often admired, but was quite certain I could never make. But I went to youtube and just watched how to make it. YES! Very slick, using a template by Creative Grids. So, when I get done sewing masks…. you always encourage me to get busy!

  5. Helen says:

    Shelley I do look forward to your posts especially during this time Of shelter in place . I love to see what you’re working on and it inspires me as I have been working a lot in my sewing room. So thank you very much

  6. Ginny says:

    Love the pineapple quilt. Would sure like the “specific technique” that you used. There are rulers and paper piecing but there must be a good way without either of them. A scrappy pineapple quilt is on my to do list.
    I am working on a disappearing nine patch that my granddaughter and I started for her and she just isn’t going to get it finished so it came to me to finish for her. my pile of quilting tops needing to be quilted is as bad as my boxes and stacks of quilts to do which are all smaller than the ones I have material to make.

    • Marlene Clausen says:

      The very first quilting project I did was pineapple placemats at my LQS. Those four placemats have ended up costing me far more than the $80 I spent on that class!!! We used a pineapple ruler and a QAYG method. Love the ruler, don’t like QAYG. I rarely make the same thing twice; but, ended up making four sets of placemats and the pineapple block has become one of my favorites and have made several pineapple quilts. Those first four placemats? My mom loved them and I gave them to her. Before she passed away, she was cleaning out her house and gave them back to me. Turns out every quilt . . . even if they are placemats . . . really do have a “story!” Get a pineapple ruler and make your quilt. They are fun and beautiful.

  7. Mary Kolb says:

    Nice finishes Shelly! I especially like your pineapple quilt.

  8. Candice says:

    Love, love, love that pineapple quilt!

  9. Cindy@liveacolorfullife says:

    Yay for finishes! 2019 seems like EONS ago.

  10. Fran says:

    Love your quilts! Thanks for sharing them with us. I am so impressed with your pineapple quilt as I am working on one as my UFO for March. Needless to say, I shall be working on it in April also.

    I am so sad about your brother. He was so young. I know you miss him so very much.

    Thanks for the pictures of your goats. Looking at the baby goats makes me so happy while I have to stay home. Stay healthy!

  11. Kerry says:

    They are lovely. Well done using stash too! I’m afraid I’ve bought backing and some background solids last month! Not counting the January fat quarter spree for the quilt. Used up some of my scraps though, so not too bad.
    Don’t know what is wrong with the weather – so much windy weather last year – and even recently! Although we’ve had pretty nice days (with or without wind) for almost 3 weeks!

  12. Becky Cogan says:

    Maybe someone else that was at the Missouri State Guild meeting will see this and tell us what the slick method was.

  13. Ginabeth says:

    Always wanted to make a pineapple quilt. Yours inspires me

  14. Wendy says:

    What fun to see the pretty quilts! I always enjoy hearing about the latest adventures at your farm, and, of course, seeing Ranger!

  15. Mary Delia says:

    More inspired than ever to work on some of my “older” UFOs. Thanks for sharing. Beautiful!

  16. Hi Shelly. Wow the late night repairs to the goat shed must have been tiring! Good to hear the UFO’s are getting finished up. You’re way ahead of me on those finishes. Really love the Pineapple Quilt. It another on my “Someday List”.

  17. Marlene Clausen says:

    Just finished quilting another UFO top yesterday. Today, will trim and make binding and sew it on. Will then hunt for something to watch on TV while I snuggle under it and stitch down the binding. This weekend will also be given over to some more face masks and finishing my gorgeous new spring bag from the lastest Kaffe line. Once pieced, I had to have one of the prints as the lining and have been waiting for it to arrive. Then, next week another UFO quilt top under the needle, start my (hopefully) only BOW for the year, and cut out something new (bag? quilt?). I am just loving all this stay-at-home time. Never realized how much time even running small errands cut into my sewing time.

  18. Ranch Wife says:

    Wrangling tin in the wind is no fun, but I’m sure Ranger was very grateful for a roof over his head. 🙂
    As rotten as this whole virus fiasco is, you are really getting a lot of stuff done and that’s got to feel good! Love your jelly roll western quilt, but you knew I would! 🙂 Now you got me itching to pull out my bin of western fabrics.

  19. Rose Marie Smith says:

    I am deeply involved in quilting. And reading. Those of us who have interests in these two areas are not as challenged as those who must party and visit every few hours. I know people like this and they are not happy. I talk with my siblings and they are okay. Growing up in a crowded house with 4 kids teaches one to appreciate time alone!!! LOL

  20. Angie in SoCal says:

    You’re doing a great job of working on those UFOs. Loved the quilts you made. You know you could always Gwennie those blocks and be done. Yes, ranch work and farm work is never done.

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