Finished Project: Pineapple mini-hoop

Long time, no updates, but I can assure you all, gentle readers, that I have been stitching away. I just haven’t had the time to take nice pictures to share with you! But now that’s changed and I am proud to present one of my recent finishes, this fun pineapple cross stitch.

I wanted to use some of my large collection of variegated and metallic threads, so I made up this pattern to use them up! I love the juicy yellows and oranges!

I also used the gold metallic thread (from DMC) to make a checkerboard pattern all over the fruit part, and framed it in a gold-painted hoop. Oh so shiny!

I covered up the back with this green and white printed cotton from a fat-quarter pack I got at Joann.

Both the pattern & the finished cross stitch can be had on Etsy. Click here for the pattern, and here for the finished hoop!

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Finished Project: Pineapple Mini-Quilt

I finished my first “quilt” yesterday, from piecing to quilting to binding. I put “quilt” in quotes because it is only a tiny thing — about the size of a piece of paper. But I wanted to start small before embarking on a bigger project. Here it is!

I was thinking of using it for a mug rug or trivet, but I added little pockets in the top back corners so it could also be hung on a wall. I’m fairly pleased with the final results, though I can see places where my stitching went wonky and where my 45 degree angles are not 45 degrees.

Here are some work in progress pictures.

The half-square triangles after ironing

 

Laying out the patchwork squares

 

Folding over the binding

 

Binder clips make excellent alternatives to pins for securing the binding! Much cheaper than Clover’s Wonder clips, too.

Tutorials/Further Reading

I got the instructions for the pineapple patchwork block from Sassafras Lane and followed Patchwork Pottery’s excellent tutorial for adding the hanging pockets.

The yellow and green fabrics are assorted fat quarters from The Stitchin’ Post in Sisters, OR, and the pindot background fabric is from Fresh Modern Fabric on Etsy (I bought a fat quarter pack, but this particular fabric is called Pindot in Graphite, from the Modern Background Ink Collection by Brigitte Heitland for Zen Chic for Moda Fabrics. You can buy it from Fresh Modern Fabrics here).