Pineapple

I've been spending a lot of time looking at pineapple quilts lately.

They appeared after log cabin quilts in the 1870s and they are a form of log cabin, sometimes with red centers, like some log cabins have.

They were usually pieced over a fabric foundation.

Cotton or silk or wool---they often had spectacular graphics

Some are made of miniscule strips.

The design continued into the 20th century. Here are some two-color examples.

Other published names include Windmill Blades and Maltese Cross.

Well, almost two color.

I printed out some 4" patterns from my BlockBase computer program (any pattern, any size, you know!)

I'm experimenting with shading and color.

Pineapple Slushy before the border

4" Blocks

Gala Madrid before the border

6" Blocks

I cannot imagine how they did this before someone invented paper piecing with the pattern actually printed on the paper.

Electric Quilt software is now available in a new version EQ7, and BlockBase works with all of the EQ incarnations.