A Year of Lovely Finishes - Jan 2013

The Piano Runner 9 1/2" x 60"

Oh I am so happy to report that I finished my Piano Runner.  I did enjoy making this from conception to finished project it was so fun and really my first time making something with out any pattern.  I choose the blocks 1st that I wanted to include in the runner, started with paper piecing the 3 Pineapple Blocks and 6 log cabins.  I carefully chose the colors, wanting mostly creams and browns with and accent fabric for the Pineapple blocks to give it a pop of color.  The finished runner is 9 1/2" x 60".  I really do love it and know it will look nice on the piano in the community Ctr. where I live.

Thanks  Melissa at Bittersweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of all Sorts for hosting "A Year of Lovely Finishes 2013".  I am looking forward to choosing my February Finish.

 

The Creative Process of making the Piano Runner
Telling the Story:  Last Year I was asked to make a runner for the piano in the community center where  lived.  I wanted the runner to blend in with the surroundings and for most seasonal changes so I wanted neutrals with a pop of color.  I chose to combine Log Cabin blocks with Pineapple blocks and to paper piece the blocks to keep them uniform.  My Runner would be 10" x 60".  The above picture shows the process.

My Paper Pieced Pineapple Block

My Finished Paper Pieced Pineapple Block with border added
 

Today I would love to share with you how I choose to make my pineapple block for my Piano runner.  When planning my piano runner I 1st chose the log cabin block for my main blocks - a no brainer.  I love the versatility of that block and the colors I chose were very muted but I felt I needed a POP of color.  I  pondered over which type of block to use to accomplish this and the Pineapple block came to mind.  I had made one about a year ago when my quilting group was learning about the different blocks. I couldn't find my notes and was not sure how to make one - so I googled "how to make a pineapple block" and looked at all the options.  Wow a lot of choices and many tutorials.  Here is how I did mine.

 The pattern I liked was by Kathleen Brown After finding a 6" block design that I liked I printed it out several times.  I choose my colors from my fat quarters and cut 1" strips from my light and dark fabric.  Then I measured the middle section and cut out my center to match (always adding 1/4" seam allowance all around.  I used my glue stick to adhere it to the unprinted side face up.  Placed my #2 fabric face down the ctr fabric and pinned it, flipped it over and sewed on the line.  I used a short stitch ( that makes it esier to take off the paper when finished.  I repeated for the other three positions then I flipped it to the fabric side and I finger pressed open # 1 fabric using a cool tool from Clover.

I measured each succeeding line, adding 1/2"  for seam allowance (1/4"each side), cutting 4 of each length for the following row.  Before pinning them down I trimed off excess fabric



the pattern from Kathleen Brown
 

Januarys Goal for my 1st finish

January's Goal, for a year of lovely finishes

 

 

I have chosen as my January goal to finish a piano runner I am designing for the community ctr. where I live.  Dimensions are 10" x 60".  I have chosen a soft palate of browns, tans, creams and white with a pop of color in soft greens, gold and pink.  I wanted a muted and soft background so that it would compliment  most seasonal displays that might be chosen to be placed on it.   the blocks I chose to use in it are the log cabin and the pineapple blocks.  I paper pieced 6 log cabin blocks and 3 pineapple blocks. finished size to be 6" for each.  I used the pineapple block to give it a "Pop" of color.  The Border will be 2" wide and I have chosen a soft green print for it.  I haven't decided on the backing fabric or color yet.