Emerge Circle – Pineapple Parade Quilt (quilt reveal) + a FREE quilt pattern

Emerge Circle is a group of 11 quilt makers (including myself) dedicated to making quilts for those in need.  Our aim is to donate 10 quilts per year.  Our circle is part of the bigger group of charity quilters called do. Good Stitches.  You can read about it and it’s creator Rachel Hauser here.

Every month a different member of our group is Lead Quilter and in charge of deciding on quilt plans for a quilt that we all pitch in to make.  Visit our #emergecircledogood on Insta to see all our blocks and quilt photos.

If you find yourself wanting to be part of a circle of your own, please visit the page I linked to above.  If life is too busy to allow you to participate and you’d like to donate instead, our group is always in need of batting, binding, or backing fabric.  If and whatever you would like to donate, those materials will go to the Lead Quilter in charge for that particular month.  Please comment below or email me directly if interested.  If you are just here to read about quilts, that’s fine too!

Enjoy the free block patterns and make sure to check back for the whole quilt later on.  Find all Emerge Circle posts here.

September & October

In September if you remember, I was lead quilter for Emerge Circle.  I had our group make pineapple quilt blocks (two different kinds).  All month long happy colored pineapple blocks arrived in the mail.  If you follow along with me on IG then you watched the quilt grow.  It’s a pretty cool way to make a quilt by the way, other quilt makers sending you blocks from all over our country.  Exciting!  They show up, I ooh and aah over them and then add them to my design wall and await more pineapples.

Is that not the happiest quilt?  I hope it makes it’s recipient happy or at least feel that someone cares about them.  I sent the quilt off last week to Sew Special Quilts in Texas.  It will be donated to a family/person affected by the Hurricane Harvey disaster.

I chose low volumes for the background of my quilt (you know me) and I love the variety of all the different prints on the quilt.  The back of the quilt features two older Heather Bailey prints, this one and this one.  For the binding, I used an Art Gallery print called Neighborhoods.  I just love that fabric and I love the way it pops with the bright colors.

The pattern

I wanted to offer this as a free quilt pattern.  The finished quilt measures 60×64″.

Here’s what you need:

11 – scrappy pineapples

11 – fussy cut pineapples

2 – 10.5×16.5″ rectangles

You can find the patterns for the blocks here.

4 yards for backing

66×71″ batting piece

1/2 yard for binding

Directions:

Layout your quilt blocks 6 across and 4 down.  Piece together.

Make your backing to measure 66×71″.

Baste and quilt.

Cut (6) 2.5″xWOF strips for binding.  Sew end to end.  Bind in your preferred method.

A big thanks to the other ladies of Emerge Circle!  You have made my first month apart of the group special and I truly appreciate that.  Also, big thanks to Rachel from Stitched in Color for making my transition into the group seamless.  Rachel answered my gazillion questions without complaint.

I made myself some special labels for Emerge Circle quilts that are available to our members who would like to use them.

I don’t normally hand applique my labels, but I did this time.  I sell custom labels in my shop here.  So if you are making a quilt and would like a custom printed label feel free to contact me or simply purchase them in my shop.  I have them available in completely custom layout, but also some where you just fill in the blank of your name, date, etc.  I always push for labeling quilts.  You can read more about my feelings on this here.

I did this label using a new to me method which I’ll be talking more about later, but I used an iron on adhesive, this one.  I ironed that to the actual label fabric, then appliqued that on with a decorative stitch to a bigger fabric.  After that, I ironed my edges 1/4″ in and hand appliqued it to the quilt.  This was a little fussier than my usual way, but it’s also a much prettier label.