Thursday, October 02, 2014

how to make a pineapple block (without paper piecing!)

Thank you all SO MUCH for your kind words about my pineapple blocks. I've been working on them off and on for a few months and it's fun to finally share them with you! I LOVE my quilt so far...and just like I had hoped, it keeps getting better as I add to it!
 
Here's a photo heavy tutorial for you so you can make a pineapple block (or 20!) of your very own.
Cut a 2.5" square for the center.
Cut another 2.5" square in a contrasting color. Cut the contrasting square in half on the diagonal once to make 2 half square triangles. Arrange the pieces as shown.
 Sew pieces together and press.
Trim off dog ears and cut two more triangles to add to the center piece. These will need to be slightly larger than the first set of triangles.
 Sew second set of triangles to center piece and press.
 Trim up the piece to form a square.
Cut two strips of light fabric. These strips are 1.25" wide. Varying the width of strips throughout the block is a good idea (I used strips between 1.25" to 1.75" wide throughout)....HOWEVER....I suggest adding the same width of strips on each round. So, all the lights added to this round should be 1.25" wide.
 Sew the strips to the block and press.
Add two more light strips. The width of these strips should match the width of the strips in the previous step. (In this case, 1.25" wide.) The goal is to keep your block as square as possible.
 Sew and press.
 Trim off the triangles as shown. Use your ruler to make the cuts 90 degrees from the center square.
 Discard the triangles. (Can you believe it? I actually threw them away!)
 The piece should look like this when it is trimmed up.
Cut a round of dark strips. These are all 1.5" wide. Again, the width of the strips for each round should be consistent.
 Sew and press.
 Trim off the triangle ends.
 Do you see how the block isn't quite square?
 No worries. Just trim a sliver. That little sliver makes a big difference later on.
 Add two more light fabrics to the sides.
And two more light fabrics the to top and bottom.
 Trim the triangle corners once again.
 And add another round.
 Sew and press.
 Trim.
 Add another round.
 Trim.
 Add another round, trim. You get the idea!
Once the block measures 16" from side to side and 16" from top to bottom, it's time to add the corners.
Align the block on a cutting mat and measure the size of triangle needed to fill in the corner. The measurements here were about 5 3/4", so I added 1". I cut a square 6 3/4" and cut it in half once on the diagonal.
 Measure and cut the triangles for the remaining two sides.
Sew all the corners on and press. Trim up the block to 16" square.
 
A few things to note:
 
I varied the strips in the block from 1.25" wide to 1.75" wide. I think this adds a lot of interest to the quilt! It is harder to predict the final size when you are "building" the block, but once you make one or two, you will surely get the hang of it.
 
These blocks can be made any size...I started with 14" blocks but bumped up the size to 16" after I made a few. This seems to be an ideal size for this strip width and 20 blocks will make a perfectly sized lap quilt.
 
Keep an eye on your values (lights and darks), so the pattern emerges and is consistent throughout.
 
These babies take TIME! I think each block takes me a few hours. (Totally worth it, though!)
 
This is my favorite...the more scraps the better!
Here's a progress shot. I've got 9 done so far! The one in the middle right is on point. That was a mistake, but I love what it adds to the quilt!
 
If you have questions, I'll try to answer them in the comments.
 
Happy scrap sewing!

85 comments:

Leanne said...

Thank you for the tutorial and for making it look so easy to make these without paper piecing them. Your blocks look so great, I might just have to try making some too.

antique quilter said...

Thank you. I can't wait to try this.
Kathie

liniecat said...

Thank you so much for this really clear tutorial! I will definitely try this and will print off this so I can refer to it as I work it through.
I adore the mix of colours in yours and it works so very well with scraps - bonus : )

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

Awesome! You have inspired me to give this a try!

Unknown said...

Absolutely love these pineapples!!

Tracy said...

I must say you make it look pretty easy, better than pp!

Laura said...

Wow! Great tutorial. I've loved the look of these blocks before but haven't wanted to do paper piecing. Now I can try it a different way!

suzanne, dutchess county NY said...

Love this! I will definitely have to make this one! So scrap happy!

Svetlana said...

thanks so much for this fantastic and very clear tutorial. Your blocks look amazing. No surprise here :)

Julie said...

I'm excited to try this after reading your well done tutorial, and I love your acceptance of the 'off' block. I'm with you. I think it adds something special to the work! Beautiful.
Julie at pinkdoxies.blogspot.com

Julierose said...

this is stunning! thanks for the tutorial..really great! hugs, Julierose

Nana said...

Thanks for the tutorial. Hope to get one made soon before I lose this link.

Debbie said...

Thank you so much!!! I'll give this a try after I finish a few gifts that are past due...I'll just do a pillow first...then this looks like a great project for the awful winter months.

You are AWESOME!!!
Thanks...
Debbie
===^..^===

Unknown said...

Just awesome Amanda Jean! Thanks for such a fun tutorial with great pictures. Such pretty color mixes in your blocks!

Ellomee said...

You should put the on-point block in the middle. I think I heard once that Amish deliberately "make a mistake" in their quilts b/c only God can make perfect. :) That's what I say too when I find boo-boos in my quilts!

Love the pineapple block! Beautiful!
Emily

Carmen said...

You THREW AWAY the tiny triangles??? Be still my heart. I might faint. ;)

randi--i have to say said...

this is great! thank you for putting this together!

randi--i have to say said...

this is great! thank you for putting this together!

Marcia Kennedy said...

Excellent! Thank you so much for showing us how you did this! Now, to find the time to try this...

Jane said...

Thank you! This is awesome!
Your quilt is stunning, especially the on point block!

Karen said...

Woah! That is way cool. I like paper piecing, but this looks SO MUCH easier and no paper tearing.

Susan C. said...

You are a genius! Merci Beaucoups ......( just a change from Thank you) the scrap basket will be depleted for this one.

JanineMarie said...

Such a fresh take on pineapples! I like how the blocks are scrappy, but in a controlled way so that the colors/patterns are symmetrical. (Does that make sense?)

Hollie @ Just a Mom who Sews said...

My goodness! You make this look and sound easy! Thanks for the heads up on time for a block. I tend to be a slow sewer, lots of kid interruptions. :) Can't wait to try it!

Sherri said...

I have loved seeing these blocks...yes, totally worth the time!!!

Unknown said...

Looks so pretty, love it.
(I've tried once these blocks, wasn't easy, though.)

genevievegraves said...

This is inspiring! It really motivates me to try one. And I love the one on point block. It makes the quilt!

eva said...

awesome tutorial
great pictures, well explained!!
thanks
xo
eva

Timi said...

It's such a great tuto!!!
Thank you!!!

audrey said...

Gorgeous! Thanks for the great tutorial.:)

evaj said...

Wonderful!!hug Bambi

maybe said...

Thanks for the clear instructions and the photo-heavy tutorial. The colours and the kaleidoscopic effect - beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Rohini

Anne said...

Thanks for the detailed photos and instructions. Another one to go on the list! :o)

Laura said...

You make everything look so easy! Thanks for the tutorial. Your progress so far is stunning!!

Carie @ Space for the Butterflies said...

It looks incredible! Very labour intensive but totally worth it!

margaret said...

so well explained many thanks for this tutorial, very much a case of being very accurate not one of my good points!

Patti said...

Thank you so much for sharing this pattern! I hope to try it very soon!

Dawn said...

You are so generously awesome, thank you!

Unknown said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Thank you so much for the great tutorial and the time you must have spent to do it! I love that you also gave a time frame for making the block. If you hadn't, I think I would suspect I was in over my head while trying this block! LOL!

Susan said...

Thank you for your generosity in sharing your expertise on making this block! It will certainly go onto my (ever-growing!) "to-do" list! It's a fabulous block!

Mama Spark said...

These look great Amanda Jean! I just may need to trim up some scrap strips to make some of these blocks. Thank you for your clear directions (and lots of pictures!)

Leanne Parsons said...

Thanks for the great tutorial! I love these blocks, but had no desire to paper piece them. I'll probably give your method a try. I love the one on point block...it adds so much interest to the overall feel of the quilt, without overpowering it.

Carolyn J. said...

Lovely blocks, the one point one is my favorite. Thanks for the tutorial, but not sure I have the patience for this.

Happy sewing!

Little Quiltsong said...

Thank you for showing how to do this without paper piecing. I have been admiring these blocks for a while, but am not into paper piecing - yet! Now I need to go through my scrap bins. Just love your blocks and how you added the light and dark at each step.

Karen H said...

Beautiful quilt! I have been wanting to make one of these - thanks for the tutorial!

Mihaela said...

Thank you for such a good tutorial!

Unknown said...

You are one smart cookie.

Hilacha (loose strand) said...

thank you! already on my TO Do list.

Phantom said...

Really great pattern. Sorry I missed the contest-just got the info today.

Anonymous said...

Once again, what a great post. Thank you for taking the time. I am a bit daunted by these but may have to give it a try. The end result is really cool.

bookworm said...

Wow! You made it so simple! We have a pineapple block in our upcoming shop hop quilt. I'll try this to finish it!thank you!

PeachPatchQuilts said...

love the one "crazy" pineapple on point

sunrise4501 said...

Love this block! I need 12" blocks for a swap so I am going to try it in a 12" size.
Thank you for the tute!

contentncm said...

WoW! Thanks! I've not liked pineapple blocks before this! Maybe it's the color choices! I don't know but for the first time I want to give this pineapple a try.

contentncm said...

WoW! Thanks! I've not liked pineapple blocks before this! Maybe it's the color choices! I don't know but for the first time I want to give this pineapple a try.

Lesley Gilbert said...

A great tutorial - something I will have a go at for certain - thanks for taking the time to explain it all through the many photo's, making the process easier to follow.
A question for you. If you use different width's of fabric, should you make the same amount of 'rounds' for each block? Will the blocks look odd when put together, if there is an extra row? Thanks.

Karen said...

It's a gift that you are able to make such an intricate block so clear and doable once you explain the steps. Your tutorials are so easy to follow, even if the process has many steps--showing them over and over to explain this block is terrific. As a beginning quilter even this block looks like something I could make (once I have enough scraps!) with some more practice at 1/4 inch seams. Thank you so much!!

Patti said...

So this was so amazing that I started a quilt today! I'm so impulsive ! I only got one done this afternoon but this was so fun! Thank you for this great tutorial with great pictures!

Coral Cove Pearls said...

What a great tutorial!
Love your work, so inspirational.
Tricia

myrtovl said...

Thank you so much for the great tutorial!
Myrto

Annemieke said...

Looks very nice. This way it gives you much more freedom, worth trying!!
Groetjes
Annemieke

Judy said...

Yours are so wonderful! I am not sure I can do it. I wonder how you knew when to use 1.75 and 1.25. It's then nicest tutorial I have so far!! I would like to try it but I'll need more lights. Thank you very much. I have saved this in it's own folder. I sure appreciate you.
jlblvn at gmail dot com

Marcy said...

Gosh those are gorgeous blocks and a beauty of a quilt.

Nanaofck said...

I have always loved the pineapple block and think your quilt is beautiful. It has a sparkle look to it. Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Maggie said...

Oh wow. I want to try this right now!! Thank you! X

Unknown said...

I love pineapple quilts but hate the total mess of paper piecing. I want to try this. Thank you so much.

Gladys said...

Thank you very much for your time and sharing! It's a beautiful block! It wil be a great quilt!

Ginny said...

Beautiful scrappy blocks! I love that they are 16in. Thanks for the tutorial!

Christie said...

Thanks for the tutorial - looks like fun!

Rachel @ Quiltineering said...

Great tutorial! I've always wanted to try that block.

Lorna McMahon said...

Fabulous tutorial, Amanda Jean! Will you ever run out of scraps? What a perfectly pretty project! That one on point block looks great and is a wonderful focus!

Wendi said...

Wow, you make it sound easy, but I know it's takes forever so I commend you on the beautiful quilt you are making!!!

OurKookyLife said...

your tutorials are always so clear :) thank you

Pieced Brain Quilt Designs said...

Love it! The blocks look wonderful! Thanks for the tutorial...

Sew Create It - Jane said...

This is fabulous...I've got to try it sometime!!

berylthepearl said...

I made two of these over the weekend. The first one took several hours, but the second one was a piece of cake I love playing with scraps. Thanks for your tutorial!

Erin @ Why Not Sew? Quilts said...

thanks for such a great tutorial! I'm gonna play with my scraps and make a block or two today!

Ann said...

Thanks for the tutorial. It's awesome.

Lisa said...

Love that one on-point block! Thanks for the tutorial...Yes, I have scraps and want to turn them into pineapple blocks instead of an overflowing tote of scraps. I think I will add an on-point block or two...it's a nice touch.

grammag said...

Thanks so much Amanda! You add so much to my quilting life!!

Ashley Calder said...

Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial! You make this block seem very achievable and less intimidating than I thought it would be. :)

Kay said...

I love this quilt. I am new at quilting and I wanted to know what is meant by on point. I can see that the block is different. Thank you for making it easy for those of us that are new quilt makers.

Tina said...

love that pineapple quilt, made mine with 2 1/2 inch strips and looks amazing, but don't know how to quilt it, any ideas would be appreciated!

Jenny in MS said...

I would also appreciate any ideas as to how to quilt a pineapple block.

Unknown said...

I have to give you a great big THANK YOU. There are a lot of tutorials out there, but they aren't "worth a hill of beans" (as my grandmother use to say) if you don't understand the directions. Your detailed pictures and description makes a new beginner realize I can actually make something and feel good about the results. Thank you, thank you ♡