Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Month 10 Matilda's Pineapple

Mix of prints and solids
This isn't the setting or layout for the blocks, I just wanted you to see all the blocks together through month 10.
Thank you for joining this journey, if you are stitching or reading along.

Month ten is ready.  Plenty of surprise blocks left.  We tried to bundle the monthly sets with at least one surprise block.

This evening I was speculating how Matilda felt when she saw the quilt completed.
Applique bands on the pineapple block





The three Noah and Matilda blocks for month ten include a potted cactus, a Mexican rose and a pineapple.

In Matilda's colonial America, pineapples were both symbolic (hospitality), as well as a food delicacy.  Having a pineapple on her quilt and home may have been a rarity.  But then, the cactus isn't a common 1850's applique pattern either.




My pineapple applique bands

In the 1850's most entertaining was done in homes.   Creative food displays were popular for formal dinners.  Pineapples are visually attractive in a centerpiece, they were rare and expensive - if available at all in 1850.  The pineapples imported from the Caribbean Islands were candied chunk, glazed and packed in sugar.  An actual whole fruit was even harder to obtain.  They did show up in markets (delivered on the fastest ships) in larges cities like Boston, Philadelphia and Williamsburg.





Perhaps botanical prints were the inspiration for the cactus blocks.  


This print has many similarities to Matilda's blocks.















Matilda's Cactus Flower



This is one of Matilda's yellow flowers - the quilting adds beautiful texture next to the yellow wave print.

You can see the hand piecing of the block seams.

I love her green dot print, but was unable to find one I liked.






My Cactus Flower

This is one of  my yellow flowers.
I got as close as I could to a stripe/wavy print.

I think any medium yellow would work, even a solid.  I chose fabrics in the colors the quilt would have been, not the way it is today - faded.

You can read more about the quilt and the block sets HERE.


I hope you have a great weekend, we are enjoying some fall color here, as well as cooler temperatures - great stitching weather!





15 comments:

  1. Choosing fabrics for s project like this can be a challenge. I wrestled with making it look like it was new or old. I appreciate you bringing that up. I went with new as well.

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  2. That is going to be a gorgeous quilt, love the designs and the fabric choices.

    Debbie

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  3. Your blocks look fantastic together. I look forward to seeing this pineapple block :0) I really enjoy seeing your close pictures of the fabrics - both from the original and your picks!

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  4. If I did applique, this is the kind of quilt I hope I would make. It is incredible!
    I really like seeing the close up detail. You do such meticulous work!

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  5. Wonderful blocks! I haven't seen any cactus blocks other than this quilt. It's great to see the close ups and hear about your fabric choices.

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  6. Don't think I've ever noticed a cactus on an antique quilt before. Thanks for showing the close ups. Fun to compare the new and the old.

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  7. I am really enjoying making this quilt. Each month the blocks get more and more interesting.

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  8. What fun blocks! I love the yellow wavy border.

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  9. We see cactus blocks on Baltimore quilts and some of them are pretty funky. There is a picture of a huge cactus block from a c. 1850 quilt owned by Polly Mello quilts in my blog post from early April. Check it out if you want a chuckle: http://reproquiltlover.blogspot.com/2014/04/i-quilt-for-me.html. I love your fabric choices. That yellow you used from the flower on top of your cactus' cladode (I looked up what their "leaves" are called) is just perfect and I don't think I've ever seen that one before.

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    1. The yellow shown is Colonies Cheddar and Poison Green, Windham by Nancy Gere 1830-1860. I used the green and yellow in this quilt...along with many others.

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  10. Love it! Who knew there were cactus blocks? So cool. I love seeing all the blocks so far!

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  11. This such a beautiful quilt - I hope I get it made!!

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  12. Love your quilt. It is coming along so beautifully.

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  13. wow - great fabric choice for the cactus. This is such a beautiful quilt, it's been a pleasure to be on the journey with you!

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  14. I like the little peeks you've shared of your Pineapple and Cactus blocks!
    Such pretty fabrics and beautiful stitch work!
    I'm excited to begin this quilt in earnest very soon.

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Thanks for your comments!