I am between sewing projects this week. I'm expecting a delivery in the mail by the weekend that should change this in-between situation I have at the moment.
Since I try to sew a little bit every morning to stir the creative juices before moving to the computer for the day, I like to have a least a couple projects moving forward, not necessarily urgently, at all times.
This week I pulled out my Mini Pineapple block trimmer to make some Swirl mug mats from 5" scraps in my ScrapTherapy bins.
These little 4-1/2" Swirl squares are great because they're small and fit nicely between other bigger projects. I made quite a few Swirl mug mats years ago when the Creative Grids Mini Pineapple Trim tool was brand new.
I especially like that the cutting for the piecing is really simple.
For this scrappy Swirl interpretation of the pineapple block, you just need a stack of four 5" squares, a few cuts and your block parts are stacked up and ready to sew. . .
You sew, then trim (using the ruler), then sew, and trim and eventually end up with the Swirl blocks, if you sew the colors in a rotating pattern.
The two blocks on the left (below) are sewn and trimmed. The two on the right are sew and need one more trim-job.
Seeing these next to each other, I've decided to make a couple more, sash them and turn them into a place mat instead of mug mats. I keep a place mat at my desk under my computer keyboard. That place mat fades and get really worn very fast, so unmated, orphan place mats always get put to good use right here at my desk.
I've written up some notes on making the Swirl block from 5" scrap or charm squares, and you can get the notes HERE as a pdf download. Just be aware that the Swirl pattern notes are useless without the tool, which you should be able to find online or at your favorite local quilt shop without difficulty.
The Mini Pineapple tool, is actually designed to make pineapple blocks (no surprise) up to 6" square.
I made this quilt top years ago. I *should* really put this in line to be quilted and finished when I'm in-between projects like I am at the moment. . .
I *should* also tackle one of the many, many short-and-sweet little projects found within this stack of boxes on a shelf in my sewing room.
Each one of those storage boxes contains lots of quick-little-somethings that just need some creative energy and a snippet or two of time.
I *should* do a lot of things, but sometimes the thing that speaks loudest (like scrappy Swirl blocks that want to be a place mat) is completely out of my control.
Can you relate?
Happy Stitching!
Joan Ford
Head Hummingbird
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