Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool/Template - My Report!
07-08-2017, 07:28 PM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 1,663
Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool/Template - My Report!
I had promised a few weeks back that I would post some comments about my experiences using the Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool. So, here goes!
First of all, this is what I call a “leap of faith” tool. At many junctures, you’re going to think to yourself “This will never work!”. But it will. I made a complete mess out of my first try because I thought I knew more than the ruler (and its designer). But I didn’t.
Read the directions, and try to go SLOWLY. (Excessive patience is not my forte, but I learned pretty darn quick to slow it down.) Read all the steps through before you start, but once you start, take each step one at a time and do not rush it. There's a whole thought process involved... you'll get it, I promise.
I found it was extremely helpful to stop and press each piece as I added it – with an iron. Finger pressing simply didn’t work for me. I believe the ruler says you can add all the pieces to all four sides and then press, but doing that was not giving me the crisp look that I wanted. The little time it took to get up and press each individual piece was worth it to me.
At first I was trying to “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants” with scraps, bits and bobs of fabric. Again, that didn’t work well for me. I needed to plan out exactly what fabric was going where, and in what order. That helped immensely with the overall look of the pineapple squares when they were done.
The first (correct) square truly was the hardest… then I was able to make the other two in probably half the time of the first. However, I never got to the point where I could toss aside the directions. I still read through the steps … maybe a little quicker than before, but I checked myself at each point where something was going to be cut off. Measure twice, cut once, as always. And with this ruler, make sure you are cutting from the correct line and have the ruler in the correct orientation. Check the directions because that is super important; you can get yourself turned around inadvertently if your attention wanders. Ask me how I know.
I love the overall effect of the pattern and look forward to making a whole quilt of these squares. I think you could do some assembly-line work with these if you had a specific number of squares in mind. In other words, if my quilt was 12 squares, I would do Row 1 of all 12, then Row 2 of all 12, etc.
I've added pictures below of my completed 36" bench pillow; the first shows it with the pillow form inside, the second is with the pillow cover lying flat on the floor so you can see more detail.
I hope this information is helpful to somebody else. These specialty rulers can be daunting, but this one is great and well worth figuring out! I’d be happy to answer any other questions.
First of all, this is what I call a “leap of faith” tool. At many junctures, you’re going to think to yourself “This will never work!”. But it will. I made a complete mess out of my first try because I thought I knew more than the ruler (and its designer). But I didn’t.
Read the directions, and try to go SLOWLY. (Excessive patience is not my forte, but I learned pretty darn quick to slow it down.) Read all the steps through before you start, but once you start, take each step one at a time and do not rush it. There's a whole thought process involved... you'll get it, I promise.
I found it was extremely helpful to stop and press each piece as I added it – with an iron. Finger pressing simply didn’t work for me. I believe the ruler says you can add all the pieces to all four sides and then press, but doing that was not giving me the crisp look that I wanted. The little time it took to get up and press each individual piece was worth it to me.
At first I was trying to “fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants” with scraps, bits and bobs of fabric. Again, that didn’t work well for me. I needed to plan out exactly what fabric was going where, and in what order. That helped immensely with the overall look of the pineapple squares when they were done.
The first (correct) square truly was the hardest… then I was able to make the other two in probably half the time of the first. However, I never got to the point where I could toss aside the directions. I still read through the steps … maybe a little quicker than before, but I checked myself at each point where something was going to be cut off. Measure twice, cut once, as always. And with this ruler, make sure you are cutting from the correct line and have the ruler in the correct orientation. Check the directions because that is super important; you can get yourself turned around inadvertently if your attention wanders. Ask me how I know.
I love the overall effect of the pattern and look forward to making a whole quilt of these squares. I think you could do some assembly-line work with these if you had a specific number of squares in mind. In other words, if my quilt was 12 squares, I would do Row 1 of all 12, then Row 2 of all 12, etc.
I've added pictures below of my completed 36" bench pillow; the first shows it with the pillow form inside, the second is with the pillow cover lying flat on the floor so you can see more detail.
I hope this information is helpful to somebody else. These specialty rulers can be daunting, but this one is great and well worth figuring out! I’d be happy to answer any other questions.
07-08-2017, 11:07 PM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Blue Ridge Mountians
Posts: 7,076
I bought the ruler years ago but have never used it. I thought I would never make a pineapple quilt without it. You have given me confidence to keep it and maybe move it up on my bucket list......
07-09-2017, 03:50 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,385
Your project turned out amazing! I haven't bought that ruler yet, but now am considering it. I have always admired the pineapple quilts. I bet your next one will be equally beautiful.
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