Pineapple Minis and More and FAL

Hello Everyone and Welcome! May’s Minis and More was a pineapple block. This was perfect for me because I love the symbolism of the pineapple and have many examples around my home. This is also a finish for Q2 of the 2017 Finish-A-Long. You can find my list here.

The Pineapple is recognized as a traditional expression of welcome and hospitality throughout the south.

Columbus originally brought the pineapple to Europe from his travels. During colonial times, trading ships brought pineapple preserves and candied pineapples to the eastern seaboard, but whole pineapples were costly and difficult to obtain. It was valued for its rarity, expense and beauty. The pineapple became a status symbol of colonial America because of its sparse supply and high demand.

If a hostess could adorn her dining table with a whole pineapple for an event, it would proclaim her high social status to her guests. Guests also felt honored by a hostess who displayed a pineapple, who they felt must regard them in high esteem. Often pineapples would be rented by the day, then sold to be eaten.

Soon, the image of the pineapple expressed the sense of hospitality and welcome in gracious home gatherings. Inns and taverns started to display the pineapple on their signs. Not too much later, pineapple carvings started to show up in furniture and architecture.

I was born in Virginia and have generally lived in the south. I lived in two places where the pineapple is very prominent, Fredericksburg, VA and Charleston, SC. My in-laws live in Williamsburg, VA where the pineapple is everywhere.

Here are some of my pineapple decorations:

Both the table centerpiece and outdoor flag are from Williamsburg. I use these at Christmas. The cross-stitch piece still needs a final setting.

A few of my projects with pineapples on them. The little pineapple is a needle book.

Here are a few kitchen items. I use the red tray at Christmas and the other one year round. I have the big and small tray in both sets. Of course, I have a Virginia mug, too.

I actually use my tray to hold my tea pots and sugar. The small tray holds my olive oil and vinegar bottles. 

When you enter my kitchen, you are greeted with the Welcome plaque and another Virginia Mug. These shelves contain the mugs that have had to have a little surgery on them and can’t be used, but are still meaningful to us.

Now back to the Mini.

I used scraps of yellow, green and the printed black for the pineapple block, then added the black around it. The block is 6″ x 10 1/2″, and the piece is 9 1/2″ x 12″.

I quilted little swirls in the black background, and I pretty much did it blindly. The black thread (Aurifil 50 wt.) was almost impossible to see on the black fabric.

You can see from the back that it’s a little rough, but when I looked at it, I was surprised it wasn’t worse. I was mostly quilting by muscle memory for these little swirls.

Thank you Sherri and Michele for picking this block. Please visit them to see other versions of this cute pineapple block. You can find the pattern here.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the small history lesson on the Pineapple as a hospitality symbol.