Patchwork and Pillowcase Drive

I pulled some bright, fun prints from my stash to make a few pillowcases. I used the pattern from School of Sewing which I have used before and know holds up beautifully in many washes because it uses french seams. I especially love the burrito method of attaching the cuff (I would never have thought of that on my own in a million years, but it works!). You just need 1 yard (or 3/4 yard and 1/4 yard if you want the cuff to be different from the larger portion of the pillow) and a 2 inch strip x WOF to make each pillowcase.

I know so many of us are concerned about the plight of new immigrants and asylum seekers, particularly at our southern border. Especially heartbreaking are the conditions facing children and families. One organization, the Socorro Foundation, is working to assist families who have been released from detention and are awaiting hearings. Sarah Hunter of LazyCozyQuilts has organized a drive for baby quilts and pillowcases (you can find the specifics here). Each child Socorro serves will receive a pillowcase to keep. It's a small thing to contribute, but I think no act of love or compassion goes unseen.

Flying Geese Pillow

I drafted the elongated flying geese in this pillow as a foundation pieced pattern to create really crisp points. The high contrast of the black and white makes the simple design quite bold, which I like.

I quilted the flying geese minimally with an outline in black thread, while I filled in the white with a free motion swirl in white thread to keep the emphasis on the triangles.

I finished this 16 x 24 pillow with a lapped zipper back, and I think this quilted pillow cover will be an even better fit once it's washed.

Pillowcases Project

Looking at my stash, I have learned something about myself as a quilter. I work primarily with tone on tone prints and solids. I have plenty of them (ahem), but I also tend to buy a lot of multicolored and novelty prints. I find these sorts of fabrics harder to use in quilts, so they tend to accumulate, sitting unused on my shelf. Is it the same for you?

Thankfully, the perfect use for these prints came to me. Pillowcases! Larger projects, like pillowcases, that use only one or two fabrics give me free rein to use even the boldest, most unique fabrics. I used the pattern in School of Sewing to make a few pillowcases for Operation Christmas Child. The pattern is easy to follow and perfect for yard cuts (two different yards will make two coordinating pillowcases). It makes a very durable pillowcase with french seams. It isn't designed for directional prints, but with an additional seam, you can work around that like I did for pillowcases for my boys last year.

I got these done just in time, but they are so quick to make, I think I need to make some more for Christmas gifts for local friends and family. Oh, maybe I'll try flannel!