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.

Hexie Zip Bag

English paper piecing is probably my favorite type of hand sewing. It's just so portable, perfect for scraps, and cute. Of course it stops being portable when you try to make something large, so the two panels necessary for this sweet zip bag were just right to my way of thinking.

The pattern I used to make the bag is the Perfect Zip Bag by Elizabeth Hartman. You can make it with a pieced panel or without. It is my go-to pattern for zip bags because of the method she uses for inserting the zipper and covering the zipper ends. Perfect every time.

I was trying to decide who would appreciate this sort of gift, and I think it has to be a quilter, don't you? I'm going to surprise a special woman via post this week.

A Quilted Pillow and a Look Back

No, I didn't make this pillow quickly today.  I actually finished it last month; I just forgot to show it.  All 144 squares (1.5 inch finished) came from my scrap bin and provided some much needed therapeutic sewing during the holidays. 

I quilted it simply with a crosshatch through every other squares and added a zipper closure using my favorite method.  Here you an see what it looks like then you use matching fabric for the flap, rather than contrasting as I did with my last pillow.  

I bound the edges like a quilt.  A thin binding strip looks a lot like piping and frames the pillow nicely. This quilted cover fits an 18 inch pillow form.  You can find it in my etsy shop.

Here is a quick look back at some of my favorite projects from 2012.  Here's to lots of fun sewing in 2013!

 

 
1. Herringbone Baby Quilt, 2. birdie sling, 3. Scrappy Bibs, 4. Feathered Nests Quilt, 5. Brrr! Quilt and Pillow, 6. granny squares baby quilt, 7. Furrows, 8. ipad cover, take 2, 9. Flashdance, 10. Ruffled Wristlets, 11. Trellis Quilt, 12. Atomic Quilt, 13. yellow and gray pinwheel, 14. Raindrops Quilt, 15. paper boat mini, 16. Links, 17. Snapshots Quilt, 18. super sized granny square quilt, 19. MQG pincushion swap, 20. Supersized Flashdance Quilt, closeup, 21. Tallahassee Anna Pillow, 22. Pleated Liberty Frame Purse, 23. Table Runner, 24. Quarter Log Cabin Quilt, 25. wholecloth quilt

Tallahassee Anna Pillow



After debating about what to add to my Tallahassee Anna blocks to create a larger quilt, I decided to go with what I already had and put them together to make a big pillow.  It's a little wild and larger than life, so I thought it would be perfect for Jenny who generously shared her Bohemian scraps with me. 

I quilted it simply by outlining the neutral pieces.

I didn't have a large enough piece of Boho for the back of the pillow, so I used another Anna Maria Horner print, this one from the Innocent Crush line.  I did have a long enough strip of Boho for the zipper flap.  Thanks to Jacquie for posting a link to this great tutorial on exactly the day I was trying to decide on a closure.  Seriously, this is the easiest way to add a zipper to a pillow!

This may be the only time I make a project with blue leopard print, so get a good look.

Wholecloth Quilt

While I was waiting for backing fabric for my atomic strips top to arrive, I noticed a fabric stack that has been sitting on my table for a while.  I traded fabric with Andrea from guild for this old Amy Butler Midwest Modern floral.  I have always loved it.  Large scale florals aren't always easy to use for quilting though; I really didn't want to cut it up.  So I set it aside with an aqua DS Quilts print and a Bespoken stripe to make a wholecloth quilt.

I used free motion quilting to trace the flowers and leaves all over the top. At 41 x 50 inches, it took two big spools of thread, but it was fun.

I had my heart set on using the stripes on the bias, so I thought why not round the edges too.  I love the softness of the curves for such a feminine quilt. 

This pillow was made from scraps, and I had a great time with the quilting.

Here is the back before I put the pillow cover together.

This is the first time I have sewn a lapped zipper on a pillow, and it was really easy.  This tutorial from House on Hill Road is great.  A zipper closure for an overstuffed pillow like this is a must.  An envelope closure would have bulged open.

This pair is headed to Project Linus as part of 100 Quilts for Kids, a summer and early fall sewing event that encourages quilters to donate quilts for children.  One of the best parts - this year you can donate your quilt locally, which makes it just that much easier to participate.  I'll add this post when the link up opens on July 1st.  I hope lots of you will join in!