pillow makeover: part 2

I finished up two more pillows to go with these two, for a pretty set of four all nestled in their new home in my living room.

I wanted a simple patchwork design here, so I used 4 1/2 finished squares in a random design and then cut it down to measure 17 inches square.  My pillow forms were 18 inches and 16 inches, and I like a nice tight fitting cover, so I cut the front and envelope back for a snug fit.  I decided not to quilt or line these, because I was feeling lazy (haha), but with them fitting so snug, I think it works.

I think this pillow is my favorite of the four.  I sashed 2 inch finished squares on point with 1 inch sashing for this pretty lattice like peek through effect.  I finished all the pillows with a simple envelope backing, because I didn't have any invisible zippers on hand and didn't feel like making yet another trip to Joann's (and envelope backs are easy!)

Here are all four of our new pillows snuggled on our love seat, I must say I'm quite smittin' with these, now the challenge is to keep the crazy dogs off the couches!

pillow makeover

The pillows in my living room have been in need of a makeover for some time now, and the task just keeps slipping to the bottom of the to do list.  After finishing up the rainbow scrappy quilt this week, I thought this would be just the little project I've been looking for.

After seeing these awesome argyle pillows from Kati and Becky I just knew I had to make one.  I started by giving Becky's tutorial on Friday night, and I don't know if I was having a stupid moment, but for some reason it was just not working for me.  Everything was just peachy until I went to sew in the skinny diagonal lines.  After ripping the same seam out multiple times and still it not being right when attaching the diagonal strips, and then wanting to rip out my hair in frustration, I abandoned Becky's tutorial and left things for the night with the idea I'd start fresh in the morning.  

I re-pieced the diamonds using Kati's strip piecing technique which made things go significantly faster.  Also like Kati I used one of my decorative stitches to make the diagonal lines in between the diamonds.  In the end, I'm less than thrilled with it, I think I should have picked a different stitch, but after the trials and tribulations, I like it enough (I'm sure I will end up redoing it eventually, but for now, it will do).

The second pillow cover is made using machine pieced hexagons.  Yes MACHINE pieced!  I had seen this video tutorial on youtube  on how to machine piece hexagons and decided to give it another go  (I had actually tried this method once before with much less than stellar results).  Apparently my sewing skills have much improved since then, because using this method was a breeze this time and I am very happy with the result.  I used the largest hexagon template on my Accuquilt GO! and pieced together a 15 inch square to form the pillow front.  This pillow more than makes up for my mediocre feelings on the end result of my argyle pillow.

Here they are so happy together nestled on our love seat.  There will be a part two to this post, as I have two more forms that I'd like to make covers for, stay tuned!

I will be linking up to sew modern monday over at Canoe Ridge Creations, stop over and see whats new!

Scrappy Rainbow Quilt: Finished

Please excuse the excessive amount of pictures in this post!  I started snapping, and just couldn't stop...and then couldn't decide which I liked best, so I included most of them all!  

I am so incredibly happy with how this quilt turned out, I just love the controlled scrappy-ness (yes, I think that will be my made up term for describing this quilt).  This was really my first attempt at any sort of improvisational piecing, by just sewing random fabric scraps together and cutting them into squares.  I love the randomness of the centers of each block, but the borders that are consistent throughout the quilt give it some order as well.

The finished quilt measures approximately 60 inches x 76 inches, the perfect cuddle on the couch quilt.  This quilt is definitely a keeper, I don't think I could give it away if I tried.

When I put the quilt back together I was really unsure of it...it just seemed a little bit...much.  I am affectionately referring to this as my Rainbow Brite quilt back (doesn't it remind you of one of those Rainbow Brite dolls from the 80s??)  But I love it.  I used most of the solid colors from the front in varying widths to make up the back.  

As for the quilting I stepped outside of my typical free motion designs (stippling, and newly found loops) and did kind of a boxy maze type of quilting.  I didn't intend on it being so heavily quilted, but thats how it turned out.  I used a record 10 bobbins and almost a whole huge economy spool of Gutterman white thread to quilt this!  Needless to say my shoulders were a little sore from quilt wrangling this on my machine.

I just love how the solids on the back make the quilting so visible.  I took everyone's basting advice and was super picky, bordering on neurotic about getting my quilt back taped down to the floor near perfectly.  I used basting spray in between each layer and used pins on the corners of each block to keep everything in place when wrestling with the quilt while quilting.  It worked!  Thanks everyone for  sharing your tips and tricks!  I had one minor pucker on the back, which if you look close enough on the above picture you can see in the middle of the green, but I figure after a trip through the washer and dryer and crinkling up, it won't even be noticeable.  

A few parting shots and a good shot of the binding.  I really struggled picking a binding, I knew I wanted a print with black, as the quilt itself was so colorful.  I had a black and white pin dot picked out, but I found this black with skinny stripes in pinks, oranges and whites at Joann's, and decided this was it. 

As the weather is finally turning warmer in these parts, I may have to turn the AC down so I can snuggle with this quilt on the couch!

WIP Wednesday {5.4.2011}

Wednesday again??  Here's what I've been up to:

Completed Projects

3 x 6 bee blocks

These puppies were shipped off  to my 6 bees in the 3 x 6 bee, they have made it to their new homes safe and sound!  I had never made dresdens before, and after getting the hang of things and eliminating lumps and bumps, these are quite addicting!

New Projects/In Progress

Scrappy Quilt

Let the quilting begin!  I pulled this quilt top out and got to basting the other night, and last night had a monster quilting session.  Half done, half to go!

Here's a sneak peak of the back, I did a bunch of solid stripes of varying widths in colors that I had used on the front. I am calling this back the Rainbow Bright quilt back.  (remember those dolls??)  After I had pieced the back together, I couldn't decide if I liked it and contemplated ripping it out...but I've decided to embrace the rainbowy-ness and just go with it!  On a plus, it does show off the quilting quite nicely.  I am stepping out of my comfort zone with this one and did almost a block style free motion quilting, it reminds me of a maze.  I'm thinking 1-2 more quilting sessions and this will be ready for binding!

Quilt tops awaiting quilting

Central Park Baby Quilt
Postage Stamp Quilt
This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 0
Completed Projects: 1
Ongoing Projects: 3  (What???  I need to start some new projects, me thinks!)

Be sure to stop over at Freshly Pieced and add your WIP!



3 x 6 bee: dresden edition

1. beehive 24 2nd quarter for denawayne, 2. beehive 24 2nd quarter for rebeccasrags, 3. beehive 24 2nd quarter for Four Monkeys Quilts, 4. beehive 24 2nd quarter for Lynette Russell Designs, 5. beehive 24 2nd quarter for yellow_bee_58, 6. beehive 24 2nd quarter for missplanner

I visited my friends at the nearby post office this morning, and sent off these blocks for my beehive in the 3 x 6 bee to their new homes.  Hope you like them ladies!!  I also sent off my package for the pretty {little} pouch swap, now I just wait to see if it's what my partner had in mind...

This block is going to Dena who blogs here.  Dena requested pink, red and white.  I realized my stash is quite lacking in the pink department!  Similar to purple, even in little girl baby quilts, pink does not seem to be a color I go to often.  Hopefully this block fits in with her pink, red and white quilt she is working on!

This block goes to Rebecca who blogs here.  The quilt she is working on for her sister in law is just stunning, and has me wanting to make a similar quilt very soon!  Rebecca requested light blue/aqua, grey and different shades of yellow to add to her previous quarter's blocks she has.  Hope she likes!

This is Lynette's block.  She requested green, orange and aqua/turquoise (In her description she asked for saturated colors like "tangerine, lime and turqoise"  those colors just sound delicious!)  She is combining this quarters blocks with previous blocks to make a couch quilt for wrapping up in while reading or watching TV. Hopefully this block helps make for a very bright and cheery couch quilt!

This block is for Karie who asked for orange, white and aqua/turquoise.  Karie also mentioned that light grey would work if mixed in, as this quilt will be for her little boys.  

This block is for Mary.  She asked for "something pretty" and before I even gave much thought about what colors to use, I was instinctively moving towards my Central Park stash, because, well, what's prettier than Central Park??  I hope this block fits in with Mary's plans!!

Lastly, this block is for Sandi.  Sandi requested purple, aqua/turqoise and grey.  I think second to pink, purple is also a color I do not have much of in my stash, and in general am just not drawn to.  However, seeing this color combination has me slowly changing my mind about purple!  I can't wait to see Sandi's bed quilt she is making for herself.

Hopefully all my little bee's are happy with their blocks!  This was my first attempt at dresdens, and while I will say there was a slight learning curve to getting the piecing so there were no lumps or bumps (me and my seem ripper were likethis while working on the first block) but after figuring it out, it was smooth sailing!  Certainly a loong sail...these blocks are quite time consuming, but 1 million percent worth it, in my opinion.  We are off to enjoy the rest of the weekend, as its finally stopped raining!     

Pretty {little} Pouch Swap: Received!



Lookie what came in the mail  yesterday!!  I received this wonderfully amazing package of not one, but THREE pouches from EmmaJ1.  I cannot say thank you enough Emma!

I cannot even fathom how she did this, but you want to talk about someone who really knows purse frames, its Emma!  A purse frame with a divider for two separate pouches??  Fabulously amazing.  I already have this little guy loaded into my purse with a few lip glosses (you can never have enough) and a few other odds and ends that have been looking for a home.

She also sent along this adorably cute little change purse.  Its so perfectly tiny, and I spy Central Park!  I forgot to snap a close up of the boxy pouch she sent along as well, but its equally amazing and she even used some Heather Ross mermaid fabric.  I must also point out the large stack of charm squares Emma also included, I'm already thinking up ideas to use them! 

Again, thank you, thank you, thank you Emma!  I couldn't be more thrilled with my new little pouches!

WIP Wednesday {4.27.2011}

It's Wednesday which means it's time to share whats been going on down in the sewing room this week!

Completed Projects

pretty {little} pouch swap

I spent a few days working on mastering purse frames.  I've gotten a result I'm pretty pleased with, and hopefully my partner will like the pouch I made as well!  The first zipper pouch I made I think will be sneakily included in my package to my partner as well...I personalized it for her, so I really have no use for this pouch by keeping it!  These will be headed out in the mail this weekend.

April Bee Blocks

I tackled my April bee blocks over the weekend and got them mailed back on Saturday (I think I was getting the evil eye from the others behind me in line at the post office, as I showed up with about 10 things to mail...)  This particular block is for my partner in the 3x6 caretaker swap.  I don't think she has received it yet...so it's still a secret!

New Projects/In Progress

3 x 6 bee blocks

I've gotten to work on my bee blocks for the 3 x 6 bee, one of my bees has already finished her blocks and mailed them out, so I thought I should get my butt in gear and get to work!!  I have been wanting to try a dresden plate block for some time now, so I figured theres no time like the present!  I must say that I absolutely love this block, and am seeing a dresden quilt in my near future.  This particular block is for missplanner, she requested purple, aqua/turquoise and grey, which wouldn't be color palate I thought I would like, but after seeing these colors together made me change my mind!

Quilt tops awaiting quilting

Central Park Baby Quilt

Rainbow Scrappy Quilt

Postage Stamp Quilt

...these are numero uno priority after my 3x6 blocks are done and mailed!

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 1

Completed Projects:  2

Ongoing Projects:  4

Be sure to stop over at Freshly Pieced and check out the WIPs!!