Glowing Star Block & Pillow

I'm excited to share not only a new project, but also a new paper-piecing pattern: a Glowing Star.

Easy Quilted Euro Sham Tutorial with Invisible Zipper

Euro Shams are kind of fancy, right? I have a plan to use mine to make some benches in my entryway more comfortable, but they also adorn beds and sofas. These plump 26-inch pillows can easily be covered in fabric of your choice to decorate your space! Invisible zippers seem tricky, but they are approachable once you get the hang of setting them up, and using one allows you to create two seamless pillow faces.

If you're making a different size of square pillow cover, you can easily adjust the dimensions, using the same techniques below.

Holidays: Need a One-Day Wonder?

I always seem to approach handmade gifts for the holidays with the best intentions.  Oftentimes, though, the only way I'll give an entire quilt to someone for an occasion is by coincidence, since quilts often have their own timelines.

However, many things I've made take less than a day, and some even less than an hour. That's the kind of last-minute holiday sewing I can get behind.

One of these whiskers blocks (free pattern!) would be the cutest wall hanging!

Maybe your favorite stitcher needs a fancy new ironing board cover.

With just one block and some extra background fabric, you're on your way to a stunning little pillow.

Keeping it simple and choosing bold fabrics makes even the simplest pillow designs shine.

Zipper pouches? Yes, please!

The quickest yet: keep those eyeglasses safe (and looking bright!)

Scrappy Postage Stamp Pillows

I've long admired postage stamp quilts, and love how you can use up and feature favorite scraps! While a whole quilt is a bit daunting, when I got a request for some pillows with the same feeling as my scrappy hexie pillow, I thought postage stamp blocks would be an easier way to get the same look.

While I love the results, that "easier" idea was somewhat misguided.

Summer Finish Roundup

Nooootttt so much sewing over here this Fall! And it is certainly Fall up here! We've had a few very cold nights, and I've busted out my warm slippers.

As we move forward, I thought I'd record the work I did this summer as a way to reset and recharge for some cosy, stitchy evenings to come.

Back in May (ok, pre-Summer) I decided to devote my Summer to WIPs when I finished this quilt top.  I just finished the quilt as my last Summer project!  That full circle is really satisfying.

Cats love quilts.  I made a quilt that loves cats back (with a free pattern!).

Little Hand-Quilted Pillow Tutorial

There's one little pillow on our couch that I insist is mine, the perfect size for right behind my head while watching junky TV.  It's about 12x16 inches, and luxuriously feather-filled.  I decided that I needed another, of course, and thought I'd share the process.  

With the directions below, you can create fun hand-stitched a pillow out of any special block of your choosing.  

Step 1:  Pick a favorite 12.5x12.5 inch unfinished block.  I used one of my recent Star Seams blocks.  

EXCITED!

I got the most wonderful package in the mail this week: the Spring 2013 issue of Simple Quilts and Sewing!

I am very excited to share that my Lone Starburst pattern is featured within, along with directions to make a pillow I created to feature it: measurements, fabric requirements, the works.

Seeing something I created in a REAL magazine for the first time was pretty surreal, and I really love the styling of the photography.

Simple Squared Pillow

Somtimes, I need to do simple, straightforward, rewarding sewing.

No futzing.

No stretching.

No "just make it work."

No slaving away.

Just square edges and inspiring fabrics.

 This pillow is a product of that impulse!

Take a Rest

Whew.

I'm a sucker for certain animal textiles.

This Echino Chelsea by Etsuko Furuya lion in the garden print stole my heart.

"Look at me!" it called, "I've got your kind of colors, admit it.

Check out these flowers.  Is that a bird? Orange bushes? Pink bugs!"

As I tried to walk away, it asked, "How handsome is my Lion?"

Done deal.

Had to make some pillows! These big ones are 18x18 inches.

I balanced out the Echino's bright bright brightness with some Kona Stone, and some ecru machine and hand-stitching. They've all got a layer of cotton batting underneath for structure and extra cushion.

I also learned how to put an invisible zipper in a pillow! Not that hard!

Using Elizabeth Hartman's mod mosaic method, I switched up typical values to make a smaller 12x16 inch companion pillow for those lions.  Instead of using colorful scraps with white "tile grout" sashing, I used pieces of Kona Snow with turquoise sashing (I think it's Aqua from Connecting Threads and totally on sale right now).

They're all backed in the same: some kind of linen/cotton/miscellaneous natural fiber  upholstery-weight fabric. Quite sturdy and earthy.

 Cotton double gauze + pillows = softest place to rest.

Bright, please!

Pillows are one of my favorite wonderful and relatively quick projects.  And it has been a dreary week here.

They're also comfy and useful!

I whipped these up with squares of bright floral Treasures and Tidbits in the center, along with plenty of one of my favorite fabric lines, LouLouThi by Anna Maria Horner. I love how the Treasures and Tidbits ones look almost like woodblock prints.  

They aren't quilted, just simply lined with some muslin for feather-poking protection.  

The backs are made of upholstery-weight cotton canvas, and I edged the envelope closures with more LouLouThi.

I can't get enough. I'm nowhere near done with this collection--watch out.

These are both 18x18 inches. 

I love using feather inserts because they make the pillows look and feel so puffy and smooshy. 

I also made a little friend to go with them!  This one has LouLouThi in the center and some Innocent Crush (Also Anna Maria Horner) on the outsides, and measures about 12x16 inches.  

This one IS quilted on the front, with a layer of batting along with the lining.  Smoosh. It's just perfect for putting behind your head when slouching reclining.  Another little friend is interested, too.  

I used this amazing home dec fabric for the back, Prairie Gothic.  Who knew bugs could be so pretty?! It's a little weird and I love it. 

Result, the glowing trio. ♥ 

Flexibility

I've always been not-so-secretly afraid to try a Dresden; they can involve some scary things like templates, applique, and circles.  I'd admired them from afar, but never attempted one.  Fortunately for me, Esther challenged us to make one! Back in November, our assignment for the Neutral and Not quilting bee was a traditional Dresden plate block, done up modern in chocolate and grass green fabrics.

To get my bearings, I used this tutorial at Sew, Mama, Sew from Elizabeth Hartman, and this one at Stitchery Dickory Dock.  Since I didn't want to waste any of Esther's fabric, I decided to make a practice block, and wound up using the templates provided at Sew, Mama, Sew. Ever thrifty...err, I mean, self-reliant, I printed them on regular paper and used a glue stick to attach the paper to a file folder, and just cut them out, ready to use.

I followed all the directions, sewed my scantest 1/4 inch, but the ring of 20 pieces wouldn't lay flat. At all. I'm not big on seam-ripping, so I tried re-sewing some of the seams, being a little more generous on the seam allowances.

No luck.

It just seemed that the ring wanted to be crimped, in a way.  So I took out a petal. Sewed it back up.  No big deal. Totally flat! Still looked fancy! Can't even tell there's a "missing" piece.

I think this says a lot about my approach to sewing and quilting. If I adhered to directions too closely, torturing myself over each imperfection, trying to do everything by the book, I would have no fun.

No fun at all.

You could call it stubborn independence or laziness, but I prefer to think of it as flexibility--being easy on myself and what I make, not sweating the small stuff.

I LOVED how this practice, missing-petal-ed Dresden turned out, so I made it into a quilted pillow, stitching it to an 18.5-inch kona snow background, complete with a batting layer for squishyness, straight quilting lines radiating out from the center, some hand-stitched details, and a solid kona aqua binding.

I used some upholstery-weight white cotton canvas to make an envelope closure in the back.

I also took advantage of the sole two embroidery stitches in my repertoire: straight up-and-down, and the french knot. They add the most delicious texture, making the Dresden even more like a flower!

By the time I finished this, I tackled the Neutral and Not block without hesitation. It emerged with all 20 petals intact.

Dresdens aren't scary.  They're awesome.