Monday, March 9, 2015

NEW PILLOW AND WEEK-END WRAP UP


Good morning!  Don't have much this morning so hopefully this will be quick!  I spent Friday putting together a decorative pillow for the nursery.  I was using left over fabric from the quilt and bedding and honestly didn't have much of anything in mind.  I think originally I thought I would embroider her name on the pillow, but since they have not settled on a name, obviously that is not happening, lol.  I have to say I usually really enjoy doing pillows.  It's a quick way to do a little quilting without the time and trouble of a big quilt, and I can just sort of play around with it and do what I want.  The BIGGEST problem I continue to have with any quilting is the math!  sigh...just not my best thing. And when you are not following a pattern and therefore no one is telling you what size to cut things, I feel particularly challenged.  I knew I wanted some pinwheels, and I knew I had some left over hour glass blocks from the quilt, so I started there.  After playing around with it for a while, I put together some pinwheels from some scraps, and cut the hour glass blocks down to match.  I debated about doing some sashing, but that would have meant cutting all the blocks down even more.  So I settled on some borders around the blocks.  Then, I used a basting spray and fused together the pillow front on some warm and natural batting and began my debate on "how" to quilt it.  I have NOT had much time to practice my free motion quilting, so I ended up marking lines on the pillow with my pen that erases when ironed, and picked out a pretty decorative stitch and adjusted the stitch length to a good one, and just did it that way.  I used a different decorative stitch in the borders and put those lines a little closer together.  I REALLY liked the way it came out.  I guess you could do an entire quilt this way, but goodness it would take forever I think, and might be harder then I am imagining.  Maybe some day.  I put an envelope backing on the pillow so she can easily remove it and wash it if necessary.  I finished off the pillow with binding, just the way you would finish a quilt.  I didn't honestly know how that would work out since I have never seen one done that way, but I am certain people have.  It worked SOOO well I will never do one another way again.  I wanted to use the same fabric I had used on the quilt, but I didn't have enough of it left.  And it was part of the fabric I had bought from the store that closed down, so I couldn't buy any more of it either.  Sooo, I decided to make a "scrappy" type binding out of it with another fabric I had left over and it came out really well. Looks like I planned it this way, but like I said NOTHING about this pillow was planned, lol  Now, the pillow is done and I do like it but it is a little bigger then I intended it to be, lol.  (remember, math is NOT my thing!).  The finished size was 17 by 17 and yesterday I bought a 18 x 18 pillow form at Joannes (they are 50 percent off right now if anyone is interested) and it fit just perfectly!  Sooo let me show you this pillow I have yacked on about WAY longer then I intended to,


LIGHTING ISN'T THE BEST HERE, BUT YOU GET THE IDEA

THE COLOR HERE IS REALLY NOT GOOD, BUT THIS IS THE ENVELOPE BACKING



CLOSE UP ON THE DECORATIVE STITCHING I USED ON THE BLOCKS

AND THE ONE ON THE BORDERS..I OVERLAPPED THEM ON THE CORNERS FOR A KIND OF GRATED LOOK..YOU CAN SEE THE SCRAPPY BINDING HERE A LITTLE CLOSER TOO.

HERE IT IS BY THE QUILT
Sat. hubby and I spent mainly cleaning house....sigh....never fun but has to be done.  I am loving it today.  We also grocery shopped and ran a few errands.  Sunday we went to church but decided not to hang around afterwards as I wanted to run by Joannes and find that pillow form.  We got home by 4 and with the time change still had plenty of light left on the front porch to cut hubby's hair.  I am getting that down better all the time but what I REALLY need is some better clippers and some thinning shears, lol.  And for some decent money I could get some I am sure but I can never bear to spend it.

This week I hope to finish up one last sheet, one more changing pad, and decide on what stuffed animals I want to make with still MORE left over scraps from the bedding.  Some of it is gone now (most of the coral) so my choices are getting slimmer unless I want to buy more.  Don't know if I want to bring in new fabrics though...we will see.  I also have some more gifts I am making, some decorative pillows for the boys new bedding, and some fun summer jammies for them too.  I still have a couple of embroidery designs for onesis I want to get to, and on and on the list goes.  Guess I'd better get cracking.  Hope you are all enjoying the beginnings of spring.  It is SOOO gorgeous here today.  Honestly, it just couldn't get any better.  I am sitting on my porch as I type this (I don't do this a lot as I always end up visiting with people passing by and then I never finish, lol) as it's too pretty today to resist.  Blessings to you all!  Debbie





9 comments:

  1. It just so happens that I am working on a pillow right now...well not this minute, but you know what I mean, the math is killing me and I am not even doing blocks. Pathetic I am! Your pillow looks terrific...a beautiful complement to the quilt. What a pretty nursery the little one will have. Loved your story in my comments today. Gheesh! I thought I was just getting old, but this may be a widespread problem with service. Those who serve need some additional training!

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  2. You could be a stitching teacher, and show ladies how to do all the beautiful things you do! Seriously!! I am always amazed at how beautifully you put things together, and what wonderful gifts you make. I go to Joannes for their Where Women Create magazines. :) I read every page and just love it, some of those ladies shopped in my booth at Round Top Antique Fair several years ago. You could be one of them!! :)

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  3. Debbie...your creative talent is mind-boggling to me! I just love seeing everything you've made!

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  4. Debbie
    You did such a fine job on the details of your pillow. My corners never seem to match!
    I am home again and I'm going to order my embroidery machine soon. Can you tell me
    what extra's will I need that won't come with it? My largest hoop will be 5x7, are yours larger?
    Sorry to bug you with so many questions-You are the only person I know that has one!

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  5. Have mercy, it is going to take an 18-wheeler to get all your sewn items to Mel. :o)) I cannot imagine such. The pillow is so cute and will be the icing on the cake. Happy week!

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  6. I love the pinwheel design in the pillow. Math or no, you pulled it off...and beautifully!
    I am convinced that you will never run out of projects! Isn't it lovely to enjoy a hobby so thoroughly that you are continually enthused about it?

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  7. Love love love the quilt and pillow....great job~

    Hugs!

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  8. What a cute pillow! I love it! And I love the idea of binding ... I've always seen pillows done with piping but I can never manage to do the corners nicely ... but binding I can do! I may have to make a few pillows now!

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  9. My wife is really good at sewing pillows. I've never seen her do a quilt, though. I don't think she knows how to either. She speaks often about wanting to make one for her grandmother who has a collection of quilts that I believe she made herself. Too bad my wife didn't get her talent. Hope you figure it out.

    Dante Storey @ Healthy Bed Store

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!