Pillows everywhere

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For some reason, it took me ages to realize maybe I should work on smaller quilted projects.

Duh.

I also have 2 grown daughters that love extra pillows on their single lady beds. Thus, I got a couple pillow forms and armed with some patterns (of course I had plenty already), I hit my flannel stash.

Meaghan gets the crazy hedgehog, and Sarah gets the sedate fox.

Pillows for my two big girls.

Both pillow have envelop backs.

Since my WordPress tshirt quilts have been met with overwhleming amounts of orders to keep me busy till Christmas, I started to think of smaller items.

Hello WordPress pillow!

#wordpress pillow #fmq #quilting #feathers

I also got in some all over free motion feathers. Dang, I love me some feathers.

I must say, I was trying for small, but I just have to let those feathers fly! I did restrain myself and leave some un-quilted areas. It was difficult.

This pillow cover closes with a zipper insertion at the bottom edge. The knit fabric gave more issues in sewing the cover than in the quilting.

On a bag making kick

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I don’t just quilt; I sew all manner of things and one I really like is making bags.

Before my trip to Miami last month, I had just finished THREE tshirt quilts in three weeks. I needed a break, so I dug out a yard of some fabric I bought waiting for something special, decided a bag was a great way to showcase it and cut it up using the Ethel pattern.

Oops. Started making another bag.

Yay for solids in my stash that co-ordinate.

While I did finish it in time for my trip, I didn’t take it because my laptop doesn’t fit in it, so I used a different bag.

The Ethel bag, free pattern from Swoon patterns.

After I got back, I used another Swoon pattern, the Rosie cross body bag, to make this one from a gorgeous border print. With careful cutting I was able to use the accent pieces from one section of the print and the rest for the floral sections. Everyone who sees it says I did such a great job in matching fabrics. This tickles me since it was one piece of fabric!

Working on another bag.

In the picture, the bag is not yet finished. I used webbing for handles, grabbed from an older laptop bag I made we rarely used. I was also not happy with the lining and how it fit. I have persistent issues where the lining winds up baggy, so I turned the back wrong side out again, slimmed the lining seams down by 1/8″ for both, flipped it back right way round, and FINALLY I could press it and the lining lays smooth inside. The opening is still open so I can add a magnetic snap when it finally comes in the mail. The bag really needs a way to close the flap.

Even though the Rosie bag is not quite finished (needs some fasteners) I continued on and made matching wallets for both bags, using the wallet trio pattern from Sew Sweetness.

Two wallets for two bags  #sewsweetness patterns

Let me tell you – there are barely enough scraps from either fabric to do anything other than put in a scrap quilt. Since I had loads of the border print and it was in my stash for ages, I also cut out a Vivian travel bag in the largest size. It is… large. I haven’t started it yet, though. I just have all the pieces cut, the directions printed and everything in a bag waiting.

I must say, I have really stepped up my bag making game. With each one they get better and I’m learning more about what interfacings I like. I cleaned my sewing room yesterday, found a couple of early bags I made and started taking them apart to rework. They are just too floppy now.

Giggles quilt gone minimalist

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I have a whole pile of quilts I’ve started and finished since the last time I posted, plus some diversions into sewing bags. Like I keep telling others, just start writing.

I finally had a night with no plans and a need for mindless sewing. On a previous occasion, I had cut and bagged a number of planned quilts, so I grabbed the pieces for the Giggles quilt I had all ready to go.

Sometimes I look at stash fabrics I should use and patterns I wish to try and occasionally they line up magically. I had an idea in my head for this quilt to be very minimalist – mostly white and blue, with one single red arrow. I thought it would look striking.

I mostly just glance at patterns and skim directions. In this case I sewed too many diamonds one way. The illustrations made it seem like they were all sewn in one direction, but they are not. I love to batch sew, so I regrouped and set up batches, eventually lining up my rows correctly and making sure the red was going to wind up in the right place.

I didn’t stop to take pictures, I was half watching & listening to Hemlock Grove (of all things) on Netflix while I sewed and pressed, finding my happy place and just relaxing. I figure the piecing took 2 1/2 hours, including mistakes.

I taped it up in the only available place in my sewing cave and took this single shot.

modern solids giggles quilt. #gigglesquilt #quilting.

Afterwards I took a nice long hot soak in the tub. It was glorious.

Still deciding on binding – likely the blue – and the backing, which I can’t decide between the blue (because I have lots) or the white (of which I have enough for many quilts).

The quilting hasn’t yet been figured out. Lines placed 1/4″ from some seams would work but might be too sedate. I don’t quite want to do heavy custom work in each square either.

It will come to me eventually.

This quilt isn’t for anyone in particular, just an exercise in piecing and design. It will likely go up for sale.