I'm on a pillow making frenzy at the moment. I can't get enough of the fusible fleece from Julia at Gone to Earth which makes pillow making so easy and the pillows so soft and sleepable-on. I decided to make my parents a Christmas pillow instead of the usual Christmas card this year. I used shot cottons on a background of a somewhat busy dotty fabric which I had thought was going to be the most useful dot ever when I bought it but it turned out to be too busy for most jobs. As a blizzard though, it's just the ticket.
To get those wavy / snowy quilting lines, I drew straight lines an inch apart with my hera marker. Then I straight line quilted along those lines at full pelt yanking the pillow back and forth like a cartoon character would drive, more or less aiming for the hera marker line but not worrying too much about it. I then went back and did the same in between all the lines. It's a quick way of quilting and my new favourite.
This pillow had my first envelope back. I overlapped the two halves of the back by 4" and edged the upper edge with some binding. Much quicker than zips and buttons and it gives a nice finishing detail on the back. I copied this idea from Katy but don't tell her I said that because she'll get all big headed and pleased with herself.
I have also rashly ordered a FQ bundle of Countdown to Christmas from the Fat Quarter Shop (taking advantage of this week's 25% of everything sale) with the intention of making all my children and my long suffering Welsh husband pillows for Christmas but whether I will pull that off I don't know. Do they really want Christmas pillows anyway or is that just me getting all romantic thinking they'd be thrilled with a homemade gift from me when really they'd prefer something from the Apple store.
Love the tree cushion and the blizzard fabric works really well! How about something from the apple store in a custom made pillowcase?!!!
ReplyDeletePretty pillow : ) I haven't made pillows in a few years, but I think envelope backs are the only way to do it. I like the way you and others are putting binding on the pillows. If I ever make another, I will do that very thing!
ReplyDeleteI really love your tree cushion.
ReplyDeleteThose shots are so glimmery! Lovely pillow! I just have to sew the backing onto 2 more then I'm done with my pillow frenzy, too. Head straight to the Apple store for my gift, please.
ReplyDeleteGreat pillow and I love your quilting. I'll give that a try. Couldn't agree more about the envelope backs :)
ReplyDeleteI am swooning. I love everything about that pillow from the blizzard to the wavy quilting lines to the fancy pieced binding. If I were lucky enough to receive such a pillow you can be sure I wouldn't be ripping it apart looking for the aforementioned apple item inside even if it were ringing my favorite tune.
ReplyDeleteHee hee, love the idea of cartoon driving the quilting, it's not a technique I've heard of before, but I'm still new to all this... ;o) It does look fab though.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love countdown to christmas...would make excellent pillows!
ReplyDeleteTough decision pillows vs apple...hmmm
Love the pillow.
ReplyDeleteI've managed to make a gift that my two older sons and husband want, but I made it for my nephew!
Those aren't pillows....But I do hope you pull it off - I am sure your husband would love it.
ReplyDeleteThis looks great. I am about to attempt making my first cushion /pillow for a Christmas gift. Did you put binding all around it as well on the overlap?
ReplyDeleteThey'd prefer both.
ReplyDeleteLove your cushion, so much better than a card - your quilting is similar to what I often do on borders, looks like fmq without the stress - try not marking and overlapping your lines, promise it will look good.
ReplyDeleteI am totally confused between talk of pillows and cushions - why not make them a Christmas pillow case for their bed and stuff them full of gifts!? And packaging to pack it out a bit!!
ReplyDeleteLove the pilow - and I'm sure you'll love working with the countdown to Christmas fabric - I've used to make my first ever proper quilt and I am totally in love with it - I particularly like the fabric with all the names of the reindeer - I'm really looking forward to seeing what you create with it!
ReplyDeleteUse the FQs instead of wrapping paper and spare yourself the shrugs and tuts and save fusible fleece for another day, or me!!
ReplyDeleteGreat cushion for the Ma & Pa though x
Beautiful pillow!
ReplyDeleteHa, one of mine would prefer both, and one would definitely prefer the Apple store! Lovely pillow :) Beautiful Quilting :) aaah, The Fat Quarter Shop, .... sigh ... wish the postman would arrive at my house quicker!
ReplyDeleteI love counbtdown to christmas: and now you have got me thinking as to whether I actually used all mine up or not...? (too cold in the conservatory to go and have a look right now!)
ReplyDeleteLove the cusion
There's nothing like a handmade gift, especially when it comes from the heart. Although, the Apple Store is a close second!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as usual. Love the fabrics and the wavy quilting. Very festively chic.
ReplyDeleteWonderful quilting detail and thank you for sharing how you achieved it! Quite striking:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderfully amusing yet perfectly useful description of your quilting technique!
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh out loud about the pillows vs gifts from the Apple store :)
ReplyDeleteLove Countdown to Christmas and your pillow.
Adore your tree cushion and I used that quilting design on my Across the Seas quilt using the 'yanking' method. I love the clean look of envelope backs and never know why people put themselves through zipper stress!
ReplyDeleteThat there Xmas Tree pillow is just grand Mrs! Fancy one myself if you feel the urge to make another!!!
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