Pillow Covers: Mixed up 9 patch

So.  I finished the pillow covers for our daughter last Sunday.  I hope they fit the bill.  They were a lot of fun to make because I started out with a 9 patch and then chopped them up as you would for a disappearing 9 patch.  The thing is... I did not follow any rules and then added in a plain linen square when I recombined the chopped up 9 patch.  I used a lovely mix of Carolyn Friedlander's fabrics.  Mostly Doe and a bit of Botanics.  Both of which I found at Sew Sisters!  Gotta love Canadian online shopping.

And you can see that I quilted the covers heavily.  Heavily.  Matchstick quilting in Aurifil 50 wt in cream.  I love the texture you get on a pillow cover with this extremely dense quilting.  I have this idea that the dense quilting makes the pillow cover more durable.  It could be all in my mind but I am going with it.  Seriously awesome texture.

Then the backs.  Simple lapped zipper.  A big lap.  And I like to place the zipper off centre.  Linen.  The best.  Yep.  There is the zipper.  Pillow covers for summer.  20" square.  Done.

Off to pick berries.  Western Canada is having an unprecedented heat wave.  We have not had more than a skiff of rain in the last 2 months and all the crops are 2-3 weeks early.  We are picking raspberries and blueberries in June.  This never happens. And it is hot.  Really hot.

A work in progress: Pillows and scraps

Our daughter asked for some new pillow covers for summer.  Apparently she knows someone who likes making pillow covers.  Oh,  that would be me.  She asked for blues and yellow but light coloured for the most part.  I grabbed some of Carolyn Friedlander's Doe and a bit of Botanics along with some other prints and some linen.  Then I got busy.  I wouldn't call this a standard disappearing nine patch but sort of.  I added in some squares of linen here and there for more negative space.  It looks pretty awesome with matchstick quilting.  More pictures later with the finished project.

Shall we talk about the scraps?  They had morphed into 2 baskets so I knew it was time.  I am trying to keep to my plan of cutting 3", 4" and 5" squares, strings and just folding the bigger bits.  So far it's working.  A baby quilt goes together in no time when you have all sorts of pre-cut squares.  Just saying.  This is also getting me to use more of the scraps as I go along.  It feels very mature.  Just saying.

work in progress... scraps for a baby girl

Sometimes it is so satisfying to piece together 4" squares in simple patchwork.  It just ticks all those boxes for me in sewing land.  I took a bunch of squares from my pre-cut scraps and laid them out on the design wall.  I added in a few extra gray squares and then I was away to the races.  I used up a bunch of pinks that have been lingering.  Of course the pink roses are not by any means modern but somehow when the gray dots and gray text fabric was added in, it just worked for me.  Another baby quilt for the pile.  It is nice to have a few of these stashed away for baby gifts.  Son and daughter-in-law have several friends having babies in the next while so baby quilts are a must.  I said to my husband on Saturday afternoon, "Oh, I made a baby quilt today."  And I did.  Sandwiched and ready for quilting on the weekend.  Linking up with Lee for Work in Progress Wednesday.

Back at It, Baby... Modern Quilt Guild Riley Blake Challenge 2015

   Name:  Back at It, Baby

Design:  My own

Size:  37" by 42"

Fabric: Riley Black Challenge Fabrics 2015and coordinating Riley Blake solids

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white in straight lines 

I had a little break from sewing with all the wedding fuss and being super busy.  I decided to tackle the Riley Blake Challenge fabric as my first back to business of sewing project.  I did not really have a plan but just went for it.  I cut the fabric up and made a bunch of blocks and then decided on an arrangement that pleased me.  I used every last scrap of the fabric and every last scrap of the Riley Blake white that I had.  I used some of the fabric on the back as well with any of the leftover bits.  I bound the quilt in a lovely soft gray that coordinated nicely with the prints.

I quilted it in straight lines.  Not always the same distance apart but fairly dense.  In my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white.  It has a great texture now that it is quilted.  Just so much fun.    

I think it makes a lovely baby quilt.  It fluttered nicely on the barn wall yesterday.  Calling this one done. Now to figure out how to post the picture on the MQG site.  Erg.

Sideways...

The back is fun and shows off the quilting nicely.

How Pillowcases Mulitply

One of our guild members has a husband who is a fire fighter.  He volunteers at a children's burn camp each year and Tracey had this idea to give every child a new pillowcase.  The idea being that these kids have been through an awful lot and wouldn't it be nice to have something like a funky pillowcase to have at camp and take home?  The guild has been making pillowcases.  I couldn't make it to the sew in but last Sunday I thought that I would whip up two pillowcases.  OH MY GOODNESS.  These are so much fun to make!  I made two and then three and then.. four!  I couldn't stop.  That is how pillowcases multiply.This tutorial.  So much fun!

Back in the Saddle

Well.  I still know how to use my sewing machine.  It seems like it has been forever.  With all the wedding fuss and day job busy, my sewing machine has definitely has taken a back seat.  So... I had a wee pile of Riley Blake MQG challenge fabric waiting to be chopped up and recombined.  I was feeling a little quilt guilt so thought I should just do it.  Chopped it up.  Sewed it back together.  Used up just about everything including the extra white and solids and now I just have the binding to hand stitch.  It felt good.  Back in the saddle.

 

We had a wedding!

Yep.  We did it.  Married both kids off in the space of 5 months.  The weather was fabulous.  The flowers cooperated.  The bride, our wee Emily,  was beautiful, of course. The groom, handsome and awesome.   Have a look.  The blueberry patch looks pretty good. And you may even see a few quilts in the shots.  Happily ever after!  And now I can start quilting again!

The backyard has never looked so fancy!  A bear visited in the night but didn't stay for the wedding.

Peonies from a local farm along with lady fern picked in the back with a ton of babies breath and a whole bunch of buckets.

 A beautiful bride.

And her best friend. Ever. And a quilt.

Bliss.

Having fun!