Birdie Charm Pillow: a Challenge project and a pattern

Earlier this year, the Modern Quilt Guild offered a spring fabric challenge sposored by Riley Blake Fabrics. We were provided with 6 fat eighths of a new fabric line and challenged to make something with it.

I made this cute birdie pillow that I love very much.

I pieced the front then added the appliqué shapes using fusible web. I quilted the pillow with an all-over vertical design and used thicker thread and a scribbly free motion stitch around the shapes and to fill in details.

The back is a simple exposed zip closure for a pop of colour.

I'm delighted to announce that I got my poop in a group (as they say) to write up a pattern for this pillow. It's available as a pdf download in my Craftsy pattern shop.

Pillows Plus (photo heavy)

As I mentioned in my previous post, Leanne's Bee Sewcial prompt for November was really inspiring to me. In fact, I made another improv bull's eye right away and turned it into a pillow:

For the back, I had an extra quarter circle, so I just added to it until it was the right size, and then made a simple envelope closure:

The quilting was really simple - just done with the walking foot and white thread. Super quick and effective, in my opinion.

I also had occasion to make three more of my improv rainbow gradient pillows.

The first one was for the little boy who bid on the silent auction pillow but didn't win it. His mom arranged a wine for pillow trade and I was very happy to oblige:

I might even love it better than the original! Back view:

Detail shot of the quilting, all done with Aurifil in various shades:

And those pillows being shared on Instagram led to another commission for Christmas by a lovely young lady and friend of my daughter's! She contacted me via her mom's Instagram account to ask me to make two pillow for her dad!

And the second one:

I've committed to a local artisans' fair for next December, and I think these pillows will feature prominently in my inventory!

Improv Rainbow Throw Pillow

I had some strip sets left over from Anne's Bee Sewcial assignment, and I needed to make a throw pillow to donate to my daughter's school's fundraiser. Happy happenstance!

I pieced the strips with some chambray-type fabric of which I appear to have purchased a LOT of yardage. (I wonder what I was planning for it? I guess we'll find out eventually!)

I used Thermolam fusible fleece (Pellon TP971F) and quilted with Aurifil thread in various colours - grey in the background area, plus red, orange and yellow in the pieced bits. I just used my walking foot and stitched wavy lines from side to side. I like how the thread colour carries the colour of the pieced strip into the borders.

This is the back, which got the same treatment, but vertically.

My pillow was very well-received and my friend told me that she was engaged in a fierce bidding war for it with a sweet little boy who, according to his mom, loves colour. Mom wants me to make him a pillow as a surprise for Christmas and suggested a trade for some wine - one of the benefits of a school where all of the winemakers send their kids!