Pillow Covers and Round Robins

 I made my first pillow cover for the Stocking Swap this weekend and quilted it while watching the Superbowl.  This is my version of a cone flower pillow that I had seen on All People Quilt.  When I first saw that pillow, I loved it, but didn't bookmark it so I had to hunt for the link so I could post it.  However, it stuck in my mind and this is my version.  I think they are both whimsical and I love whimsical things.  I don't know if I will include this in my Stocking Swap or not.  It may have to live here with me. 

my version of a cone flower pillow

The back of the my pillow has a strip of fabric because I didn't have enough fabric - no, that's not the truth - I didn't cut out the fabric the correct way and when I discovered my mistake, then I didn't have enough fabric.  This fabric is definitely directional so I could either add a strip or two or having everyone turn their heads to read the words on this pillow.  You can plainly see what I decided to do.  The strip of fabric is one that I rejected for the leaves because it was too similar to the flower base. 

back of the cone flower pillow

Once the cone flower pillow was done, I got on the computer and started looking for more ideas for pillows so I could reference them here and everyone could have some inspiration from those pillows.  However, I got the inspiration.  I found an owl pillow made by Darci on flicker that I pinned to my pinterest board.  (sorry, I can't find it again to give you the link)  Then, I immediately had to make this pillow.  I don't think I am obsessed with owls, but I sure have made a lot of owlish items here lately.  I LOVE this little pillow!!  He is just adorable.  I haven't really decided if is a boy or girl owl, but since I have mostly boy dogs, things usually get called he more often that she.  I even sometimes tell Fiona what a good boy she is or to go outside and be a good boy.  I am a horrible mother.  Anyway, back to this pillow.  It goes together fast and easy and was a ton of fun.  The "hood" "flap" or whatever you want to call that peaky point on the owls forehead is not attached to the pillow and flips up and down.  That may have to be tacked down later so it will stay in one place. 

I have been a busy, busy bee in the quilting room this past week.  I finished quilting the rest of this quilt.  I like how I quilted the heart centers.  The only thing left to do, is to sew down the label on the back.  It will have to wait until tomorrow night during TV time.  Plus, I really don't have anything else lined up to work on tomorrow night. 

Below is a close-up of one of the hearts.  Thank goodness you can't see any stray pink marking lines from the heart rays.  I think those are on the other end of the quilt. 

My Bee Friends group are starting a wall hanging round robin this month.  So, I made two different blocks and now I can't decide which one I want to use.  I like this one below.  It is very modern using Kona solids - even though the colors are waaay off in this picture.  I drew out the blocks so I could paper piece the corners and center squares.  The star points are free pieced so they aren't even or perfect.  

This cake stand block is what I first thought of for my robin center.  I wanted a 5 inch block, but couldn't find one.  I drew it out on a graph card (I will talk more about these in a future posting) and thought I had everything down perfect.  However, when I sewed it all together I really, really lost my bottom tips.  I took it apart, made the white setting triangles a little larger and sewed it back together - - - and I still don't have my points on the bottom row.  I have thought about starting all over, but I really don't want to do that.  I think I may go with this block anyway because I really, really like it. 

I may get to use both of these blocks if we don't have someone in our Bee Friends to make up the 4th spot in our third group.  I could live with that.  Even though it means that I will be working on two round robins, plus everything else I am doing, but it would be interesting to see what both these blocks inspire in someone else. 

Weekend Works

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I posted this quilt top.  It was to be the background for my Ogallala retreat quilt.  I put up some of my elements on the wall and decided that I really didn't like it.  The background, which I was trying to make subtle, was just overwhelming the top completely.  I left it all on my wall and walked away.  I didn't know what else I was going to do.  Tonight, I put up the rest of the orange curly cues and some yellow dots and I think it has come together. 

It definitely needs more yellow dots, but I didn't want to put them up there yet.  All of it is just pinned and I am not sure if I can get it down in one piece to iron everything on there.  I used steam-a-seam 2 and I should be able to just press them on there, but I ironed it to my fabric before I cut it out and I think I took all the sticky away.  I really need to read the package directions before I use a product.   Tell me what you think.  All of the symbols have a different meaning and some of them I can only have a set amount.  I am going to move the third "flower" from the top left up a little bit, I think that's the one that fell off and I just slapped it back up right before I took the picture.  I may need to make one more open leaf for the bottom left, for some balance, maybe.   This is definitely a work in progress. 

What else have I been working on this weekend?  I made 5 more bags using Jenni's tutorial .  If you haven't had a chance to check it out, click on the highlighted words and it will take you to her website.  I also made this pin cushion from Bari J.  Click on her name and it will take you to her blog.  Scroll down and look on the right side for the pin cushion tutorial.  I don't  have it completely finished in this picture as you can tell by the pins sticking out the side, because I want to stuff it a little bit fatter.  I don't have any more stuffing here at the house, so I will have to pick some up tomorrow after school.  This is a large pin cushion.  It measures about 4 1/2" X 4 1/2" X 2 1/2".  I will add a button in the middle when I get it all stuffed.  I copied down how to make this pincushion several months ago and finally got around to making one.  I thought it was going to be harder to make than it was.   It went together rather quickly and easily.  I can't wait to try this one again. 

What else have I gotten into this weekend?  Well, since I am still trying to work through the quilt at the first of this blog, I don't want to start anything new, so I found this partially quilted top and finished quilting it.  Well, I thought I was finished, but I think I want to add some more quilting to the middle of the hearts.  I had previously quilted in a shiny purple metallic thread, the rays coming from the hearts.  I just remember the thread breaking over and over again.  I didn't want to machine quilt anything else it was soooo frustrating.  I will show the rest of this quilt when I have it all finished.  If I remember correctly, these hearts were leftovers from an online block exchange that were just laying around and I made this top with them. 

The rest of the weekend accomplishments will have to wait to be shown until I take down the retreat quilt from the design wall. 

My Intuition is not working right now

Now to make this section squared off I am adding one more piece and then I think I am finished. I need to make this one fit in on the angle with the top piece. So that means more grabbing and sewing. There, got it now to see what size it needs to be

Boo Hiss!! It is way too long and I don't think it is square at all. I thought I squared it up correctly. Maybe the other side isn't square? That is a possibility. However, here is the question of the day: "Do I want to add more to the right hand side or do I just cut off the majority of the bottom of the left side?" Another question is: "Is this the same size as the top part or do I need to take a bit off the side? If I take some off the side, then which side do I take it from? Do I just need to add some to the top if this is too big?"

HEADACHE!!! I have looked at it, added a pink strip between the two sections since I think one of them is not exactly square and I have measured the top part. It is smaller than this bottom part. The good thing is that I didn't put a black/white strip on the right hand side of the top part and can add on there if I want. The bad news is, that I am not going to get this done this weekend since it is wider than it is long and I will definitely have to add some to the bottom right side to get it at least as long as it is wide, if not longer. So, back to the sewing machine.

In the meantime, while I was contemplating this quilt, I made a few blocks for the dot, stripe, plaid request from Victoria. Here are a couple of the blocks I will be sending on to her for the donation quilt. Wait, those aren't correct. I have since slashed across the larger one, it was looking like two halves just sewn together, and added in a different corner piece. I have also made another block this morning as a delaying tactic to working on the Intuition quilt.

Bags and Blocks

The latest bag made. This one was made from the left over honeybun strips after I made the "off the grid" quilt. It is a large tote about 17 or 18 inches square. Inside I added just one large pocket. The handles are two different fabrics since I didn't have enough of one (well, I guess I did, but didn't want the handles the same as the lining fabric. Everything is from the Aviary line of fabric from Three sisters by Moda.

Here are the latest blocks in the Bee Friends dash toward our December class. The top one is Cake Stand. My choice for a basket block. Since I had to cut several almost 7 inch squares in half to make just one block, I decided it was easier to make two, so I did. This was fun, fast and easy. I think I may have to make a whole quilt using this pattern. The bottom is July's block, mini bow tie. I have been wanting to make a quilt using this pattern. I have had the fabrics selected and put aside together for several years, but it has sat on the back burner just waiting for the right time. Well, that time is getting closer. This block was super simple to make and took very little time to put it all together last night. Now, on to finishing up the last two blocks from the jelly roll sampler quilt. Only one more to come out for that quilt, but that won't be until August 2nd. Can't wait to see how that one will be set. Of course, I may just have to do my own thing, but I will wait, semi-patiently, to see what has been planned.