pillow

Several months ago,  I did some pattern testing for Amanda Jean and in return she sent me this lovely pillow.  What a fun surprise...

I don't know about you, but whenever I receive a handmade gift, I sit and stare at it, trying to figure out if I can duplicate it.  Amanda Jeans workmanship is exceptional.  All the seams line up perfectly...encourages me to do better.

The style feels like something I would make myself, and it fits in perfectly in my little girls' room.

 Thanks Amanda Jean!

Sundance Dresden Pillow

I have been quilting for almost 15 years, and I have never made a dresden plate block, until now.  It's shameful.  I don't know why I waited so long...well, I do know--I've always kind of been afraid of them, a little intimidated.  

But this pattern was NOT scary.  The technique for the dresden plate is a little different from normal piecing, so it was a fun change for me.  The pattern is for a pillow, but this would make a lovely mini quilt.

Pattern can be found here, at the Fat Quarter Shop, and there's even a video if you are a visual person.  I love that we can find a video for almost every task that we need.  I am definitely a visual person.

A couple tools I used to make this block easier:

dresden plate ruler, bigger perfect circles (this was awesome.), appli-glue (wonderful for getting your plate, and circle to stay put until you stitch them down.

If you are interested, Fat Quarter Shop has a kit for the pillow (from the video).

pillows

I have needed new throw pillows for years and years, and just finally got around to making them.  I guess I kept thinking I'd just buy some, but never did.  I suppose it's because I knew I could make something I'd really like.  

So, the past month I've made 4 pillows, and I need one more to completely get rid of the boring pillows that came with my couch (they match my brown couches).  

I kept them pretty simple, both design and color.  I love the black and white trend right now, and almost made all of them black and white, but decided to change them up a little with grey and pink.  I used Alison's heart block pattern for the heart pillow.  I love how it turned out.  The hearts are 4.5 inches and I added a 1 inch sashing between the hearts.  

One downside of black and white is that your quilting will often show, either on the black or the white--depending on the color thread you use.  For my hear pillow I quilted the sashing.  I like how it turned out.

All the pillows are 20 inches, except the cross pillow and I think it is 18 inches.  The cover is a little baggy, so I need to fix that.  I like my pillows plump and fat, so I usually make my cover the exact size of the pillow.  My heart pillow was 20 inches before I sewed on the closure (envelope), so with seam allowance it's probably closer to 19+ inches.  I don't know the best place to buy pillow forms, I have looked at IKEA, JoAnns, Hobby Lobby and have been unhappy with them, I feel like they are too flimsy and will be pancakes after a month of my family using them (that includes jumping on them), so I buy throw pillows at Costco.  They usually come in a 2 pack and cost $12-$15 for the pair.  I think it's a decent price, but honestly I haven't shopped around much.