Because I Needed to Quilt the Crap Out of Something

Howdy y'all, I'm back with a finish to share! I pieced this little quilt for the sole reason that I needed something quick and easy to 'cleanse my quilting palette' after the monstrous Crown Royal quilt. I went with a simple coin quilt design, and just flipped it on its side to add some interest. This ended up finishing around 40 inches square I believe.


This little baby crinkled like crazy after washing and drying!

For the quilting, I went a bit crazy! I really want to improve my quilting skills and branch out beyond the simple designs I've come to love. And the only way to spread those quilty wings is to try it, right?! So this little quilt became a canvas for me to quilt the daylights out of!

I tried my hands at a modified feather pattern around the edge and it went surprisingly well! I actually squealed a minute or so after starting because it actually looked like my doodles! A quick tip I found helpful: I doodled my design on paper, then taped it on my sewing machine. This way, the picture was right at eye level, I just had to glance to the side if I felt lost in the design.

In those narrow little alleyways between the stacks of coins, I'm not sure what to call the design. I think I've heard it called a wishbone pattern, but don't quote me on it. I did the design once, then staggered it slightly and repeated the same design to make it feel fuller.

In the 'tweener area, I did simple straight lines because I realized I was getting a little carried away. Hahaha! I topped things off with a simple binding to blend in, but I couldn't help myself from adding a few little pops of color. :)

In my eyes, this quilt is a little crazy, especially for me. But I had SO much fun trying out new quilting designs and just cutting loose! It's far from perfect but for the first time since I started quilting, I started feeling really confident in what I can do. Like maybe I can run with the big dogs of the quilting world that I admire so much. I've still got tons to learn but I'm on my way!! :)

Pardon My French(ie): A Finish!

Happy Sunday, y'all! I hope your weekend has been fun and restful! The weather is beautiful in my little corner of KY today, but I couldn't help but stop and share this pillow I finished yesterday. My little cousin, Ella, is having a birthday next weekend and I realized, like I normally do, that time had slipped away and the party was nearly here and I was present-less!

Cue this pillow! Ella is French Bulldog crazy, especially since they got their own not long ago. So it only seemed proper to make her a little something with a Frenchie on it to celebrate her birthday. In fact, it looks like HER Frenchie! :)

I drew out my plan on a piece of paper the size of the pillow, making sure everything fit how I wanted. The overall layout was inspired by a picture of a Boston Terrier I found with a simple Google search. Then I used Heat n' Bond to applique the face onto the background fabric, straight stitching around the edges.

Like most of the fonts I've used in the past, I drew the letters out by hand. These were inspired by some scrapbooking stickers I saw, modified a bit to fit better in the space I had for her name.

I finished things up with an envelope backing and...IT ACTUALLY FIT! Y'all, this is the first time I've made a pillow cover that fits the pillow form! I was so ecstatic! I just did a quick search for tutorials on Pinterest beforehand and it paid off. :)

I still need to stick a little label somewhere if I can remember to, then it is ready to make a road trip this weekend! Thanks for reading y'all!