Bachelor Button Quilt Pillow

I just finished a UFO and am so happy with the way it turned out!

On impulse, I bought a kit from Sweet Treasures Quilts in December 2020, to make a block called Bachelor Button designed by White Barn Quilts that could be turned into a pillow.  The fabrics in the kit are from the Holliberry line for Moda by Cory Yoder.  I knew I wouldn't get it done for Christmas 2020 and I ended up piecing the block in February 2021, then put it aside to finish later.  

I didn't finish it for Christmas 2021, so officially an UFO!  But it is ready for Christmas 2022 now.

I had the finished block but it needed to be quilted and then turned into a pillow.  I quilted the block in a grid pattern using the walking foot for my Bernina machine.  Someone with more free motion skill could do some quilting that would better enhance the design, but I managed to keep the lines straight and am happy with how it came out.

The kit included fabric for the pillow back and the binding.  Binding provides an effect similar to piping the edge of a pillow.  I like the look in this case and that's how I wanted to finish it  but it meant I could not do my usual thing of inserting an invisible zipper in the bottom seam.  

The directions were for an envelope back but I bought a zipper and did a lapped zipper closure on the pillow back.  It is fairly unobtrusive with this patterned fabric.  

If you would like to try a zipper like this, there is a good tutorial here and Sherri from A Quilting Life has a YouTube video how-to here.  

I filled the pillow with a Fjadrar pillow insert from Ikea; they are filled with feathers and I find them more firm and comfortable than the poly inserts.  But they do come in only two sizes:  20" square and 26" square.  I actually prefer to buy my pillow inserts a little bigger than the pillow case so they fill more firmly but I think the 26" would be too big; this pillow is 20" square.

So, a UFO taken care of and a finish ready for Christmas.  

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 12

Not quilts but they are quilted - our Christmas stockings.  I made the first one (the red one) 25 years ago, when Miss Main Street was a baby, for her first Christmas.  It is quilting cotton, cut in the shape of a stocking, and embellished with some vintage lace.  I sandwiched the front with a light batting and backing fabric, while the back of the stocking is two layers of fabric without batting. The binding around both pieces holds them together and forms a loop at the top for hanging.  

I made a second stocking when we got our first dog, Reggie.  Now Dillie and Trevor (dogs two and three) have their own stockings as well.  

There is just a little simple quilting, at the toe and heel. 

And the stockings are the last of my Christmas quilts.  I hope you've enjoyed these 12 Days and it has given you lots of ideas for Christmas quilts for 2021.

Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 11

This is Sparkle, four large Lemoyne stars easily pieced from a jelly roll, from the pattern by Fig Tree Quilts called Jelly Stars.  The fabric is Blitzen by Basic Grey for Moda.  I made this quilt in 2013; more information in this post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 10

This log cabin is another early quilt, made before I started blogging, mostly out of fabric leftover from yesterday's quilts.  It is machine quilted with a panto design of holly leaves, using variegated thread.  More photos in this earlier post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 9

This was my very first Christmas quilt, made from a pattern in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine long ago (they might sell the individual pattern on their website).  It hangs on the wall in our kitchen at Christmas time.  I used a variety of mostly Hoffman Christmas-y prints and an off-white snowflake print for the stars.  I liked this design so much, I turned around and made another in queen bed size, which you can see here.  I hand quilted both.  This would be a good design to make using a fat quarter or fat eighth bundle from a fabric collection you particularly like.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 7

Misty Pine, made in 2011 from a pattern of the same name that is now out of print.  I foundation pieced the tree than used fusible web followed by a narrow zig zag stitch to applique the top and bottom and the red swooshes.  This is a small wall hanging, perfect for a long, narrow space that needs a little something.  It is so lightweight, I can hang it with double faced tape on the back.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 6

This is Boughs of Holly, made in 2012 using a pattern called Crossroads by Red Crinoline Quilts.  I think the pattern is out of print.  This quilt is made special by the border fabric, an April Cornell border print design for Moda featuring holly leaves and berries on a red background and framed by green stripes.  I rarely use black but including it in this design really makes the red and green pop.  There is more information and more photos in my original post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 5

This is Christmas Stars, started in 2011 and finished in 2012.  This quilt generates the most enquiries from blog readers, who usually want to know what the pattern is and where to get it.  But there isn't a pattern.  I came up with the block, a variation on Ohio Star.  I do have a tutorial for the block, here.  My original post on the finished quilt has more photos, including close-ups of the gorgeous custom quilting by Linda Hrcka of The Quilted Pineapple.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 4

This is Christmas Ribbons, made in 2011 from a pattern called Ruby's Ribbon Box.  The pattern is written for a layer cake/10" squares but I used fabric from my stash.  It's a great little stash buster with a modern look.  There's more information in my original post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 3

This is Christmas Day, made in 2010 using the Miss Rosie pattern called Brand New Day.  The block is a variation on Ohio Star and the fabric is by Robyn Pandolph for Moda.  (BTW, she used to be a major fabric designer, what happened to her?  Maybe she just retired?)

There is more information in my original post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 2

This is Evergreen, made in 2014 (2014 was a particularly good quilting year for me for some reason).  The pattern is Twilight Hopscotch, from the book Simple Comforts by Kim Diehl.  It is a simple to make design that uses two prints (tone on tone or simple prints) plus background.  More about it, including more photos, can be found in my original post.

12 Days of Christmas Quilts - Day 1

This is Merry and Bright, made from miscellaneous fabrics in my stash in 2014.  The pattern is Trellis Crossroads from the book Modern Bee.  More on this quilt, including more photos and my notes on the pattern directions, can be found in the original post.

Pottery Barn and Using Sheets For Quilt Backing

Can you believe Christmas is less than two months away?!!!  Too soon to start decorating but not too early to make your decorating plans.  And certainly not too early (and possibly too late if you sew like me) to start a new seasonal quilt.

I've been thinking of making a new Christmas quilt and those thoughts coincided with an email message from Pottery Barn covering their Christmas decor items.  They have some of the cutest sheets and bedding sets and they got me thinking about using a sheet as the backing for a quilt.  Have you ever used a sheet and if so, how did it work out?

Pottery Barn calls this one Nostalgic Santa.  I think the design could be great for a quilt back, especially for a two-color quilt in red and white or green and white. 

I also like this snowman print.

What about Forest Gnomes?   These three are 100% organic cotton. 

Winter Village is 100% organic cotton flannel.  Could be very cozy! 

One issue is that it would not be an inexpensive backing because Pottery Barn sells sets only, with fitted sheet and pillowcases included with the flat sheet.  I suppose you could use them on the bed.  We are old-fashionedly boring here on Main Street, with white sheets only on the beds so a printed fitted sheet would be an adjustment. 

Anyway, I am thinking of buying some of these when they go on sale (Pottery Barn is always having a sale) so any advice you have on use of sheets as quilt backing much appreciated. 

Getting the Christmas Spirit With American Patchwork & Quilting

Someone posted a picture online of the cover of the latest edition of American Patchwork & Quilting; I couldn't stop thinking about the cover quilt and had to find a copy of the magazine.  I found it at my LQS but Barnes & Noble likely carries it too.

The cover quilt is called Snowfall and was designed by Wendy Sheppard.  I bet I have enough Christmas prints in my stash to make it.  The curved seams don't deter me but I'd like to find acrylic templates to use for the cutting.  Please leave a comment if you are aware of any good sources.  The pattern pieces are included in the magazine but I think it would be easier and more accurate to use acrylic templates. 

There are a couple of other projects in this December 2017 edition of the magazine that I like.  Arctic Circles, designed by Victoria Findlay Wolfe, is a variation on the kaleidoscope block.  Nine individual blocks come together to form a large 36" block and four of these larger blocks go together to make a 96" square quilt. Yes, giant!

There is a 10-page write-up on Meg Hawkey and Crabapple Hill Studio designs.  She has a signature soft look that combines piecing and embroidery, often embellished with beads and other materials.  Some great designs are showcased in the article and then comes Holiday Wishes, a 30" square table topper design.  I love it but am not sure my embroidery skills are up to the demands of the center square.  The magazine does include detailed directions for using crayons to add color to embroidery designs.

I'm sure I can't finish any of these projects in time for this Christmas, but as Christmas comes every year, there is always 2018.

American Patchwork & Quilting December 2016

I broke one of my rules, don't buy magazines encased on plastic bags, to get the new edition of American Patchwork & Quilting.

First, did you notice the updated design of the cover?  I like it, clean and modern without being unrecognizable.  There are several projects I like inside, most notably, this moss wreath (yes, not even a quilt!).  I could see using this in my home.  The shade of green is one I favor because it goes with the green in our home's interior decor.  

And this quilt, called Catch a Chickadee, is a great design to showcase a little motif like the bird used here.

Here's a close-up, as well as a closer look at the appliqued and embroidered pillow companion to the quilt.

If you were wavering on this issue because you couldn't see what's inside (those dang plastic bags!), I hope this glimpse has convinced you to go for it.  I am glad I did.

Christmas in July - Part 2

I'm back with more Christmas quilts!

This is Christmas Stars, probably the most famous quilt on my blog.  I didn't use a pattern, it's just an Ohio Star variation block I'd seen somewhere and then figured out a way to construct it.  For my tutorial on how to make this block, click here.

This quilt became "famous" because it was beautifully quilted by Linda Hrcka of The Quilted Pineapple and people seeing the photos on her blog asked questions about the pattern, etc, and got directed here. The wide borders are perfect for fancy quilting!  Below is a close-up of one of the blocks.

I made Sparkle using the pattern Jelly Stars from Fig Tree Quilts and a jelly roll of a Moda collection called Blitzen from Basic Grey.  Their 2016 collection called Juniper Berry would work well for this quilt.  This quilt is much, much easier to make than it looks, all because of the clever techniques in the pattern.  It makes a great throw size quilt or large wall hanging, while one star could be made into a small wall hanging.

Here's one of the blocks.  The diagonal seams through the corners result from the easy construction.  No set in or Y seams!

Evergreen was my first two-color quilt (though I actually used three fabrics, the two greens being close to each other in color).  The original pattern is called Twilight Hopscotch and is in the book Simple Comforts by Kim Diehl.  The pattern results from alternating two different blocks. 

And here is Merry and Bright, from the pattern called Trellis Crossroads in the book Modern Bee.  It is a good quilt to make from stash and scraps but I will warn you that I found the directions lacked completeness and were hard to follow.  I tried to give some tips in my post here.

I'll leave you with this photo of the stockings hung by the chimney with care.  The red one belongs to Miss Main Street and is the first one I made.  The green ones are for our corgis, Reggie and Dillie (I'm not sure they are aware they are dogs).  I incorporated pieces from my stash of "cutter" vintage lace and linens when I made them.  They are just simple shapes, both front and back sandwiched with thin batting and backing (the backing ends up as the lining), with minimal quilting, then the two pieces are joined with bias binding just like a quilt.

I hope you've enjoyed this little bit of Christmas in July.  Maybe it has given you and idea for making your own 2016 Christmas quilt.