Showing posts with label simply scraps pillow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simply scraps pillow. Show all posts

Friday, April 5, 2013

Cute, Fun, and DONE!


My twister quilt (started two months ago, almost to the day) is finally finished!  I'm actually a little embarrassed to admit that this little quilt took so long.  For some reason I have been super distracted in the last few months- wonder if getting sick twice, going on a few vacations, and planning a wedding... had something to do with it :)


I tried something a little different on this quilt and decided to try machine stitching my binding on (thank you to redpepperquilts for the tutorial!).  I can't say I am in love with this method- yet.  I feel like it took me just as long as if I had stitched it on by hand- but the fact that I actually had another binding fabric on and then took it off and started all over again may have had something to do with that :)  I thought I wanted something bright and colorful, but in the end the gray with white spots added just the right frame- subtle enough to let the pinwheels stand out but enough contrast from the border to frame the quilt nicely. 


For the most part I managed to catch the binding on the back while stitching in the ditch on the front, but there were four small spots I had missed and needed to go back over.  Not too bad for a first attempt though.  I think the key is definitely a good pressing and good pinning.... I might have slacked on that last one.  I hate pins.  I used binding clips, but the metal ones that look like hair barrettes.  I haven't pulled the plug and bought the Clover Wonder Clips yet- they are so expensive!  Are they really so great that they are worth the price? 

While I was washing the quilt I decided to toss my pillow cover in too.... turns out my sergered seams did not hold up as well as I expected :(


*Sad*  Hoping it is just a case of user error.  My guess is I did not catch enough of the fabric in the seam- not an uncommon problem for me.  Will try again- still love my serger, just have to learn how to use it, perhaps I will actually read the manual :)

Friday, March 29, 2013

Simply Scraps

Another reason I love the Lil Twister tool- in addition to those easy to make pinwheels I get these awesome little square scraps too!  Though it does require me to be super careful when cutting the pinwheels so these squares make it through without any extra snips (not an easy task since I only have one rotary cutter, and it is not a small one).  
 
 
These fabrics were just too fun to toss straight into the scrap bin, so with a little piecing...
 

the addition of a border...


and a little quilting...

 
I soon had a bright, cheerful little pillow top!  As much as I love this fabric, I will admit I had an ulterior motive for whipping this up last night- my serger was due to arrive today and I knew I would need a project so I could play with it right away :)  I used the serger (more on it in a later post) to finish off the seams for the pillow.  I like the look of a nicely stuffed pillow, but it often means I pop seams trying to get my pillow forms in and out of my covers, I'm hoping that the serged seams can hold up against my abuse.
 
I love this happy, summery pillow and smile every time I see it on the couch.  Our Florida winter wasn't too bad this year and we are expected to be back in the 80s this weekend- but even so this Florida Belle is ready for summer!  Perhaps if I decorate for the season it will bring on that warm weather a little faster? 
 
Going to try and link up to Finish It Up Friday over at CrazyMomQuilts (never linked to another blog before, anyone's guess if I can make this work).