Modern Plaid Bright
Pillow #7
I've finally jumped the half way mark on my personal pillow challenge!  happy, happy!

I just can't do a plain ole scrappy squares anymore.  Even though it looks bright enough and I figure the quilting will add texture and dimension...

...adding these 1/4" sashings just brings these fabrics and the design to life, for me!

Comments were made on the last pillow of this design about the number of seams there must be...yeah, lots!

But they're sewn in strips.  It's not like actually having to sew all those 1" seams!...these pillows would not exist if I'd had to sew that many little tiny seams.

I'll be revisiting this pillow soon because I don't like the finished style that I "thought" was going to look really fun.  But I don't think it works.  So, first chance I get that I'm bored and don't know what to sew next, I'll be taking this one apart and redesigning it to the standard simple pillow I like.

This pillow is also an added project to this fat eighth fabric collection challenge that can be seen here as a flickr set.

While working on this pillow, I stumbled onto the blog of bohemiannie art  She was making the most unique baby shower invitations I've ever seen.  And their scrappyness was so inspiring to me, I had to immediately make a couple of postcards after I finished the pillow piecing.

I got so side tracked with postcards and inspiration, that when I got back to finishing the pillow, I totally forgot to add some batting and quilt it!  But it was going to look ok anyway.  I'll be able to add the quilting when I take it apart.

The two postcards above are going out in the mail soon.  Do I hear disappointment that you don't have a chance at them?!  Not to fret, I have a couple of bluebirds you might like.

Bluebird Postale

Bluebird in the Garden

If you aren't familiar with how my postcard giveaway works, you can read about it in this post .

While I wait to hear from you, I have more postcards I want to make.  More happy, happy!

Annie

The simple how-to of my

Modern Plaid

Pillow #6

I used a charm pack and cut the 5" squares into 2-1/2" squares, arranged them and stitched them all together.

This was my simple original plan for this pillow, but it turned out so blah looking that I had to come up with a plan B.  I cut some brighter strips of red, white and blue.  These strips are 3/4".

Next cut each row of blocks in half (1" from the sewn seam) and sew a 3/4" strip between the blocks.  I did this one row at a time.

I liked how it was progressing.

I continued and did the same pattern in the other direction.

Now it had the visual impact I was hoping for!

So simple, isn't it!  I'm so anxious to do this modern plaid in some brightly colored fabrics.

Have fun,

Annie

Modern Plaid
A Pillow for July

Pillow #6

I won this Prairie Paisley II charm pack from Just Carol's blog last April.

 

How perfect for a July pillow is what I thought.  That's such a cute little tag Carol made to add to the charm pack.

I am really happy with the outcome of pillow #6

The back is from scraps and I feel just so clever for hiding the zipper in the design in the back. (2nd red stripe from the left).

   When I started this project, I actually thought it would be pretty easy to choose a pattern or design, stitch it up and love it.  It hasn't turned out to be that easy.  So when one turns out well in the end, it makes me really happy.

 

I want to make another pillow with this design in a different color...that's how happy I am with it!  Off to decide on what next color!  :-)

Annie

Patriotic Celebration

I haven't ever sewn anything patriotic other than a potholder ... until now.  And I think I have learned why.  Nothing really grabs my attention and makes me feel like I've just got to sew that.  And red white and blue aren't my favorite combination for sewing. 

I noticed a couple of weeks or so ago on flickr where my friend, Carol (mamacjt) suggested a patriotic themed mug rug swap.  That threw me immediately into a patriotic sewing mood.  But I didn't want to sew for a swap.  But I felt like I wanted to sew ... something.

I thought of fireworks and how I love them, and wondered if I could make one with fabric and thread.

29" X 33-1/2"

I haven't decided if I was very successful or not.  I do think it's kind of fun though.  The gold tinsel thread really helps to define this patriotic burst a lot.  Without the glitz it was pretty darn boring.

  It's been a whole lota years since I've sewn with metallic thread and we won't discuss the grief it doled out to me here and there.  The point is I won in the end.

Happy 4th of July, America!

Annie

Fabric Postcard Recipients

I received overwhelmingly beautiful comments for my postcards.  Some were very touching stories.  So much so that I cannot resist wanting to make some very special cards.  And, surprisingly I found that I would love to make a card for everyone who would like one.  At this point that is not an impossible labor of love.  But for now,

My newest fabric postcard recipients are:

Tweet Bird will be mailed to Doris

and

Butterfly Post will be mailed to Terry

I just love that so many of you are so willing to help feed my addiction.  For a time now I will not lack for recipients, so I don't need to fret over making too many cards with no one to send them to...hooray for me!

Doris has reminded me that I challenged myself to make pillows and I'm now falling behind on that!  A few other works in progress going, but I'm always trying to sneak in a little break to make a postcard, so I'll have another offering soon.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your kind and wonderful words!

Annie