Vacation Memories

Recently we took a vacation to Sisters, Oregon for the Sisters Outdoor quilt show.  We visited the surrounding area, and then also took a week away at the beach.  I've been sharing quilt pictures here on Wednesdays.  Here's a couple of beach:

Anyway, my favorite team on Etsy, the Blogging Business Artisans,  has a monthly creative challenge.  This month's challenge: 

"We are into vacation season in July -- create something that brings back a favorite vacation memory, something that represents a place you've visited or one you'd like to visit, colors or scents associated with a special place . . . . Make it fun!!" 

I remember taking vacations as a girl with my dad and mom.  We almost always went to the mountains!  I still have a love of pines. So . . .sew . . . I decided to make a little pillow cover representing those memories. 

This was a fun project!  Please take some time to visit the Blogging Business Artisan blog to see what the other participants have come up with.  

Inspiration from a Friday Finds Post

Last week I did a "Friday Finds" post on yellow and pink color combinations--well, fuchsia and lemon, to be exact!  Anyway, it inspired me to do a quilt block in those colors.  I showed you the block in that post.

So, what did I do with it?  Take a look!

I appliqued some Mexican Hat flowers to it, then quilted the top, added a backing and, voila! I have a new pillow cover for Spring!

I keep a little twelve inch accent pillow on my couch and change out the covers for each season. I did a pillow cover tutorial, back in December, about my holiday pillow cover.  Remember that little snowman one?  Sew. . . .

 What do you think of this one?

Holiday Pillow Cover

Since it is the first of the month, there is plenty of time to work on this project. Other projects to follow may not be as involved as we get closer to Christmas. Whatever you chose to do this month--have fun!

Today's project -- a cute pillow cover made from scraps of Christmas fabrics (a Pillow cover tutorial). 

 

Start with a pile of Christmas fabric scraps (and a pillow form that you already have--or purchase one at the local home/fabric store, 12" by 12" for this tutorial or adjust this pattern for any size pillow you prefer.)

Start with a square piece approximately 5 inches by 5 inches.  Applique any cute design on it using scraps of felt or fabric.  You can embellish it with buttons, floss, ribbon, anything that you have available.  I used felt, embroidery floss and a fabric scrap for this snowman's scarf.  Use your imagination and have fun!  (That's the point, right?)  No right or wrong here.  

After you are finished with your applique, use strips of fabric scraps to sew on each end, log cabin style.  If you need instruction on this process, go here -- but my pieces are not as precision as in the tutorial. I personally like a less precise crazy quilt look, so I just add strips around until I get it the size that I want. Don't worry if the strips are not long enough--patch them!  Have fun creating!

making a strip longer w/ 1/4 inch seam

patched strips

Keep sewing until the finished product is big enough to be the front cover of your pillow cover--approximately 13 by 13 inches for tutorial pillow.  

After you finish the top cover, you need to make an envelope closing for the back, from two pieces of fabric--each approximately 13 by 8 inches.    Put a hemmed seam (on each piece) on one 12 inch side.  

Place the 'log cabin patchwork pieced front', right side up on a flat surface. Imagine this piece is your patchwork piece:

Lay your two 13 by 8 inch sections--face down/right sides touching each other--over lapping the hemmed sides in the middle of the 13 by 13 square.  Square up all outside edges so you have a 13 by 13 inch square (matching all the raw sides). I have used different fabrics to help you see how to lay the fabrics.  

Sew all the way around the four sides of the 13 by 13 inch square layers making a 1/2 inch seam. Trim later if you prefer.  When finished turn inside out-through the hemmed edges) and viola!  there you have your pillow cover!  (You may want to  add a button or velcro to your envelope opening, if you prefer.)  This should make your cover 12.5 inches by 12.5 inches square, just right to go over a 12 inch square pillow form.  

Enjoy!

P.S. See you tomorrow for another quick project! Also, Grab the "30 Days of Christmas Fun" Button for your blog and spread the Fun!

Summer Lovin'

The Blogging Business Artisans have a monthly challenge.  The July Challenge  by Jenny of A Bird in the Hand Art is about Summer Lovin'.  We were to do anything summer-related, love-related, GREASE (the movie) related.  I did a Grease post on Friday that you might like to see, but knew that I needed to come up with a completed project.

I finally came up with a new pillow cover design for my primitive wholesale line.  It sports quilted lace trimmed hearts on a muslin background.

I have embroidered some little french knots and a dashed outline stitch around the perimeter.  The muslin was then frayed for the primitive look and attached to a homespun fabric.  

The pillow cover is finished with buttons for easy closure from either end.

This pillow will be offered as part of my wholesale line for primitive ad country shops.  Wish me luck!

 Other team members' challenge pieces can be seen in this BBA post.    

Please visit. Thanks!