All you'd want for xmas

My first two finished projects! Hurrah! For family grab bag gifts, I took a class at a LQS to make two no-fuss pillows.


First try: mauve and cream strips were too similar in width. Though mauve flowers do appear in the fabric, only a smidgen shows up in the center square.

Second try: made the mauve strip narrower. Proportions better? Most guys would probably say less pink is better.

Quilted the fish, leaves and fan by outlining with thread (that was scary!). Stitched in the ditch around the mauve and cream strips. But why bother when the finish product hardly shows any of this?

For the second top, used Patsy Thompson's trapunto technique http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_wgE74Mro4, but without the fancy thread painting. Except behind the fish and fan, there is no other batting - just the pillow itself. Not much difference, just better FMQ.

Maybe batting was not thick enough. Used Warm & Safe - light and flat http://www.warmcompany.com/. Would a loftier (polyester) batting make a difference? May go for pillow number 3.

One ended up larger than the other: 17" across and 17.5" (not counting the flange). With a 18" square pillow form, the former is stuffed whereas the corners on the latter don't quite fill out. I'm all for the stuffed sausage look.

These were not quite no-fuss, but I'm happy with them. A Merry Xmas to whoever gets one! And a Merry Xmas to all!