Leaping over hurdles

They're finished! Gosh, for once I am prepared in advance with grab bag gifts for a family Christmas exchange.
Mileage and firsts out of these:
□ started with found log-cabin blocks – recycle/reuse;
□ so the colors and prints were not of my choosing. My challenge was adding more prints - one of my goals for the year;
□ these were nos. 2 and 3 for machine quilting with a walking foot;
□ one was quilted with a twin needle - a first;
□ one I designed my own quilting lines - another first;
□ made and used freezer paper templates for circles and curves - first again;
□ used a variegated thread on one and a heavier thread weight on the other;

□ used Sharon Schamber's technique on one binding; and

□ Superior Threads fusible thread technique on the other. Both firsts.

These small projects were approachable and got me over a couple of big hurdles: machine quilting and finishing a project. Thanks to these, I was confident enough to quilt and finish a workshop piece now hanging in a guild show.

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!