Pillow Talk

Well...Hello there!  It has been a while.  I seem to have lost control of my life these past few weeks.  Extra jobs, extra homework, extra tired. 
Last week was spring break and I actually got some sewing done!  So I will have some things to blog about as soon as I take some photos. 
That being said - this is a picture heavy post. 
Apparently I love making pillows.  Who wouldn't they are quick and pretty.   And who doesn't love a little instant satisfaction? 
Over the past year or so I have made several pillow covers for my couch, but none for my bed.  I decided to remedy that.

 SO much fun.  I mean I cannot tell you how much I just stared at that pillow.  I was so proud.  Took no time and I still loved it. 
But it looked super lonely sitting all by it's self up there. 
So I decided it must need friends:

Like a little pillow family! 

Well that's enough pillow talk...next week I'll show off my finished baby quilt. 

XOXO
 - Katelyn

Wonky Practice

So I mentioned several weeks ago that I wanted to make the Sparkle Punch quilt (you can read that post here).  The pattern mentions practicing the wonky stars first, if you have never done anything wonky before.  Well, I hadn't.  But I couldn't just practice. 
I got out some red and green fabrics from my stash, some cream solid I had been given, and I got to work.  It was so much fun seeing the stars come together.  I ended up chain piecing after sewing the first few stars individually and the process was so much faster.  I made it into a pillow cover to replace my cathedral window cover for the holidays.  I made the envelope back out of the green I had left over from my mother's quilt.  And let me tell you - that stuff just keeps on giving.  It's like magic, or dust - I always find more, even when I think I have gotten rid of used the last of it.

 Fabrics: Mostly Moda Oh Deer, 1 Moda Joy in green (top right), 1 Heather Bailey in Green (middle left), Riley Blake - red with apple (middle right), and Moda Basic Grey PB&J (bottom right). 

The picture of the back didn't seem to want to take without a flash.  But my favorite star uses this print too:

Looks totally different, right?  This is what the green looks like in person.
I love this star - cutting that red and white on the bias, just made it!!
It was also so nice to get to practice my free motion skills on this pillow cover.  I need all the practice I can get.  But it is so difficult for me to take the time to do that.  I always feel like I should be making something.  So I have decided I am just going to go for it.  My quilts will have my quilting on them - even if I don't like it.  lol

Looks good with my newest pillow acquisition, right?

Now I just need to finish my the Christmas quilt I have been working on...but it is not looking like that will happen before Christmas since the backing fabric has still not been shipped.  Can you believe it is only 15 days till Christmas?!?!?!  I am so excited and freaking out at the same time! 

XOXO - Katelyn

Holidays are here again....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  I mean the trees are up... yes trees (there are two minis, one 4ft, and one 9ft).  They all have lights, and no ornaments.  opps.  I'll get to it.  promise.
I have many WIP still...and all of them have to be done by Christmas.  I see all of these people on Instagram excited to begin their Christmas sewing and I feel so slow.  I've been working on mine forever.  lol.
Last year I literally worked until my family walked in the door.  I did, however, get the stockings completed for my sister's children.

And the year before that I didn't finish my mother's quilt until February...
This year I have goals.  Grand plans.  I have two completed quilt tops (to be blogged later), one one more top to finish, then I need to quilt all three.  Though...I only have the backing for the one I'm not done with yet.  Curse JoAnn's and them putting their fabric on horrible sale when I have a way better coupon.  I have four stockings down, two more to go.  Then I have some fun scarves to make for holiday gifts.

But I did finish one of my projects and gave it away already.  I am a member of the Memphis Area Modern Quilt Guild and we had a meeting (and holiday swap) last weekend.  I made a Christmas themed mug rug:

 

*Please ignore the mess...I should have cleaned.  but I am trying to create instead. ;)

I wanted to make it reversible and practice my FMQ at the same time.  I love it.  The mustache tree was SO MUCH FUN!  I used the Silhouette Cameo to cut out the different sized mustaches and star from my fabric (backed first in the silhouette sewable interfacing).  Then I appliqued them on using a zig-zag stitch. 
I want to make something else using that technique now... what, I don't know. 

Then at the swap (dirty santa style - there was stealing) I ended up with this beauty:

Jenny made it - those tiny Postage stamp sized greens really make the pillow extra fabulous!!

Sorry the pictures aren't so lovely.  It is rainy/icy and pretty gloomy here.  But that just means more time for sewing, right?

Well, after next week's final...Dum, dum, dum.

Have yall finished your Christmas decorating, making, and gift giving?

XOXOX- Katelyn

Cathedral Window Pillow

 A couple of years ago I made my first quilt.  I will keep it, never give it away, love its many flaws, yada yada yada. 
I decided to make a pillow cover for this giant pillow that sits on my couch.  I had several fat quarters left over from my first quilt and thought it would be great if they matched. 

I pinned a Moda Bakeshop pillow cover tutorial, about two years ago, and knew it would be perfect.  It is a Cathedral Window tutorial, but with the "petals" filled in too.
  I really had no idea how much fabric it would take.  Just for one of the little white squares it is 10inx10in.  That is a bunch.  Especially since when you fold/iron it all down it ends up being a 4in square.  But it wasn't so difficult as it was time consuming. 

I posted my progress on instagram:

one square

All 16 squares Sewn together

first attempts...starting to look like something

Pillow top completed...just needed the envelope backing

The messurments for the envelope back of the pillow cover were a bit off.  I think I will have to find a better tutorial.  I actually may have one pinned.  Ooops. 

Please, forgive the wrinkled slip-cover

The cover is a little big, but I still love it.  Sometimes I look at it and I can't believe that I did that.  Though, I may never do this particular project again...Lol. ;)


I am always wanting to learn new things, when it comes to sewing.  I have a Quilting TO DO List a mile long.  And I am so happy that I get to mark one of my projects off the list.


Have you marked anything off your list lately?

 -Katelyn