Quilt for Kate

 

Finished Quilt

     This past summer our daughter-in-law turned 40.  For her 30th birthday my son had sent out puzzle pieces for people to write on.  This year he decided to have me make a quilt for her.  He sent out fabric squares to family and friends.  He even included a postage paid envelope for them to return the square.

Our block

Her parent's block

     He wound up getting 32 blocks back, including his and those of their two little guys.  I found some fabric in my stash that worked well for the sashing.  He came by and we arranged the squares, opting to put in blank corner ones to keep it 6 x 6.  

Cross-stitch block

Appliqué block with sequins

     It was fun to see all the different techniques people used to decorate their square.  There was machine embroidery, photo transfers, cross-stitch, fabric pens and iron-on appliqués.  I sent my son photos of sashing and border sizes.  After putting it together, I then found some backing fabric in my stash.  He bought the binding fabric that worked out well for both the front and back fabrics.  

Quilting detail

     Took it to a quilter who did an amazing job working with all those different elements.  Then I did the labels and binding and had it done in time for her birthday.  Big thanks to my son for starting the project early so I had time to do my thing.

Label 1

Label 2

     I'm glad I was able to be part of this special gift.

Backing

Tooth Pillow for Sam

 

Tooth fairy pillow for my grandson

     I got a text from my daughter-in-law that said she had taken the kids to the dentist and it turned out Sam, the 5 year old, had some loose teeth.  She wanted to know if I could make him a tooth pillow like I did for his older brother.

Stitching the design

 

     I pulled up the design in my computer and added his name.  I then found some nice blue with stars fabric in my stash for the main part of the pillow.  The shorts are a denim scrap and the shirt is some t-shirt knit fabric I had left from other projects.  

Sewing the opening closed

     It took a couple of days for me to finish it and they came and picked it up that weekend.  About 9 days later, my son sent me a text with a picture of my grandson missing a tooth.  The pillow was going to be used that night.  So happy I can make things for my grandkids.

Ready for that loose tooth

Equipment Bag Pillow

 

Finished equipment bag pillow

     This pillow is from an old equipment bag.  This is for the same client that I made a pillow out of a library book bag.  We wanted to use the grommets in the pillow design.  There wasn't enough to put all the way around like a flange.  The next idea was to use them as a part of a pieced front.

Equipment bag

    The problem with that idea was that the grommets were very close to the top edge which meant I couldn't sew a seam there.  The final design was really a combination of the first two.  I pieced the grommet panel to the front but left the 'top' edge free.  I then cut the cord in half and re-wove it through the grommets, tacking it down at the top and bottom of the pillow front.  I lined the front and back pieces and made covered cord from the same black fabric that I had used on her other pillow.  

Front detail

     The back had a lapped zipper opening.  I just then sewed the front and back together, taking my time at the areas that were multiple layers of the canvas fabric.  I really like how this one turned out.

Pillow back