Pillow Covers

I showed the pillow covers in the previous post but thought 

I would talk a little about them and show some close up photos too.

I was struggling with what exactly to make.  

I happened to find some amazing trim that was in the clearance section of JAF and thought it would be fun to use that on a gray background.  

I happened to have some sparkly linen that was the perfect background for this!

I did stitching in-between each row of trim and just stitched the trim down.  

Pretty basic.

The next one I found this amazing sheer, rosette fabric.  

I knew as soon as I saw it that it would make a great pillow cover, again without a lot of work.  

I did put it on a lining of plain gray fabric prior to making the pillow cover.  

I used fabric for the back that said "Made with love". 

 I really like how it turned out.

I bought half a yard of the rosette fabric and it was actually enough to get 2 pillow covers out of.  

I have not made the second one yet, but plan to do that and keep it for myself!

This gives you an idea of the size.  If I remember this one was 20".

The other one (that she is holding upside down) is 24"

Then I new that I had to make some that were a little more complex.  

I was thinking that they wanted me to stick with their gray and white theme but she kept showing me pillow covers with lots of teal so I determined that I would add some teal to the next one.  

I love the circle of geese pattern and since I have been honing my FPP skills, 

this pattern now goes MUCH more quickly.

 I didn't think to take process photos so this is the closest I come to those.  

I wanted the geese to be in a gradient and I think it is pretty well a gradient look.

It needed something additional to make it over the top.  

I decided to get some pearl cotton and hand quilt around the geese and then around the whole thing.  

I am not a fast hand quilter.  

This little pillow took me over 3 hours!  

That was using these chunky stitches too.

I have to say that I love the look of it though.  

This is the sandwiched top when I was finished quilting it, before I pressed it.

Here is the whole pillow cover all finished and ready to be stuffed.  This finished at 18".

I had been working on an embroidery for some time off and on.  

I was not sure what I would actually do with it once done except knew it would go to my daughter, the fisheries biologist.  

I scrambled to get it finished and make it into a pillow cover. 

 This is the finished embroidery prior to doing anything else with it.  

I LOVE this so much!!

Next up was to find some fabric to border the embroidery with.  

I had this cool raindrop fabric in my stash and it was perfect.  

This is actually the back of the cover too (in this photo)

I struggled to decide how to quilt the top but settled on circles.  

It's like when a drop falls into water it makes rings.  

I decided I would use that theme for the pillow cover too.  

I then added some hand quilting around the embroidery to help it stand out.  

I used a variegated floss for this.  

This is a photo of the finished  pillow cover front.

It was my favorite of all 4 of the pillows.  This also finished at 18".

Side by side finished covers.

I think she loved this.  Look at her friend, Amy's face in this photo.  I love that girl too.

They seemed pretty pleased with these.

Now I flew down to NC so how to get the pillow forms there?  

I was not certain I could buy the sizes I wanted while there so I went on the JAF website and ordered the sizes I needed and had them sent to her house with my name on the box.  

I told her not to open the box.  

When I arrived I put the covers on the pillows.

I had bought some blue fish fabric and wanted to make one more cover, but feared I was out of time.  As it turned out, I packed more quickly than I thought I would and had a bit of time. 

 I decided to whip up the last cover (the night before I was flying out), 

sadly it would not have a pillow form.

I used a light gray stripe for front and back then the fish fabric for the bow.  

I have to send a form there this week so they can fill the cover with a pillow.

All and all I am super happy with how all of these came out.  

I might do a few things differently in the future of pillow cover making but I really like all of these.

~XOP~

Bridal Shower

My hubby and I went to a couples shower for a friend of my son's that is getting married in October.  They have been friends since second grade when they played football together.  

His mom and I became really good friends too. 

It was a beautiful Michigan summer night and we had a lot of fun.

I decided that we need to take more pictures of the people in our lives so you will have to suffer my "selfies" when I don't have someone to help me take a photo. 

I got hubby to sit still for a photo.

Then I wanted one of Terry and I together. 

I sure miss this woman!  

Our lives seem to always be going in opposite directions and now with her hubby retiring in the fall they will be traveling even more!

I made these towels for the shower.

I wanted to make some dish towels, but could not decide on a color.

Then it hit me.

They are big Lion's fans so Lions it was!

I think they turned out GREAT and they kids loved them too.  

Stop back tomorrow to see the latest quilt I have been working on.  

I am so close to having it finished and ready to send to the quilter!!

~XOP~

Look at That Face!

I finished the first top portion of one of the trivets.  Isn't she great??

Definitely a WIP at this point.  Stay tuned.  Don't forget to go over to 52 Quilters and visit!

Linking up with Let's Bee Social.

~XOP~

A Quick Post

Don't forget to come and visit me at the 52 Quilters blog this week.  

Most of my posts will be over there.  

Last night I was working on a trivet to go with the oven mitts

 I made for the bridal shower next weekend.  

I was playing with my fabrics and thought I would share.  

Pop over to 52 Quilter's tomorrow to see what I ended up choosing.

Here are the two faces together.

Happy sewing!

~XOP~

Some More Finishes

I have managed to finish up a few more things for the upcoming bridal shower.  

I had decided that I wanted to make 4 embroidered towels, some oven mitts 

and an etched baking dish. 

 I finished the oven mitts and the 4 towels.  

I could not be happier with how these turned out!  

The oven mitts are adorable too.

I think I want to make some of those paper pieced trivets that I made one Christmas, to go with these.

I will need to look for some embroidery for the centers.  

Maybe some anthropomorphized veggies?  Maybe more dishes?  

I'm not sure just yet.

If I have time I would love to make a set of coasters to match these mitts.

Oh those faces!

Have a great weekend and a heads up that I will be taking over the 52 quilters Instagram/Blog and Twitter next week, so if you follow them please stop in and say HI to me!

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts

Have a great weekend!

~XOP~

WIP Wednesday

I have several things going right now.  

I'm working on some bridal shower gifts and 

trying to get my The Splendid Sampler blocks caught up.  

I spent a lot of time on this paper pieced block on Saturday 

(when I should have been in the garden weeding)

I think the resultant block turned out well though!

Hubby and son were out fishing on Saturday and since he does most of the cooking I decided to cook.  I made some chicken pot pie. 

 I use broccoli as my kids don't like peas.  

Kicker is that they are no longer at home and hubby likes peas better, but I love the broccoli!  

I decided to embroider some "Kitchy" kitchen towels for the bridal shower as part of my gift.  

I did get this one teapot finished, but have 3 more to do.  

There are black stripes down each side of the towels. 

 Their kitchen theme seemed to be black and white, so I thought these would be fun!

I also madea pair of oven mitts.  I love that the dots have faces!

I lined the mitts with white polka dots on black, so cute!

I also got the last round of my bee blocks finished.  So I guess that is not a WIP but the bee is a constant WIP!

Now I just need time to finish the embroidery on the last towels.

Quilt Fox Face quilt for the next baby.

Assemble the Little Birdie quilt and get that quilted.

Just a few balls in the air.

Linking to Let's Bee Social

~XOP~

Bee Blocks and A Couple of Finishes

I have been working on wedding shower gifts and managed to finish up 2 oven mitts and 2 pot holders.  I am totally in love with the oven mitts.  Even though I broke my sewing machine while working on them (not their fault)

I adore how the pot holders turn out but

Putting the bias binding on these is difficult and every time I do it I remember how much I dislike it!

Autumn was being really odd while I was trying to make bee blocks last night.  Doesn't she look goofy here??

These bee blocks were super easy and turned out great!  You can find the pattern here if you want to make some too.

 Just lounging by the machine. 

"I is helping"

Now I need to send these in the mail and my December bee commitment is finished.

I am well on the way to having all the bridal shower gifts ready too.

On to finish up the wedding quilt, oh and get all the Christmas things out.

~XOP~