hedgehog parade

Here is my hedgehog parade :

Christmas is coming quickly. This year I am going to spend the festive season with my Mum in Prague. As I have 5 kids in the family, I was thinking about some sewn presents for them. Two years ago I made these pillow covers : birds and planes. This year I came over a wonderful hedgehog pattern for a pillow cover or a quilt by Elizabeth Hartman.

So here I am – sewing 5 little hedgehogs for the kids. The pattern is very clear and all steps are well explained. I have followed the color palette suggestion in the pattern. This time I got out my stash box with all the solids. I am happy how the hedgehogs turned out – gloriously colorful and bright!

All pillow covers are free-motion quilted, each with a color matching thread. I have used different quilting threads from my stock : Mettler – Quilting Cotton 40/3, Cotton Patch – Cotty 40/3, Superior Threads – King Tut 40/3 and Gutermann – Sulky 30.

The backing fabric I have bought some time ago. It has in the pattern all the colors I have used for the hedgehogs. All pillow covers have zippers on the back – here a quick and easy to follow tutorial by Riley Blake Designs.

Happy quilting, have wonderful weekend, Barbora

table runner for andrea and doris

Nov24

When Andrea came to visit us this summer, she had brought some fabrics with her to sew a pillow cover for her sofa. There was enough material left over to make a table runner. I came over this pattern for a table runner and coasters by Laura Jane Taylor called ModernGeometrics and I really liked it.

I made 8 blocks with flying geese as in the pattern but at the end I went for a different layout of the blocks. Once more I quilted this table runner in straight lines following the pattern with the walking foot.

Table runner for Andrea

Size : 12,5″ x 48″ / 32 x 122 cm

The other table runner I made is for my sister-in-law. She likes bright colors and this table runner brings colour on her kitchen table. I have used a variety of Kaffe Fassett fabrics from my stash. To cut the fabrics I have finally made use of the Hex N More ruler from Jaybird Quilts. The pattern is like Tiny Dancer, but to finish each block I have used two different fabric patterns.

It was a pleasure to piece this table runner, all seams came well together and have matching points. This time I decided to get out the quilting foot and practice some free-motion quilting.

Table runner for Doris

Size : 16″ x 36″ / 40 x 92 cm

Thanks for stopping and reading, have a wonderful day, Barbora

waves on horizon – a bento box baby quilt

Aug27

Finally a finished quilt! I had this baby quilt top some time on my to-do list. I have used jelly roll strips from the Horizon collection by Kate Spain. The quilt design is with bento box blocks, here a pattern for a table runner bento box. I have pieced 12 blocks to make this quilt that is ideal for a baby or toddler. As the blocks are so square I decided to give the quilt a finishing touch with waves. I call the quilting design free-style waves – using the walking foot but with some deliberate movements in the wave design. The binding is in solid lime.

Quilt size : 36″ x 48″

Block size : 12″ x 12″ bento box

Quilting thread : COTTY Cotton Thread Key Lime Variegated 30wt, 9343-4017

Until next time, happy sewing, Barbora

feather picture and knitted pillow covers

Aug2

This is my very first feather block I made. Today I have added binding and 2 triangles as holders to the back so that I can hang it up in my sewing room.

I have also finished one position from my UFO-list. The knitted pillow covers sat for some time on the shelf as I knitted them already in the winter. I have lined them with muslin and made an envelope closure.

Have a wonderful August, thanks for stopping and happy quilting, Barbora

feathers and pebbles

Jul26

Even though I have tried not to start any new project and finish all the UFOs I have on stock, I could not resist to try paper piecing. I wanted to make some pillow covers for a good friend of mine. It is Mary’s birthday end of this month. I thought it was time to try out a pattern I had for some time on my mind : Feather Bed Quilt by Anna Maria Horner. I must admit I really enjoyed working on this project. The block with 2 feathers is 18″ x 18″ finished and it makes an ideal size for pillows.

When I thought how to quilt the pillow covers I gathered that free motion quilting is the only choice. I copied the shape of the feathers with a brownish thread and went for a pebble pattern for the background. As I haven’t done free motion quilting for some I changed my piecing foot to a free motion foot and started practicing on some scraps. I am happy with the result, free motion quilting requires a lot of practice. I have some days off in August and practicing free motion quilting will be on the top of my agenda.

Here the 2 different pillow covers :