Thursday, June 12, 2014

A Pair of Pillows : :

A Pair of Pillows!

I really want to spend more time sewing with Haila this Summer! Since she received her very own Janome back in December we've only had a few sewing sessions where she's made two quilted pillows and a strand of wool felt heart garland, with my help. For us, making pillows has been the perfect simple project! It's a wonderful way to get acquainted with a sewing machine, to learn basic construction, seam allowance, both the straight and zigzag stitch, straight-line quilting, the double-fold hem, etc. To keep things extra easy the first two pillow projects were both whole cloth. I simply asked Haila to choose a fat quarter from my stash in a print that she would love to see turned into a pillow. Watching her sew up that first one was magical for the both of us!

Sara Lawson Sew Sweetness blogger and new Limited Addition designer for Art Gallery Fabrics, recently reached out to me and asked if I'd like to choose some fabrics from her first collection Jungle Ave to use in a sewing project and to share here on my blog. At first look I thought I'd finally stitch up the quick tote bag I've been meaning to make for weeks now. But when the fabrics arrived the bright colors & fun prints I had selected caught Haila's eye and she's been asking if we could share them!

So, on my birthday I reserved just a couple of hours in the late morning for her and I to turn these Jungle Ave. prints into a new pair of pillows!

A Pair of Jungle Ave Pillows

For mine, I wanted something super quilty! Just as I do in my Herringbone QAYG, I added strips on the diagonal to a cut piece of batting. This time I measured out each fabric strip needed to create my 12"x16" pillow front, creating a balanced pattern that I thought would really pop!

My Jungle Ave Pillow!

For the back I quilted my favorite Jungle Ave print, Floral Asphalt, to more batting scraps, finishing one raw edge with some left over quilt binding. I love finishing my pillows with a little binding!

Backed in Jungle Ave

For Haila's pillow, rather than beginning to work on piecing, I decided to teach her the same quilt as you go as I used to create my most recent quilt finish, my Endless Summer quilt. Using more batting scraps she simply worked her way down the narrow pieces, sewing down one fairly large piece of pretty fabric after the other until done. She did great!

Teaching Haila how to quilt as you go!

Haila's Jungle Ave QAYG 
pillow!

She finished her pillow with just a few quilt stitches on the pillow front and an easy envelope closer for the back!

Haila's QAYG Pillow!

Haila's Pillow Back

After this project, I think she's definitely ready to make those doll quilts on our list!

Haila's Pillow!

How about you, do you have any project suggestions for us to add to our Summer sewing list?

Maureen

22 comments:

  1. I agree she's ready for doll quilts. How fun!

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  2. My daughter is 11 now and she has started sewing with me! We make these stuffed animals from bitofwhimsydolls which we love doing together. She uses them as gifts for friends and family!:)

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    1. She gave the first two pillows that she made away. I'm happy she's keeping this one for herself, but know that making for others is what she'll be wanting to do most of the time. Making dolls is a great idea!

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  3. Pillowcase dress! Super easy and she can wear it to show off her work ;)

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  4. this is precious. that she would want to sew is so great. you are wonderful for teaching her and letting her be creative. I love both pillows especially yours with the binding.When my daughter was her age, I had her sewing an apron for herself, pillows for her bed, skirt, simple blouse, doll clothes, simple pot holder, etc.

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  5. How fun to sew with your daughter.

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  6. I love that you do this with her. She'll have these memories forever....not to mention getting something beautiful and tangible to hold onto!

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  7. She did a great job on the pillow. Ready for a t-shirt, skirt or shorts?

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  8. Aw that's so great - go Haila! How about a simple skirt - maybe double selvedge-to-selvedge so it's extra twirly? I've been working with my little gal on an Oliver + S Lazy Days Skirt (free on their site). :)

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  9. Beautiful, do you have a tutorial? Looks like a great project to start with my granddaughter.

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  10. Way to go Haila! Your pillow looks great!!!

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  11. Well done, Ladies! I can see this is going to be a very creative and fun summer!

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  12. Beautiful prints, great fabrics and color choices and, darn it, now I want pillows!

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  13. What beautiful pillows. I love the colour combinations. Great job, ladies :)

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  14. What cool looking pillows. I'm jealous. I could never get my daughter interested in sewing and still can't. But she enjoys the benefits when I sew for her. LOL

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