Goodmorning to you all!
I am looking forward to a birthday party this evening. I have not decided what to wear 😉 but the present for the Birthday Girl Nadja is finished! Yeeha! I just have to wrap it up… but first I will show you how I made this little pillow. Nadja wanted a nice cushion cover for her favorite little pillow she uses at her office, so I grabbed all fabrics blue and green as these are the colours she requested.
I worked with a paper piecing pattern of mine called DAZZLE. I was not planning on writing the pdf for this pattern this month, but I may change my mind about which pattern to write up next week. In my April-to-do-list I mentioned a pattern called Blurry, but I might switch these around. You will see whatever I have decided next week or so!
But first I will show you many pictures of the gift making, starting with the first paper piecing parts! Enjoy!
As the pillow is rectangular instead of square, I opted for an asymmetrical layout of the star/flower. (I am still debating what to call this: star or flower. What do you think?)
I drew some lines with a water soluble pen made by a company called Prym. I found this pen at my regular fabric store close to work. The lines are light blue.
I echo quilted around the star, one and a half inches from the star/flower. After that I “tested” the pillow on the pilow form to see what it looked like and come up with an idea for the FMQ I wanted to do.
As I wanted to get more practice with pebbling… that ‘s what I did! 😉
Finished with the quilting! Phew!!!
I used a slightly darker colour thread for the quilting because Nadja has a lovely soft brown-golden flowery wallpaper in her office. I thought this thread would tie in with that!
On the back I added two “flaps”, so inserting the pillow would be easy. I used a thick fabric that was a remnant of something at the fabric store. It is very strong and does not stretch. I like that!
Here are some close ups! And some pics of the binding!
Now I only have to decide on what wrapping paper to use, LOL! OHW, do I really want to give this “dazzling” pillow away? 😉
I am linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Creations Quilts Art… Whatever, Richard and Tanya Quilts!
I hope you have a great day too!
Esther
ipatchandquilt 
Good Morning Esther:
Your latest creation is absolutely gorgeous. The first word that came to my mind when I saw the pattern was “star burst”! It could also be any other name relating to a star. I just love the combination of your quilting skills .. the pebbling and the FMQ.. am sure that Nadja will be totally thrilled to receive this. Have fun at the party.
Annie
Ha ha, maybe a rename is in order? Hugs and kisses
Esther
I really like the stitching on this – it creates so much texture!
Hi Nina-Marie!
Yeah, I agree! 😉 I am glad that I did not stop after the echo quilting! It looks so much coller know.
Esther
Beautiful!
Thank you for the lovely compliment!
Esther
Beautiful design, colours and quilting….perfect 🙂
Thanks a lot!
Esther
Thanks for sharing the whole sewing process. The foto-finish is fabulous! And I love your quilting!
Hi Elisabeth! I saw you already looked at my flickr-page! Thank you for commenting on my blog too! I like showing the whole process, as that is what I get the biggest kick out off myself –> Looking at other people work and than deciding on how I would tackle a project like that, or be inspired to do something similar! That is how we learn right?
Lots of love!
Esther
Thank you for stopping by my blog and sharing your thoughts. I couldn’t resist visiting you. Wow! Wonderful pillow. And thanks for the detailed how-to posting on making it. I’m a process nut myself!
Hi Franki!
Wow, nice to meet another “process nut”! 😉
I hope you are having a great weekend!
Bye bye
Esther
This is lovely! I just discovered foundational paper piecing and can now understand how this is accomplished. There is much artistry in this!
HI Nancy!
How nice of you to visit my blog! Thank you for the compliment also!
Esther
That is absolutely beautiful! I love it – the piecing and the quilting. Great job!
Thank you Lisa! Hope you are having a great weekend!
Esther
The blocks is great and I would vote for calling it a “flower”. The way you offset the block is great and the quilting is a great complement to the piecing. This is a gorgeous pillow.
Hi you! OK, flower it is than! 🙂
Thanks for the compliment!
Esther
The pillow is stunning – love the piecing, colors and quilting…….great job, you should be very proud of this project!
Thank you CJ! It was difficult to give this pillow away, actually. I might do one again next month….just for myself! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by at my blog. Hope to meet you again soon!
Esther
Wow that is stunning. I am blown away. What tiny piecing and the FMQ is amazing – I must try harder to do some as the result is incredible
Thank you Karen! 🙂
Esther
what a lovely quilted gift!
as I have more fabric than I can possibly use in this lifetime, I wrap my gifts in it! sometimes I make a bag….yielding 2 gifst in one!( and no trees harmed.)
thanks for sharing process as well!
Be well!
Hi Sonja! What a great idea to use fabric to wrap gifts. My stash is not that big yet! 🙂
Esther
Ooh, this is just fantastic. I love using solids, though, I don’t think I’ve done a project with *just* solids. The quilting really sets it off!
I think it should be called “Starflower”. It’s just stunning!
Hi Julie! LOL, that might just be the answer to the flower/star “problem”! Just use both names! 🙂 everybody happy! Thank you for visiting my blog!
Esther
Lovely lovely pillow and the pattern is great as well, in my fav colours as well. by the way you pebble like a pro!!!
Hi Michelle, 🙂 this pebbling might me a run of “quilters luck” I seem to be having these last few weeks! Might show you in another post what i mean with that!
Bye!
Esther
esther thanks for your sweet comment on my blog! you know i can’t decide which i love more . .the starflower (as someone above put it) or the quilting? UHH-Mazing!! i’m still new to FMQ . .it almost overwhelms me . .i wouldn’t even know where to begin? beautiful job!
Hi Whitney! I was afraid of the FMQ too and the sewing machine I had on lend would not lower the feed dogs (or change the stich lenght to 0) , so FMQ was not possible. Later when I got my grandmothers ’60 Pfaff, it came with a little box full of different feet! Luckily there was also a manuel, so I could understand how all these little pieces of metal would have to be placed in and on the machine. Well, than I just grabbed some scraps of batting and fabric and just gave it a go… and it worked! So much fun!!! I started out just playing with it, just for laughs! 😉 Please do give it a try! Even if you discover you need more practice, at least you know it is doable!
I watched some Leah Day videos on YouTube. Very instructive! I believe there are many of that type of videos around. And just help yourself out a bit: draw some lines on the fabric and see if you can follow those… curvy lines I would advise! Straight lines are still difficult for me without a walking foot.
Good luck… and let me know how it went! Always interested to read/see what others have learned!
Esther
WOWeeeeee, Esther – what fabulous work. I love it, you clever lady you 🙂
SMILING BIG TIME!!!….Thanks….
Esther
Stunning Esther!! Lovin’ your pillow – wow!! I hope to inspire to this one day. I love the colours that you worked with. 🙂 It’s beautiful!!
Hi Shauna! Nice to meet you! Thank you for your visit and the terrific compliment!
Esther
That’s gorgeous. I love the design and the colors in this one. Not to mention the creative stitching. Beautiful!
Hi Alia! These are some of my favorite colurs too. i use them a lot…. Oh my, I just bought a sewing machine that has so many cute stitches on it… And I dont’t know what to say about the FMQ on this beauty….gorgeous! So many more of these projects will be coming upin the future! Hope to see you again!
Esther
Stunning! I love the design and your fabric choices and your quilting and… well, I think you get the picture! ;o) I LOVE IT! What a beautiful pillow! The recipient will be over the moon when she receives it.
Hi Katherine. Well yes, Nadja was a really happy with it. 🙂 She showed it to all of the other guests (at the birthday party) too! Everyone was very impressed. I am so happy I could make such a gift for such a special friend!
Esther
It’s beautiful! And your quilting is amazing!
Hi Heather.
So nice to meet you! Thank you for the compliment!
Esther
What a great project – it sure is dazzling! Your quilting makes it extra special.
Thank you Frances!
So nice to meet you!
Esther
This is brilliant…U my dear are quite an advanced free-motion quilter..awesome
Hi Diane! I don’t know about advanced… Might have choosen patterns to work with that are not too big. I am working on a very old home sewing machine. It is perfect for FMQ and even though the throat is bigger than with most other machines, I still find bigger shapes difficult. So i keep it relatively small. And I “audition” patterns… So if it doesn’t work on this machine and my hands and arms can not handle it…. It is out the window! 🙂
I love your “starflower” pillow, I think the pebbling is amazing.
I am only starting with patchwork (I haven’t made anything yet) it will be a long time before i can do anything like that.
Hi Fiona! I started too with looking at other peoples work! Learning to decide what you like and don’t like! Figuring out how things work and such! Love the internet!
Esther
Love, love, love it! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Cathy, I hope you have a great day!
Esther
OH MY! So fresh and beautiful. LOVE the quilting on it (and the piecing, of course.) When I grow up I want to be able to quilt like you! 🙂 Congrats on your finish. The pebbling is awesome!
Kathy, hi hi.. When you grow up? That is my line! 😉
Esther
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