Modern She Made

The Modern She Made Swap is underway on Flickr and I have now made the finishing touches on my partner's pillow.

I started with the idea of using a traditional block, Jacob's coat, in my partner's requested colors and linen.

(We have to incorporate a circle somewhere in the project, hence the block selection). It was well received, but once I  decided on the size, traced, cut, ironed, turned edges, used glue (yup, a first for me), basted and then hand sewed the pieces to the linen background, it still seemed to be missing something.

So, being someone more daring in my quilting life than in person, I shrunk the petal size by 50%, and repeated the whole process adding a secondary layer to the pattern. I finished the "block" by adding a central hexi and coordinating hand stitching.

Variegated teal embroidery floss
Central hexi

Hand stitching detail

More hand stitching

 By the time I was "done", it didn't feel much like a Jacob (coat or any article of clothing for that matter), to me anymore. It's more like Jacqueline (the feminine of Jacques which is the French form of Jacob). A touch of French influence might also have something to do with the fact that I spent a delightful several hours at the YSL exhibit at the Denver Art Museum with a friend on Friday. Leave it to the French to add drama and a large dose of flair to just about everything.

So, without further adieu……may I present Jacqueline……..

Jacqueline, (modification of Jacob's Coat quilt block)
12 individual quilting cottons in teal, aqua, yellows and greens backed in natural linen
finished size about 20" x 20"

boxed corners

Hand stitching close-up, tres chic.

Central Hexi, with what else…. French knots!

The back
I used the remaining half scale "petals" and did a modified Orange Peel Block (also circular) on the back
The design mimics the fabric, just on a grander scale (oooh la la)
Hand stitching details in the linen portion of the Orange Peel Block

So, partner, I lacked an appropriate pillow form for this beauty BUT a regular rectangular bed pillow stuffed inside makes an adequate substitute. I sure hope you like it. My fingers are sore from all that hand sewing but I sure did have beaucoup fun making it for you!