More x-factor pillows, Round 8: 2014

Round 8, still can't believe we've been at this for over a year. Each round gets a bit more interesting.
This past round was log cabins and text print- however you want to interpret that.
I grabbed my scrap bins and decided I'd keep making little wonky log cabins until I was done…. I cover a rainbow of colors, threw in a few text prints with pops of color and……. ended up with a grid-framed, wonky log cabin 9-patch-ish pillow top.

Front

 Stats:
"Log Cabin Grid Lock"
19 x 19" (finished size- fits a 20" pillow form)
100% quilting cottons, various scraps with Kona Snow, Charcoal, Chinese red and Curry solids.
Aurifil 100% Mako Cotton, 50 weight for piecing and quilting
Modified Bernina stitch for overall "wiggle quilting"
Fusible Pellon Battting (top only), with hidden zipper.

It's off to my secret partner. I was sad to see this one go!

Back

Back, hidden zipper

Front, wiggle quilting

Economical Economy Blocks

There are every where-  those Economy Blocks. And why not, they are fun, perfect for fussy cutting special fabrics and are easy to put together. But, I really didn't need another pile of small fussy cut fabrics. You see,  (insert confession here) I went a bit overboard with polaroid blocks. Debbie at A Quilters Table had such a wonderful idea and was hostess to a giant block swap, who was I to refuse???  So,  I cut and I cut, and I traded and I have a pile of whimsical blocks. (It's in my WIP 2014 pile- truly).  But I do love the simplicity of the Economy Bock and I really couldn't resist……...

Polaroid blocks on the left, 2.5" fussy cut squares on the right.

………..So…. I went to my pile of already cut polaroid center blocks, which are 2.5".  Using Red Pepper Quilt's wonderfully written tutorial, and adjusting the sizes for a 2.5" center, you can turn any 2.5" square of fabric into economy blocks. And if you're like me and have some jelly rolls lying around, you can economize even further, by using your stash, which is just what I did with some fun tone-on-tone chevron prints.

The details: follow this tutorial for construction of the blocks BUT cut your fabrics (or use already cut fabric) as follows:

       1-  2.5"  for the center square
       2- 2.5" squares for the inner triangles
       2- 3.5" squares for the outer triangles

Please follow all the directions for block construction  as per the tutorial with the following exceptions:
Step 4: trim block to 3.25 x 3.25 inches
Step 6: trim block to 4.25 x 4.25 inches (finished block size)

Voila! The Economical Economy Block, a bit smaller than her popular sister, but oh so nice none the less.

for Karoline, with a K

My niece knows her way around social media better than anyone I know. She's Karoline with a K.
She is also the owner of a new iPad and as much as Karoline know the ins and outs of communication, I've got a bit of a lead on the hand-made movement. So, when a new cover for the iPad was requested in pink and green…..

Front

Inside, front

Back

The nitty gritty:
iPad cover design and size modified from: http://www.westminsterfibers.com/pdf/kindlecasetutorial.pdf  (to accommodate the magnetic iPad cover for an iPad air and the front and back piecing).
100% cotton quilting fabrics: Kaufman Metro Circles, Denyse Schmidt, various others
100% cotton Aurifil thread, 50 wt.
Pellon fusible fleece batting and lightweight fusible interfacing (lining)
Grosgrain ribbon, moss
Green hair tie, Target
Orphan white button (front)

'Nough said.

Pillow Mania

I made a few pillows at the end of 2013 beginning of 2014. For me they are like mini quilts for the couch. The last in the great series of pillows is one I made for my father-in-law. He and I have a squirrel-thing. We have exchanged some ridiculous squirrel related items in the past. The new Charlie Harper fabric prints by Birch, seemed like just the opportunity to make another fun squirrel project.

Front

Front- I went with minimal quilting on this pillow

Back

 Stats:

"More Squirrel Shenanigans"

18 x 18" (shown with a 20" pillow form)

Birch Fabrics, Charlie Harper prints from Fancy Tiger Crafts, Denver

Hex-n-more ruler, Fancy Tiger Crafts, Denver

Aurifil 100% cotton thread for the piecing and quilting

Fusible Pellon fleece for the "batting"

Red zipper from zipit

I used my hex-n-more ruler to cut the triangles, and for the fun Seminole patchwork I had pieces left over from the Always Bee Learning Flickr Group from a few years back. The solid fabrics are Kona, Chinese red, Curry and Charcoal along with my favorite stand-by Snow. I fussy cut the front and used a big piece of the Birch fabric in the back. The red zipper is just another fun punch of color.