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Sunday, December 9, 2018

Secret Santa :: Pillow Reveal

It took a while for me to figure out what design I would choose for my Secret Santa Swap pillows, but once I did there was no holding me back!  I was excited when my partner requested pillow covers, and that one of their fabric loves was saturated solids.  That I knew I could work with!

'GEESE CROSSING' PILLOW COVERS
18" x 18"
I searched for the right design, that perfect 18" block that would make a big impression and wow the recipient.  When I came across this paper pieced pattern:  'Geese Crossing' designed by Three Owls Handmade on Craftsy, I knew it was the one!  



That was the easy part!  We all know that choosing the right fabric can sometimes be the real challenge!  

When I saw my stack of peppered cottons...I knew they would be perfect for the design.  If you aren't familiar with shot cottons, the big draw is the depth of the colors.  They are woven with two thread colors:  the warp & weft.  

Debating on background choices proved to be difficult.  In the end I went with a warm gray of Kona Haze.  I had plenty yardage on hand for the front and back panels.  I wasn't going to take a chance on being short of fabric!



After deciding color placement, I started with the arguably easiest pieces, flying geese and a square-in-a-square.  At this point I was reminded why I love paper piecing!  I'm not sure I would have been able to get those points so perfect any other way!  



Next up were the corner blocks.  I began by making one square, measuring and writing down the width and length of each piece needed for the sections.  Then when it's time to sew, I can grab the piece I need for the sections and not have to worry each time if I cut the right size.  It makes the process much more pleasant, easier and faster!



Once the front panels were pieced, I contemplated how I should quilt them.  It didn't take long before I came to the conclusion that simple was better in this case.  So I grabbed some coordinating thread and mapped out my moves!



Delightful big blocks!



I'm shocked that I was able to stick to my guns and keep it simple!  After I finished quilting to this point, I wanted to do more!  



I thought about quilting something in the Haze background fabric, but restrained myself!  It was just as it should be and anymore would be too much. 



The back of the panels show the design much better than the front can.  



And this close up shows the thread colors.  I'm very pleased and happy with how they turned out. 

I made hidden zipper backs for each pillow, gave a good pressing and wrapped them up with a couple days to spare before our guild's holiday party!  I knew I'd get my secret gift finished in time, it just took longer to come up with a plan than I would have liked.  



The party was yesterday and was a fun and rousing event!  Plenty of food, chit chatting, and as always fun!  My partner loved her pillows and 'oh what a relief it was'!  Stress melts away afterwards and you realize it was all worth it!  

Now to focus on the next part of the holiday season...shopping!  ARGH!  Who else doesn't like to shop?!  

LINKING:

23 comments:

  1. Wow!! Those are bold and beautiful, Jayne. SEW generous of you to make TWO pillows!

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  2. This is stunning: the fabrics perfect and your quilting proves "less is more"!

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    1. I love how they turned out and couldn’t be happier with the light quilting I went with!

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  3. The pillows are awesome, Jayne. I think you settled on just the right amount of quilting. :)

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    1. I love how they turned out from design to quilting! I’m so addicted to paper piecing and enjoy every thing about it!

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  4. That pattern was a great idea, and turned into such beautiful pillows! Hope your swap partner loved them! My quilt group has a gift exchange this week, and a pillow is what I'm making, too. Just need to get it finished up!

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    1. I was so happy when I found and settled on this pattern! It’s the perfect size and even though it had a lot of pieces, it was straight forward paper piecing and so much fun! I hope you get your pillow finished…I’m sure you will in plenty of time!

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  5. How wonderful these are, you swap partner must be thrilled dot have something which matches her loves so much. x

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  6. Who wouldn't like to receive those beauties! Now I want to toss all the other things I need to do and go make one! Haha. Another great project, Jayne!

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  7. Who wouldn't want to receive such a fabulous gift! Love the shot cottons, they are perfect for this bold and beautiful design :)

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  8. That's so pretty~ I really like those long flying geese.

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  9. I agree with Louise - Who wouldn't want those gorgeous pillow. Your color placement was spot on. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!

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  10. Those pillow covers are perfect! The pattern, fabrics, and quilting add up to a fantastic gift. Nadine W. N. Cali (I love shopping by the way.....just need to have someone willing to go with me and go to store after store after store. Not Mike's idea of fun, though.)

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  11. What a fun pattern! It turned out so pretty.

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  12. Awesome!! These are amazing pillows. This is a great pattern, and your colour choices were perfect.

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  13. Beautiful pillow tops. The quilting certainly complements the pattern and the colors are so beautiful. A match made in heaven...you and your partner!!

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  14. Absolutely stunning! You made TWO?!?

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    1. I’ve been addicted to paper piecing lately! Yes, I made two each with a hidden zipper backing!

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  15. These are so fantastic! They are definitely going on my to-do list! What a great gift!

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  16. That's a pillow with a lot of "wow" factor!

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  17. I just Love flying geese and this is fantastic, love the echo effect and how it pops!

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