Quick-to-Quilt Pillow with Embroidery and Applique

 I am not really a quilter...but I dabble in it and one snowy afternoon this winter, I made an easy little patchwork quilted pillow.

Isn't it cute? I got the idea from Quilting Arts on PBS, but then I kind of did my own thing. The basic concept of cutting the fabric into strips, sewing, and then the quick cutting and piecing really works though. Fast!

You just measure and cut your strips, then sew them together. Easy peezy lemon squeezy! First cut six 16X2-1/2 inch strips. You will need six different fabrics. Lay your cut strips in the order you want, and sew together with a quarter-inch seam allowance.

Cut one 2-1/2 inch strip to use in the construction of the block. Take the remaining piece and fold the right sides together and sew. Now for the part you might not like - getting out your seam ripper! No really, this is healthy! We all need a better relationship with our seam rippers. You will cut 2-1/2 inch strips and use your seam ripper to undo each section on a strip that will then coordinate to make the new block with the variegated step look. You're going to realize how fast and easy this is.

 Continue sewing your strips together and you will have a finished 12-inch patchwork square in no time. I can't want to make another one with some actual fat quarters, since I just grabbed some fabric scraps to do this one.

So I admit, I'm not a practiced quilter and my square of matched-up strips did not turn out perfect - and yet I love it! It's a little wonky, but loveable. So now came the fun part. I cut strips of light fabric for the sides, did some diecut hearts using the same fabrics from the patchwork, and then appliqued the hearts. 

After that, I did a little doodle stitching embroidery and added some words--Bliss, Joy, and Peace. Love this part!

Then I was ready to make my quilt sandwich. I went to the sewing machine and simply stitched around all the squares, and added stippling around the border. I still had the applique foot on my machine--since this project I've actually ordered a quilting foot, because I want to do more machine quilting now. Fun!

I sewed on the back with right sides together, turned it out, stuffed it, whip stitched it closed, and I had my first handmade quilted pillow. My mom would have been proud. ♥

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Quilt