Welcome! Today it is my turn on the Christmas in July Blog Hop hosted by Melva at Melva Loves Scraps. I hope you'll enjoy following along as I share the project I made!
Since I discovered embroidery several years ago, and started finishing my pieces with patchwork borders, I have been making lots of pillow covers to give as gifts. This one was made for my mom - the design is from Gail Pan's Christmas Patchwork Loves Embroidery.
My local quilt group has a gift exchange every Christmas, and this was my contribution a couple years ago. "Noel" is a Kathy Schmitz design from her One Stitch at a Time club that I belonged to for several years.
And, while not Christmas themed, this one made a great house-warming gift for my niece. My sister told me that my niece's house needed "more color!" So I contributed to that effort!
And this one was a birthday gift for a friend.
I bet you can guess where I'm going with this! My project for the blog hop is an embroidered pillow cover in a Christmas theme. Another design from Kathy Schmitz that had been hanging out in the "to-be-stitched" pile will make the front of the pillow.
Stitching along!
Once the embroidery is complete, I trim it to 8.5 inches square, border it with 2.5 inch strips, and quilt it to a scrap piece of batting. Finally I trim the piece to 12.5 inches square.
I learned to make an envelope backing for pillow covers over at the Crazy Mom Quilts blog. Amanda Jean no longer posts, but has left the blog up as a resource and I appreciate it! For a 12 inch pillow, I cut my two backing pieces 12.5 x 18.5, fold each in half and top stitch along the finished edge. (This size gives you plenty for overlapping.)
And ta-daaaa! My finished pillow that will make a sweet Christmas gift for someone!
Hope you've enjoyed your visit here at Little Penguin Quilts! Would you like to get a head start on a Christmas project this month? I have four Christmas fabric fat quarters that are up for a prize giveaway. Just leave me a comment (and make sure you include your email address so I can get ahold of you!) The giveaway will be open until Sunday, July 27th.
Because I do like blog hops, and enjoyed making my project for this one, I'm also joining in with my usual I Like Thursday friends over at Not Afraid of Color.
Also sharing at Alycia Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.
And then be sure to visit all the other lovely Christmas in July Blog Hop participants, too!
July 24
Melva at Melva Loves Scraps ~ hostess
Diann at Little Penguin Quilts ~ you are here!
Carol Andrews at Quilt Schmilt
July 25
Vivian at Bronx Quilter
Gail at Quilting Gail
Linda at Texas Quilt Gal
18 comments:
Happy Thursday, Diann. Your embroidered pillows are adorable . I have always had an affection for handmade pillows , but only have a few embroidered ones. I do need to remedy that. You have made some gorgeous ones. Did you color tint the holly? Beautiful job. Hugs.
Love the pillows! I've long wanted to get back to doing embroidery which I did when I was younger. Now that I'm doing a lot of cross stitching maybe I can finally make that transition! I love Kathy Schmitz's designs and have a few of her patterns. A pillow front would be a great way to start. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hello from Ireland ! Your combination of stitchery and quilting is a great way to show off both. Thanks for the giveaway. Nann
You found the perfect backing and border fabric for your embroidery! Lovely stitching! Gail at the cozy quilter
I love all your pillows, especially that sweet one for your niece! Your coordinating fabrics frame the embroideries so beautifully, and that envelope backing is so convenient. Nicely done!
(I think the links sent to us for the other bloggers might not be complete. I had to change mine.)
That first redwork is reminiscent of Red Brolly designs, I wish Bronwyn was still with us. So sad when she passed and they took down her website. Love your projects.
I love your pillows. Unfortunately, I have yet to get caught up with ornaments and crazy quilt stockings to get to hand embroidery. It’s on my to do list. Happy stitching! SarahsGiftNShip at gmail dot com
I enjoyed seeing all the pillows you made in the past. This new one is just as neat and you picked the perfect border fabric! I used to make gobs of pillows with hand embroidered especially fall and winter/Christmas themed ones.
Love the pillows. So cute. I always love Christmas fabric, and themed patterns.
Your pillows are beautiful! I keep collecting embroidery patterns but have not made any yet. I have embroidered a few words on things. You have really encouraged me to get one out and get started. I have all of the supplies. I quilt and cross stitch but this is another hobby I really want to start doing also. kibbac@gmail.com
I like the idea of the embroidered pillow cover. It would be so easy to change them for the seasons by making them as a cover rather than a finished quilt. I admire your work from afar. Hope someone else wins that fabric - I'm trying to use up me way to big stash.
those are all so pretty and I love the Christmas Holly
So much Christmas joy! Such lovely projects!
Love the pillows and those skates are adorable! Thanks for sharing!
Fun to see your many embroidered pieces and the pillows some have become. I really like the Kathy Schmitz one with the ice skates. It’s lovely.
Fun embroidered pillow gifts, Diann!!! I especially love the sheep embroidery!
I love all of your beautiful pillows. Your embroidery is so fantastic. I love to do embroidery also, but haven't gotten to do it in a while. I think it is time to start back. Thank you for sharing.
You've done some sweet embroidery, Diann. Love those.
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