"Simply" is an understatement, as I went at the project full force, with no real plan in place. The hub recently went on a business trip and I like to set myself up with a project when he's away so I won't spend all week in front of the tv for hours. Cross-stitching the quote was my project. Then I took scraps of fabrics from all my sewing projects for Britton's dresses, shirts, and pillows and cut them into squares. Grandma had suggested I hold onto the scraps in case I needed them, and I did.
I sewed the squares into rows, then sewed the rows together. That way, I ended up with two rows for each border of the pillow. The hub pow-wowed with me on the order of the squares.
Where did all the quilting inspiration come from? Jessica has quilted before, even making me a quilt (which is in the quilt closet so as not to be ruined by wayward dirt and spills). And our house is full of quilts that the hub's grandmother has made. We love them all, especially the ones she made for Britton. When Britton gets a real bed her bedspread will be one of Memaw's quilts. And this pillow will be on that bed.
My sewing machine gave up on me, but I can't bear to throw it away so it sits, unused, in the garage. Grandma let me borrow her machine, which she got for a wedding gift forty years ago.
I measured out the rows and then decided the pillow should be 18 inches square. I cut the cross-stitched section to length, and sewed the quilt square borders around. Since my attempts at the corners was getting me nowhere fast, I just folded back one side of the border to make it look like a mitered corner.
And finally, two weeks after I started, I have a pillow! I love how it turned out and hope it will make a beautiful addition to Britton's room, and keepsake for her when she has outgrown my decorating style. And even though it was a lot of work, I'm so happy I didn't order the other pillow.
Wow, you did a great job Carrie! When can I start sending you my orders?
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