SAWTOOTH STAR PILLOW
It’s been a few weeks since the Intro to Hand Work class finished and I miss it. I really enjoyed the freedom of sewing without a sewing machine. It meant that the class group was able to sit around the large table, chatting and working away at the same time. It also meant I was able work on my project when I was on transit or sitting in bed late at night.
We basted our final sawtooth star blocks with a layer of batting and a muslin backing, just like a mini quilt. I kept my quilting design very simple, echoing the shape of the patchwork lines. It’s cool to see the hand quilting pattern from the reverse side. I used both a round quilting hoop and a square Q-Snap frame when doing this project. I like having the flexibility to switch between the circular and square frame as I choose.
Hand quilting is amazing. I just love the way the it looks. When I see it, I unrealistically want every quilt I make to be hand quilted. The slightly uneven quality of the stitches is so charming.
Turning this one block into a pillow was so incredibly satisfying because the entire project was completed within just one month. It seems a big feat, compared to the ongoing quilt projects I have that are a year or more in the making.
I chose to use the turquoise powerlines on grey print from Repeat for the back of the pillow. It couldn’t be more perfect. I love everything about this graphic pillow. I’m so proud of it!
I’m pondering my next hand piecing/quilting project and think it’s about time I did an English Paper Pieced pillow. I created this gallery with some of my inspirations.
12 comments
love it! I love the color combo, and your hand quilting looks great. I want to start hand quilting, but maybe a baby quilt first!
This pillow is so gorgeous! Your making me want to try hand quilting so bad!!!! 😀
Karyn, your pillow is lovely. The colors are fantastic, and the quilting is really nice–I think that outlining the piecing was a great choice, since it emphasizes the graphic nature of the fabric and the star/border.
I went over to Carolanne’s last night, and she had finished the pillow she was working on as she taught the class, as well as another one in a different pieced pattern–both are gorgeous. You two make me want to make more pillows!
Amish quilts are all handmade. If you go here (http://www.amishcountrylanes.com/Pages/index.shtml) and take the quilt tour, for each quilt they have 8 pictures that show more detail including the incredibly tiny hand stitches. These quilts are just amazing! All completely handmade.
I love hand-quilting, too 🙂 It’s so tactile and satisfying and the freedom to do it wherever you want is really refreshing. I wish I had more hand-work projects!
Beautiful pillow! I like the back of the quilt too. Your hand stitching is so neat…
So beautiful! I love all the details of the hand quilting and the combination of colors you’ve used!
I absolutely adore your pillow, especially the contrast between the fabric and the quilting thread with makes the quilting pattern stand out so well.
I might be a little biased, but I think that pillow is just lovely.
I think you’ve been really clever with the fabrics you’ve used. Making something which is very traditional look modern. I’d have one in my home.
love the seamless meld of traditional and modern…
Hi, I just found your blog from Flikr and this is as far as I have gotten so far! Love the pillow! It look gorgeous! I have hand pieced and hand quilted a small quilt and I am like you, I love it! Its great to be able to sit on the couch with the family and still sew. It looks like you have your fabric tight in your hoop, I use a hoop but my quilt is always really loose in it.So just for my curiosity because I am new to this too, Do you use the Rocking Method or stab stitching or a running stitch? Whichever you use, it looks so great!
Sorry for such a long comment! I better go see the rest of your great blog!
Kelli xxx
kelli – nice to meet you! i should probably play around with how tight my fabric is in my hoop a bit more to see if i can get better results. i use the rocking method, which i feel i have kinda gotten the hang of and i really like it. i found it really tricky to master, but once it ‘clicked’, i feel like i just keep improving. what method do you use?