Wednesday, July 18, 2018

On the 6th Day of Christmas


Hi and Welcome to Christina's Handicrafts, I'm Christina and I LOVE to quilt, cross stitch, knit, and read.  Today I am sharing a few decorative items you can make for your home around the Christmas holiday, and sharing a tutorial for a beautiful snowflake pillow that is perfect to grace somewhere in your home (once made) for the winter season.

First off, some things that are fun and easy to make for the holiday season.  One is the Stitch and Flip Wreaths by Poorhouse Quilt Designs.  They are really fun, fast and easy to make.  I can whip a few out in an afternoon now, as they are easy to chain piece.


The second item to help decorate is a snowflake table runner I designed last year, and shared a wonderful tutorial for it.  You can find that tutorial here, or under the tutorial tab.  I have since finished the table runner, and I love the quilting I did for it.


The snowflake pillow was created last year, with a pattern I designed.  When I shared it, a few people wanted me to share a tutorial, so I thought this year would be the perfect time to create and share it.

The pattern I designed is below.  I used it to figured out my pieces and used it to layout each section before sewing it together.  Keep this picture handy, as I'm sure you will refer back to it several times.


Some points to note.
W = White/tan
B = Dark Blue
T = Teal
The half squares with two colors in them are for half square triangles.

What you need:
Fabric - fabric for the snowflake plus background, and muslim for quilting the pillow top
Ruler
Rotary Cutter
Batting
Basic sewing supplies
Sewing machine
20 inch pillow form
Optional - Bonnie Hunter's Essential Triangle Tool

First step is to cut out everything.  You need:
84 White 2" squares
25 Teal 2" squares
24 Dark Blue 2" squares
Using Bonnie Hunter's Essential Triangle Tool or method of your choice for 2" squares:
12 White/Dark Blue half square triangles
12 Dark Blue/Teal half square triangles
12 Teal/White half square triangles
Borders:
2 - 1" strips by width of center
2 - 1" strips by length of top and bottom


Once I cut everything out, I sewed of the half square triangles together, and trimmed them up using the BlocLoc ruler, removing the dog ears.  Then I layed out the first quadrant out, and started to sew the pillow top together.  I drew out my own pressing chart so everything nested together when I started ironing.  I made sure that the pressing directions did not get too confusing, to make it simple on myself, and anyone else who makes it.  First picture is my pressing directions for the whole pillow top.  The second picture is laying out one quadrant.




When I put this pillow top together, I chained pieced everything at the same time, but I made sure to keep each quadrant separate until it was completed, and I sewed them together.  This was easier for me to make sure it went together correctly.  I still had to pull out my seam ripper on an occasion to correct a mistake.

Once I got the whole center part of the pillow top together, I sewed the border pieces on.  The sides first and then the top and bottom, pressing the seams out.  This is what it will look like when completed.


Next step is to layer a muslim on the bottom, batting and then the pillow top together, basting it with your method of choice.  This could be with basting spray (I used it), big stitches, or pins.

After the pillow top is layered, it is time for quilting.  You could machine quilt it, or hand quilt it.  I hand quilted it using perle cotton, and I love the texture it created for the pillow top.

Once the pillow top is quilted, trim to 20.5" by 20.5".  Prepare the backing fabric for the envelope backing, and sew the whole pillow together.  To create the envelope pillow case I followed Crazy Mom's Envelope Backed Pillow Tutorial.  This is how I did mine, as her pictures are great and easy to understand.  After you complete this step, you are finished, and you have a beautiful pillow that can grace your house throughout all of winter.


That concludes the tutorial for the Snowflake Pillow.  If there are any questions or uncertainty please do not hesitate to ask.

Go and visit all of the other blogs that will be/have participated in the 2018 Christmas in July Blog Hop.  


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th (TODAY)

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th


Stop by anytime, as I try and regularly post about what I'm working on.  Thank you for stopping by!

-Christina







28 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your pattern!
    Susanpshaffer@gmail.com

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  2. Beautiful projects.The runner is my best favorite!

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  3. Thanks for the wonderful tutorial - you break it down to make it seam so doable. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

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  4. Love this pillow! (Snowflakes are my favorite - at least on pillows!) Thanks for all your hard work!

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  5. Very pretty pillow and a great use of scraps.

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  6. What a wonderful tutorial. Thanks so much for sharing it and all of your lovely Christmas crafts.

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  7. it's a pretty block. I especially like the colors you chose.

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  8. Loved your pattern last year and the pillow is great to compliment it. Thank you for sharing.

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  9. Thank you for sharing your patterns. I can see using the pillow for a small wall hanging also.

    Great ideas.

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  10. Lovely ideas! Thank you for sharing the pattern and tutorial. Merry Christmas in July!

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  11. Wonderful ideas! Love your pillow. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Great projects! Thanks for the tutorial on the pillow. I enjoy working with little pieces so I think I'd really like to make one of these.

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  13. Thanks for the Snowflake Table Runner, that looks like fun! As does the pillow cover however I'm still trying to get myself familiar with the Tri Recs ruler set of Bonnie's like minded ruler. So I've saved the directions for that as well for future use. Thanks again for everything.
    Jeri Oldtisme@aol.com

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  14. Thank you! That is a great pillow. The design can be followed with larger squares for a great baby quilt, too! Thanks for the table runner, also. What fun!

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  15. Great projects! Thanks so much! I especially like the pillow - a great project to use those smaller scraps!!

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  16. Hi Christina, Lovely pieced pillow. Blue is my favorite Christmas color.

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  17. Oh, that's a pretty block for a pillow! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. I love your snowflake pillow block, so very cute and thanks for sharing with all of us.

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  19. Thanks for the tutorial. Your Snowflake pillow is giving me a wintery feeling.

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  20. The snowflake pillow is beautiful! It would be pretty as a quilt, as well. Thanks so much for sharing it, and your tutorial for the table runner! It is so nice to have winter decorations that can last past the Christmas season!

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  21. It's so pretty, thank you for the tutorial!

    ~Brandy

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  22. Love them both ty for your pattern. ... happyness04431@yahoo.com

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  23. Just gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing the pattern and tutorial! I will put this on my "want to do" list :) xx

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Thank you for your comment, I love to read them and hear from you.