project quilting 10.5 Abecedarius Challenge

Another week of project quilting is upon us and this weeks challenge is a little challenging for me.  10.5 is Abecedarius, which is about the alphabet.  I took a bit to decide on the project, but then I saw a great pillow at a friends house and was inspired. 

Inspiration Pillow

I used her pillow as my inspiration for my B for Bunny pillow.  I cut flowers out of a charm pack and laid them on an outline of a bunny on my Heat and Bond lite.  I cut and cut and cut until I filled the bunny's body.

Then I fused the bunny to the background and echo quilted the bunny down and then the background.  I then added my B for the bunny. 

I love my little B for Bunny pillow, perfect for Easter. 
Created in Manchester, NJ

Project Quilting season 9-3 - Bold and Brave

This weeks challenge for Project Quilting is Bold and Brave. I'll be honest, it took me a bit to think about and figure out a good idea.  It hit me on Monday when Ellie was playing with my bracelet she gave me for Christmas as usual.  It has the phrase on it "Just Keep Swimming".  It came with a great mantra... 

You see, I have an incurable condition called RSD, also CRPS (Reflexive Sympathetic Dystrophy or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome).  I struggle daily with constant chronic pain.  But through that struggle I make it to my aqua therapy twice a week (along with home exercises) to keep my body moving.  To make sure I do not loose all that I have fought to gain over these past 6 years of fighting this condition. 

What could be a better Brave and Bold statement for me than the one I look at everyday from my little niece.  I never take it off.  

I printed the saying onto freezer paper then ironed it on to fabric that I had already backed with heat and bond.  After cutting the words out I found the perfect background fabric, a nod to my nautical mini challenge for myself.  

The words and bubbles are zig-zaged on and I free motion quilted swirly water into the background.  I framed the pillow with a swirly gray that matches the words.  

This picture I feel captures perfectly what this little sweet girl pushes me to do. Sweet Ellie Rose thinks I can do it so I will try... I'll Just Keep Swimming.  

My Just Keep Swimming pillow was created in my home in Lanoka Harbor, NJ.

It is 14"x 14"

One Million Pillowcases

I have an awesome quilting friend, Peggy, who has been sewing up a storm lately (you should go check her blog, Stitchin With Peg).  Not only has she finished a couple quilts already, but has sewn up over a dozen, I think actually two dozen pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer.  They are an organization that donates colorful pillowcases to children undergoing treatment for cancer or other childhood diseases.

I have donated a few pillowcases in the past, but decided to follow Peggy's lead and do a fabric clean out and find fabrics that would make perfect pillowcases.  I pulled fabrics that had large prints or ones I can't see using in a quilt anytime soon.

So far I have 11 pillowcases to drop off at my local quilt shop, Quilting Possibilities, on the 31.  There is a pillowcase sew in that day, info on their events page.  QP took the challenge in 2010 when American Patchwork and Quilting magazine challenged the quilting community to make and donate one million pillowcases to charity.  I know the local group has sewn thousands of pillowcases and I am glad that I can help them out.

I have to say, I love the fabrics that I used.  I mean, those dogs are too cute and the monsters are super fun.  Stars are always a good bet and why not some hot air balloons.  And a few elephants are always up for a good time.

This was such a fun quick project that I might need to do another fabrics clean out for their next sew in date.

Pillow Shams Completed

I finally finished the pillow shams for my mom.  No, I didn't finish the hand stitched pillows yet... but I promise soon.  

I alternated the dark shell fabric with the light blue starfish fabric.  When they sit on the bed they will alternate the same way.  I quilted down the middle of the white on white nautical fabric with a straight line.  After I quilted it, I serged the edge and then put the back on.  After I turned it right-side-out I then top stitched around the edge about a quarter inch in from the edge.

I backed it with a coordinating plaid (I think it is from the Stella line).  I am loving it so much that I think I will need to pick up more of it sometime soon.  I did a simple envelope style back to make it easy to take them off and wash them.

I am linking up with Linky Party Tuesday at Quilting by the River and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.