As usual, May has shaped up to be one of the busiest months of the year! I hope everyone is having a good spring!
This is a project that I started way later than I should have, but I didn't have a fully formed idea in advance, so I couldn't have really started earlier than I did...
Embroidered birthday message using Sublime Stitching's "Epic Alphabet" transfer pattern.
Embroidered birthday message using Sublime Stitching's "Epic Alphabet" transfer pattern.
We are celebrating my Dear Aunt's 90th birthday this weekend. Her true birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but in the same fashion as Queen Elizabeth, we are celebrating on a different day to accommodate the masses (or at least the cousins!)
I was trying for weeeks to think of a gift idea, something that she would remember after we left (the reliability of memory is not something we take for granted, these days).
I decided on a pillow that could serve as something celebratory and useful. I stamped the letters on Sunday evening and madly stitched in the evenings, and through lunch hours and a quilt guild meeting, but I still had a letter or two unfinished when it was time to leave. So, I packed up my sewing machine and supplies and finished the pillow on the road.
I used Kona Bahama (I think) for the inner border and a very fun dotted fabric that I picked up after the guild meeting for the outer border. The letters were stamped on a remnant that I picked up at Joann's.
The back is Kona Snow and I quilted it in a grid pattern with 2" squares. I brought some Pigma pens so that everyone attending the party can write a message or an autograph on the back of the pillow.
This is the first pillow that I have made and it was a very fun project, except for the looming deadline. I enjoyed experimenting with color combinations and stitches on the letters and it was a good small project learning experience of quilting and constructing the pillow cover.
Since a lot of my 'hand crafted' gifts seem to wind up being 'belated', I am proud that I finished this one in advance, even though it came down to the wire.
Maybe for her next 'milestone' birthday, I will be more organized. Maybe.
9 comments:
I think it's a wonderful gift to celebrate a special birthday. I love your stitching, the cool design of the letters, and all the vivid colors. Congratulations on getting it done in time for the party.
I think it turned out quite cute!! You need to give us a little lesson on embroidery.... ;-) Enjoy your trip!
Jan this is gorgeous - I love the variety in the letters, it has such a celebratory feel to it! The colors are perfect. What a great idea to add signatures to the back. Wonderful gift!!!
Forgot to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your Aunt - 90 is quite a milestone!
The actual pillow is even more fun than the picture! and the letters are so very playful. The finished product was enjoyed by all who were present!
It was a fun gift for her, too.
(Not as fun as mine, of course...)
It was good to see you. Only problem was it wasn't long enough. As usual.
What a wonderful present for your aunt! I love that pillow and I love how everyone signed it. And congrats to you for getting it done on time!
What a great idea! Love the lettering and the colors you chose.
I love your hand work. The pillow came out wonderful, and you finished it! Maybe a little how to at one of our meetings? Your site has tons of interesting stuff! I will have to show my husband the interesting cars, he is a car nut. He has a Mini but yours is more interesting.
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