It's getting easier

I whipped out another pillow this weekend. I realized that my brother was going to be at my apartment Tuesday for dinner.
on a side note: (I am looking forward to this. He has been in town visiting for weeks now, and I have only seen him once - at church. I get to make dinner - something with meat. When I had him over used to be the only time I made meat. Now I make it for my man often; so my brother is in for a treat this time.)
The reason this is of note, is that my mom is having me send her a couple things back with my brother. Additionally I am going to surprise her with a jar of jam I bought on vacation in Durango, Colorado (plum, that tastes just like the one her mom used to make) and this pillow.



I realized that giving it my brother would be the easiest and cheapest way to get the pillow to Mom, so I better have it ready by Tuesday. I had only decided on the layout at that point. (Which is an accomplishment in itself really)
I took my jelly rolls strips and make 81 squares; then I turned them into 9 squares, then into 1 square. The next day I quilted and finished the pillow...after a run (well literally walk; I am within walking distance) to Joann's Fabric. Two weeks in a row I got there within minutes of them closing. Good thing the first fabric I found looked like a great color. It was not the same quality of the fabric I have been using: thin and terribly wrinkly and misaligned on the bolt. I made sure I got enough to trim it before I cut it.

I intentionally made the back an inch larger than the front. This pillow form is puffier than the other ones I bought, and it didn't look like the 18 square would fit the 18 inch pillow. It sort of worked. The back is a little loose, but it doesn't look bad. I'm guessing/hoping after it gets washed it will fit well. (I think the back will shrink up more than the front.) I have yet to wash something I have quilted (at $3 a load, I'm sure that is understandable) and wonder how it really will look. I fear my first one will fall apart.



And what is a project without a mistake? I was conservative with the fabric back on my previous pillows, and only doubled up a little bit for the envelope. This one I needed to fold the entire width of the pillow. The strip I put on the end of the flap I measured like I did before... therefore placing it well past the fold. So I decided to keep it as a decorative strip below the flap, and ended up embroidering the edge of the flap. I think it looks nice; you would never know it wasn't intentional.