June 25, 2013

Reunion

One of the best things about summertime
is getting together for picnics, parties,
and reunions of all kinds.

This year our annual Love family reunion 
was extra-special in many ways.
Our aunt Lu and uncle Ralph just celebrated 
60 years of marriage,
so I decided to make them a signature pillow.




I received this great label from Sweetwater this month,
as a member of the Label Crew Club.
It gave me the bright idea for this sentimental gift.


I already had a charm pack from the perfect fabric line:
Reunion, also by Sweetwater for Moda.

{I had only used a little bit of it when I made these
sweet Cathedral Window pincushions
featured in my Blurb book.}


I pulled out the cute coordinating bunting print for the zipper cover
and a basic polka dot blender in gold for the back.

There is a great pillow pattern available from Sweetwater,
but I decided to use
Crazy Mom Quilts.

{I thought we needed a very big pillow...turns out we all have small handwriting in my family.}



I ironed and stitched the label to the center,
then took my pillow top to our family reunion.
Everyone was asked to sign it
with my permanent marker.



Even before the picnic, I had the backing all prepared,

{I used my own little label for my "extra" signature touch.}



The next morning, all I had to do was to
trim the backing to the same size as the top,
open the zipper at least halfway,
and stitch it all together around the outer edges.
Within a few minutes,
I had the pillow cover turned right-side out,
pressed and ready for the 
20" square pillow form.

{The happy couple was delighted to see it in its final form at their surprise anniversary party.}



I didn't quilt the pillow top,
because I didn't want to stitch over the signatures.
Instead I used Pellon ShapeFlex 101 to stabilize the pillow top.
That made it easier to write on, too.



My Friends and Family pillow
made a great sentimental gift for a very special couple
who holds family and friends dear in their hearts.




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11 comments:

  1. Signature pillows, table cloths, blocks are such a lovely idea. A pillow is ideal for a small gathering - love the design you used!

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  2. What a great idea and so beautifully done too.

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  3. This is really great! I like what you did even more than the project for this month. Well done!

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  4. This is an awesome idea ! Great pillow !

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  5. OH Amy!!! What a beautiful idea!!! This is such a touching gift and the love that went into it....just puts a big smile on my face!!!

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  6. For a special anniversary, a special gift, full of love and tenderness! Great idea! And again, and again a successful choice of fabrics.

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  7. What a wonderful and thoughtful gift. Your covered zip is a brilliant way of finishing a cushion.

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  8. What a great way to spread the "love" Amy! Your pillow will be cherished I'm sure. Thanks for the idea of using Pellon to stabilize the pillow and eliminate the need for quilting. That could be handy if you're in a hurry to finish one too!
    Julie @ The Crafty Quilter

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  9. It's a beautiful way to remember an important occasion! Gorgeous and stylish!
    I know that they will love looking at it to remember this year's reunion.

    Susie

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  10. Great job! The design is perfect for the fabric, and I love the back!

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  11. The cushion is fantastic, what a wonderful idea!

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