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Bryan House Quilts

Friday Finish ~ Pillows

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12 Jan
Amid the tedium of quilting quilting and more quilting (but I’m almost finished quilting this quilt!), I’ve taken breaks to finish some small things. It’s so refreshing to just get a project done in a relatively short time! 
One thing I’ve done is learn how to make pillows using invisible zippers (using this tutorial). 
On my first try I made a pillow for my bed. 

I used my precious half yard of Hello Roses in Dove by Heather Bailey. 

I quilted in a grid pattern using my machine’s twin needle, also a new skill. For some reason this reminds me of my grandmother. But I can’t place exactly why. Hm.

The zipper isn’t quite invisible, but it’s nearly invisible. And I forgot to put it at the bottom. Oops! 

I love this print! He may need a pillow buddy, no?
A couple days later and a little more quilting later, I turned this block into a pillow for my big girls.  

I’m happy to say the zipper on this pillow is pretty much invisible and on the bottom. 

I’m also happy to say, the girls have squirreled the pillow away and 
it now resides among ponies and dolls. Perfect. 

And also, I think I’m addicted to making pillows! 
Linking up to Amanda Jean’s Finish it Up Friday. 
Have a great weekend friends. 

Previous Post: « January {Goal} A Lovely Year of Finishes
Next Post: Respite »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heidi Staples says

    January 12, 2013 at 5:59 am

    Pillows…once you start, you can't stop…

    I'm in love with both of these, but I especially can't resist that Mendocino one for your girls. Heavenly!

  2. Charlotte says

    January 12, 2013 at 8:21 am

    you are a braver woman than me. I don't know why, but I am scared of invisible zippers!

  3. smazoochie says

    January 12, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    Lovely work! (or should I say "play"?)
    If I put my pillow projects in your pile maybe you wouldn't notice & get them done, too! 😉

  4. Ida says

    January 13, 2013 at 7:02 am

    I can't do zippers, invisible or not, so kudos to you! I love the second pillow, especially the back.

  5. Gemini Jen NZ says

    January 14, 2013 at 9:44 am

    Great work! Both pillows are really awesome!

  6. Taryn says

    January 14, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Your pillows look great! Thanks for linking to the invisible zipper tutorial, I have been wondering how to do that!

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If no one ever showed you this trick, get ready, b If no one ever showed you this trick, get ready, because it might change the way you do it forever! 

 Sew your binding to the BACK of your quilt first. Not the front!

When I first started machine binding, I did it the traditional way. I’d attach the binding to the front, wrap it around to the back, and then stitch in the ditch from the front.

The problem? I couldn’t actually SEE where my stitches were landing on the back. And sometimes the back ended up having a few surprises waiting for me. 😅

Then one day I thought, what if I just do this the other way around?

By attaching the binding to the back FIRST, I can wrap it around to the front and actually see where I’m stitching as I finish it. No more guessing what’s happening underneath!

It’s such a simple switch, but it makes getting a tidy, consistent finish SO much easier.

And when you’ve spent all that time piecing and quilting something beautiful, who doesn’t want the binding to look just as good?!

Give it a try on your next quilt and report back! With our finished quilt tops for the Dutch Summer, members will be binding them soon! Share in the comments how you do your binding! 🩷

#quiltteacher #quiltingtutorial #quiltingtips #modernquilting
I was ready to give up on foundation paper piecing I was ready to give up on foundation paper piecing altogether, and then I was introduced to freezer paper piecing, and it changed my whole world forever.

Let’s talk about Freezer Paper Piecing versus traditional Paper Foundation Piecing. 👇

The techniques are similar, both methods focus on precision and ease of assembly, but with Freezer Paper Piecing, you get to reuse your templates without turning them into confetti! 🎉 MAJOR WIN!

All you have to do is trace a few copies onto freezer paper or use printable sheets for your printer. It’s versatile, efficient, and saves you tons and tons of time.

🌟 The key benefits of freezer paper piecing: 🌟

👏 Reuse & Recycle: No more wasteful piles of ripped paper templates.
👏 Easy Removal: Templates peel off effortlessly, leaving your masterpiece intact.
👏 Versatility: From intricate designs to straightforward patterns, freezer paper can be used for any foundation.

WAY MORE TIME TO QUILT! 🙌

In all of my programs, we use the Freezer Paper Piecing method, and anyone can learn this, even first-time quilters! I’ve got a NEW block-of-the-month quilt design coming soon, so follow along if you’re looking for a faster and easier way to paper-piece! ✨

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Want to make a witchy little Modern Triangle with Want to make a witchy little Modern Triangle with me? 🧙‍♀️🧵

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And yes, beginners are absolutely welcome!

I’ll walk you through it step by step, show you how these simple little triangles can be arranged into much more complex-looking designs, and we’ll spend some time actually PLAYING with what we make.

PLUS, if you show up live, you’ll get my exclusive Spooky Witch Hat Modern Triangle pattern FREE so you can keep sewing after class. 🎁

Come hang out, learn something new, make a witch hat, and have some fun with me!

Comment WITCHY, and I’ll send you the link to save your free spot! 🧙‍♀️

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Your turn. 🤓 Finish the sentence in the comments 👇 

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
A couple of weeks ago, I picked my colors for next A couple of weeks ago, I picked my colors for next year’s “Starburst” Block of the Moth, and I had to laugh at myself because even though I started with a few pretty pinks and yellows as my inspiration...

I devolved back to rainbows for my final selection. I do love a rainbow gradient! So glorious, so delicious!

Honestly, sometimes it takes me several, several, several rounds to get the colors just how I want them. 😭  But the good news is, I do have the rainbow fabric on hand!

Now I can Netflix and sew... as I work on my Starburst sample! Hooray!

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SWIPE to see the big finish, my completed Peppermi SWIPE to see the big finish, my completed Peppermint Twist Dutch Summer! 🤍

The joy really is in the journey with my Block of the Month programs, where every single month you make one block, sew your whole batch, and, month by month, start to see the design come together with each new block.

And that’s why ANYONE can make this quilt! Yes, even a first-timer! 

You don’t have to sit down and make an entire quilt all at once. You make one batch of blocks, then another, and another... You learn as you go, watch your skills develop, and slowly start seeing the whole quilt come together.

And then one day, all those individual triangles you’ve been making come together and you’ve made THIS. 🥹

I absolutely love how this Peppermint Twist version of Dutch Summer turned out, and seeing all of the blocks together makes me want to do the whole thing all over again in another color palette! 😂

If you want to make your own version of the Dutch Summer, comment ‘DUTCH’ and I’ll send you the details! 💌

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If no one ever showed you this trick, get ready, b If no one ever showed you this trick, get ready, because it might change the way you do it forever! 

 Sew your binding to the BACK of your quilt first. Not the front!

When I first started machine binding, I did it the traditional way. I’d attach the binding to the front, wrap it around to the back, and then stitch in the ditch from the front.

The problem? I couldn’t actually SEE where my stitches were landing on the back. And sometimes the back ended up having a few surprises waiting for me. 😅

Then one day I thought, what if I just do this the other way around?

By attaching the binding to the back FIRST, I can wrap it around to the front and actually see where I’m stitching as I finish it. No more guessing what’s happening underneath!

It’s such a simple switch, but it makes getting a tidy, consistent finish SO much easier.

And when you’ve spent all that time piecing and quilting something beautiful, who doesn’t want the binding to look just as good?!

Give it a try on your next quilt and report back! With our finished quilt tops for the Dutch Summer, members will be binding them soon! Share in the comments how you do your binding! 🩷

#quiltteacher #quiltingtutorial #quiltingtips #modernquilting
I was ready to give up on foundation paper piecing I was ready to give up on foundation paper piecing altogether, and then I was introduced to freezer paper piecing, and it changed my whole world forever.

Let’s talk about Freezer Paper Piecing versus traditional Paper Foundation Piecing. 👇

The techniques are similar, both methods focus on precision and ease of assembly, but with Freezer Paper Piecing, you get to reuse your templates without turning them into confetti! 🎉 MAJOR WIN!

All you have to do is trace a few copies onto freezer paper or use printable sheets for your printer. It’s versatile, efficient, and saves you tons and tons of time.

🌟 The key benefits of freezer paper piecing: 🌟

👏 Reuse & Recycle: No more wasteful piles of ripped paper templates.
👏 Easy Removal: Templates peel off effortlessly, leaving your masterpiece intact.
👏 Versatility: From intricate designs to straightforward patterns, freezer paper can be used for any foundation.

WAY MORE TIME TO QUILT! 🙌

In all of my programs, we use the Freezer Paper Piecing method, and anyone can learn this, even first-time quilters! I’ve got a NEW block-of-the-month quilt design coming soon, so follow along if you’re looking for a faster and easier way to paper-piece! ✨

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
Want to make a witchy little Modern Triangle with Want to make a witchy little Modern Triangle with me? 🧙‍♀️🧵

I’m teaching a FREE class, and we’re getting a little spooky with this one! 🤓

I’ll show you my favorite way to make Modern Triangles using my no-waste, no picking method, and then we’re turning our triangle into a WITCH HAT. ✨

And yes, beginners are absolutely welcome!

I’ll walk you through it step by step, show you how these simple little triangles can be arranged into much more complex-looking designs, and we’ll spend some time actually PLAYING with what we make.

PLUS, if you show up live, you’ll get my exclusive Spooky Witch Hat Modern Triangle pattern FREE so you can keep sewing after class. 🎁

Come hang out, learn something new, make a witch hat, and have some fun with me!

Comment WITCHY, and I’ll send you the link to save your free spot! 🧙‍♀️

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
Tell me you’re a quilter without telling me you’re Tell me you’re a quilter without telling me you’re a quilter. 😂🧵

I’ll go first: I can find quilt inspiration in approximately ANYTHING. I own fabric that is apparently too special to actually use, and “one more seam” has never once meant one more seam.

Your turn. 🤓 Finish the sentence in the comments 👇 

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
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