Other uses for BOM Block Patterns

This project started out as a March Mini, but alas..... I didn't finish it in March.  And it also didn't end up a mini.  Que sera, sera.

Instead it's a giant floor pillow.  I picked up 3 of these 26" down pillow forms at Ikea thinking my kids need reading/tv pillows.  Here's the first.  I hope it encourages more of the reading..... than the tv....  

so far it's only encouraged fighting.  Better get moving on the companions.

I went to the ever-growing collection of BOM block patterns I have written over the past few years.  I thought a mini or pillow is a great place to give them new life.  This block is the first block pattern from Moccasin - called Lady of the White House and a version of Lady of the Lake.  These colors give it a fresh boy look.

Embroidered Granny Square Pillow

The abundance of cold temperatures this winter has kept me cuddled up close to the fire this winter.

And in my book, sitting by the fire and hand work go.., well.... hand in hand.

I picked up a FQ bundle of Dowry in the Rubies & Pearls colorway from AMH, and I immediately felt drawn to stitch up some embroidery with the fabrics.  I wanted something that would accent the colors in this floral print.

I also wanted something "quilty" even though I was going to be embroidering the motif.  I settled on stitching a granny square on Kona Ochre.  I sketched the square in Touchdraw and racked my brain for different "filler" stitches to put inside each square.

I'm especially fond of this little flower.  I think my satin stitching is improving!

To make the embroidery into a pillow, I framed it with the AMH inspiration print and then quilted in a square only on the framed portion of the block.  I didn't want the quilting to distract from the hand needlework.

I am loving envelope back closures for pillows right now!  It's so easy - simple to sew and simple to trade out one cover for another.

I hope to make a couple more pillows from that bundle of Dowry - but I'm only allowing my self one hand project at a time.  

Allotrope Pillow & Block Tutorial

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, Mark Cesarik sent me a nice little package with charms of his Cosmic Burst line.  I had best intentions of whipping up a project with them before baby came back in the spring.  My pregnancy got complicated at the end and so, these poor little charms sat neglected.

UNTIL....inspiration struck!  And you know what?  Boy, am I glad I waited.  These colors are just screaming out with energy.  Sometimes the right fabrics and design just fall into place, you know?  That's how this block felt for me.


I turned this block I'm calling Allotrope into a pillow.  I'm gifting it this Christmas.  Perfect for a little girl.

I used the Cosmic Burst charms and paired it with Kate Spain's Terrain.  It was a surprising pairing for me, but I am really digging how they look together.  I straight line quilted it pretty tight - something I don't normally have the patience for.  I think it adds some nice dimension here.

I also piped it using my Pillow Piping tutorial with colorful Terrain print.

What a difference from the original sketch I had for Allotrope with blues!

If you'd like to make your own Allotrope block, I've provided Allotrope templates for you.  I only used the templates for the corners though.  All the center squares are 2.5" unfinished squares sewn together to make an on-point block.  This makes a 12" block.

(I added a white border on the pillow to make a 15" square.)