July 01, 2011

June UFO Challenge

My UFO Challenge project for June was a set of three patchwork pillows I'd started back in 2005.  (Yikes!)

They'd been intended to liven up my daughter's couch at college, but she's since graduated, and is now in graduate school.  Since her couch stayed home to keep us company while she's away, the pillows haven't been needed--or finished.

At the start of June, the pillows were just three “mini quilts” made from leftover plaid fabric squares (mainly Roberta Horton plaids). One of these had been layered with batting and muslin, and I had begun quilting it, but that’s where the work had stopped.


June’s UFO Challenge has changed that. I quilted a different grid on each of the "mini quilt" pillow tops (straight, diagonal, and off-centered) , added an invisible zipper on one side of each, and stitched the remaining seams closed.

These are two close ups of the invisible zippers and quilting (which will definitely not win any awards).  I like the clean finish an invisible zipper gives to a pillow, and they aren't difficult to put in.


 The backs of the pillows are batiks chosen by my daughter so she could choose to have a more contemporary look.

And now, a mere six years later, they are three completed pillows.

Well almost....I'm one 18" pillow form short, but I'm not buying one until the pillows can go to a home of their own.  So please pretend not to notice that one of the pillows is a bit overstuffed and lumpy. After all, we all have personal challenges....and I think that pillow reminds me of someone I know all too well.

                  Happy Stitching (and Happy 4th of July)!

8 comments:

Carol said...

Your pillows look so, so pretty! Doesn't it feel good to have another project completed?! Congratulations!

Lynette said...

Woohoo! Another UFO gone! These are pretty :D

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Bwah haa haa - overstuffed and lumpy! i totally relate! Those pillows are awesome! I want some!!

Leah said...

YEAH! On the UFO finish, great job... they look wonderful

Béa said...

2005 !!! You are better than me with UFO :)
Love plaid and your pillows are beautiful. Congrats.
XO from France

JudyCinNC said...

I really love these little patchwork pillows. Lovely finish. Judy C in NC

Quilter Kathy said...

These pillows are lovely! I like how there is a completely different look on the fronts and on the backs!

Janet said...

The pillows look fantastic together, I'm afraid you are better than me at finishing even though it took awhile.