April Blog Hop Day 4

Welcome to the final day of our April Blog Hop! We hope you've enjoyed meeting these bloggers and seeing what they've created with our fabrics as much as we have!

Today we have a sweet pillow ornament tutorial from Wendy at Ivory Spring. We've featured Wendy here on the blog before, so you may be familiar with her work, but be sure to check out her blog. She does a beautiful job machine quilting her own work, and she's had quite a few quilts featured in magazines. To add to the eye candy, she takes incredibly appealing photos of her quilts and the quilting she does on them. She's an inspiring quilter to follow! 

After you're done looking through her tutorial, make sure to enter the giveaway for a fat quarter bundle of Antoinette at the bottom of this post.  And be sure to head over to Ivory Spring to say hello to Wendy and check out the free quilt pattern she designed using the Antoinette fabric line.! 

Hello, my name is Wendy Sheppard and I blog over at Ivory Spring.  It is an honor to be part of Benartex's April blog hop!

I am in love with pillow ornaments because they are super quick to make as gifts or decorative accents.  Today I am going to share with you a SPRING pillow ornament. 

You will need:

• Antoinette FQ's
• A piece of ribbon (or two)
• Craft stuffing
• Paper-backed fusible web
• Pressing cloth
• Basic sewing notions

The fabrics I used are from the Antoinette collection.

I selected the fabrics below for the constructing the pillow and cut them as follows.  You can definitely pick your own favorites:

a.  three 2" x 4-1/2" rectangles

b.  one 1" x 5" rectangle

c.  one 2" x 5" rectangle

d.  one 5" x 6-1/2" rectangle for pillow back

Tip:  When cutting narrow pieces, I like to press starch my fabrics before cutting.  I find that the pieces tend not to distort as much when being handled.

I sewed the 2" x 4-1/2" rectangles together.

Then, I added the 1" x 5" rectangle.

And lastly, I added the 2" x 5" rectangle to complete the pillow top.

Tip:  When sewing narrow pieces together, make sure you are getting a 1/4" seam allowance.

Next up is what I think is the fun part and further makes the project an open-ended one.  Pick and trace the silhouette of a woodland animal you like that would fit the pillow top.  I picked a bunny.

Then, I traced the silhouette in reverse on the paper side of a piece of paper-backed fusible web.

I trimmed the fusbile web inside the applique shape outline , and then peeled off the paper on the untraced side of the fusible web, and carefully placed the bunny on the WRONG side of my applique fabric.  Press with a hot iron to fuse, using a pressing cloth.

I used a pair of sharp scissors to cut out the bunny applique shape.

I then gingerly remove the remnant of the paper backing from the applique piece, and place the applique piece on the pillow top.  Once I am happy with the placement, I fuse the applique piece with a hot iron, using a pressing cloth.

The next part is totally optional. 

#1.  At this point, you may choose to finish by doing blanket stitching around the applique shape.  I didn't for the bunny because I thought the stitches would be a little distracting on the overall look.  So I made sure I fused the bunny onto the pillow top REALLY good.  Click here to read about my tips on the blanket stitches.

#2.  I added a bit of embellishment at this point using a button and bow tied with embroidery floss.

Mark 1-1/4" from the short edges of the pillow back rectangle, and anchor the ribbon ends at the markings.

Place pillow back rectangle, right sides together, on pillow top.  Pin and sew, leaving a 2" opening for stuffing.  Clip corners, and carefully turn the pillow case right side out.  Press.  Stuff with stuffing.

Hand stitch the opening shut to complete pillow ornament.

 And the finished pillow:

p.s. Here's how to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of Antoinette! 

1. Sign up to follow the blog via Google Friend Connect or via email (right hand sidebar) and then leave a comment here, telling us that you have done so. If you're already signed up, great! Just let us know.
2. Like us on Facebook and then leave a comment here, telling us that you have done so. If you already have, great! Just let us know.

The giveaway is open through Tuesday, April 23rd at 11:59 pm EST. We'll 

announce the winner Wednesday morning. 

**If you are a no-reply blogger, either leave us a way to contact you in your comment, or be sure to check back on Friday. If you win and we don't hear from you, we can't send you your fabric!**

See the schedule for the entire April blog hop here.