Quilted, Knit and Sewn Autumn Pillows

I never used to decorate for the seasons (the obvious exception being Christmas of course!). A few years ago I started changing up the art above my mantle and the wreath on my door. Then, with my total and utter (redundant) disgust with winter this year I needed to go with a full decor change and started sewing spring-like pillows with abandon.

As much as I loved the bright and airy pillows in March, I needed some cozy and autumn pillows come September. First up was to change the economy block pillow and I immediately thought of Anna Maria Horner's feather pattern. I love me some feathers but I knew I didn't have the patience to do a whole quilt in them. 

I took the general pattern and hacked a bit off the bottom to fit my pillow size. I usually prefer items in odd numbers so just two feathers bothers me but so it is.

 

 

Next up was a squishy, cozy cabled pillow cover. I hinted to a knitting friend that I wanted one until I realized that I could probably figure it out myself. It's my first attempt at cabling (using this pattern) and not without issues. Including (but not limited to!) not having circular needles in the right size and not buying enough yarn.

In the end I knit the front flat, knit the back flat in stockinette stitch, basted both to muslin and then sewed it all up. It still needs some toggle buttons and it's not the cleanest work, but it was fun to make and adds a wonderful color and texture to my couch!

 

Have I mentioned how much I love texture?? It's why I love fabric so much and with my new found love of knitting it's texture overload over here! Here are my 4 new fall colors. I kind of just want to dive right in.

Texture close up. The fabric on the big down pillows in the back is from a local $2.99/yd store. It's hit or miss there but this time was definitely a hit. These are (I think) high quality suiting material. Super thick and extra gorgeous.

I'm going to go lay about in my pillows now...

I think I meant to post this in March...

Despite my absence, I swear I've been busy! Goose's second birthday was the last day of February. When we brought him home from the hospital (5 days later) there wasn't any snow on the ground. At 2 weeks old we went for a walk outside and I didn't have coat on. Therefore, I find it perfectly unacceptable that we were reaching the end of February with mounds of snow on the ground and more in the future. Woof. I needed a spring infusion and I needed it fast.

First thing I did was recover this large down pillows we had (you can see one in the background of the top photo with the floral print). They were hand me down pillows that I had recovered when we first moved into our house 4 years ago. I knew the covers were too small, but it wasn't until I went to update them that I realized how bad they were. It squeezed the pillow to half the size and was bulging out of the back. Double woof. 10 minutes later I had bright springy covers on them and they are the squishiest comfiest things ever.

So then I turned my attention to some other pillows that needed some TLC. The pillow form was an outdated pillow I bought from Pottery Barn years ago. I wanted a bright cheerful cover that, again, could be made quickly. I used the Economy Block Tutorial from Red Pepper Quilts and couldn't believe how easily it all came together!

Next my mantle needed a pick me up. I've been eying some paper piecing patterns out there and loved these Robins from Tartankiwi on Craftsy. They were perfect to dig into my scrap bag for (thought the background does take more than scraps). I ended up buying a couple of fat quarters for them when I got the end and realized I had used all my "good" fabric colors up already.

This one was my first and is my absolute favorite!

Though this one comes in a close second...

Here's a shot of them hanging over my mantle. I used a dowel pocket (not sure if that's the quilting term, but it's what we called it back in my trade show days!) on the back and a command strip on either side of the pocket to hang them. After changing out the mantle decor every few months that poor wall has had a lot of nails!

Lastly, I threw a "Gnome and Woodland Animal" themed party for Goose's second. There were quite a few sewn elements, including gnome hats for all the kids (that mostly ended up on the adults heads!) but this was my favorite piece of "decor".

It was the first time I had done a stacked cake and the first time I had used fondant beyond cupcake toppers. Obviously the leaves are a bit crazy and I would have assembled them different next time, but I kind of love this cake.

Though I think I should point out that it was never my intention to have a birch tree with oak leaves. I was picturing a stand alone house with birch siding and leaves for a roof, but the roots sort of just happened and next thing you know I had one very confused tree.

It was super hard to cut into (like emotionally difficult, not physically difficult)!