When Angie from Gnome Angel announced that she was hosting a Hazel Quilt-A-Long using Elizabeth Hartman's pattern during February I decided to join in. This year I am making a point of trying new things and participating in more sewing events. It's a good way to push myself and try new things, and also join in and connect with the online sewing community.
I started off with just one block and it took some time. I love this orange leaf print and knew it would be perfect for Spike's spines. The leaves give it some additional pointiness (is that even a word?) and then I went for solids for the body and a low volume grey spot for the background. Despite the accuracy of the block, it's not paper pieced. (making it more appealing for me!)
I knew that making a series of these blocks for a quilt would be too much right now, so I decided upon a cushion. First I added more of the background fabric to make the block large 16" x 16". I basted it and I used my hera marker (a little device that draws a crease into projects rather than a pencil or pen mark) to draw up a simple criss cross (Kriss Kross - jump jump!)* design for the quilting and I quilted in a pale grey thread.
Finally I bound the cushion (my first time binding a cushion!) with the same fabric as the spines. It finished it really nicely as I didn't want to add any other colour.
The back keeps the colour scheme but I used a grey with larger white polka dots that I had floating around in my stash. To conceal the zipper I used this tutorial by Ms Midge.
Spike was very quickly claimed by Anna and now has a happy life living as a feature cushion on her bed next to her pet pillows!
Make sure you pop over and check out all the other variations of Hazel from the QAL over at Gnome Angel's link party!
*yep I was a teenager in the 90s and now that song is stuck in my head.
Yep, I got your song reference ☺️ I was a teenager in the 90's too.
ReplyDeleteHaha I am a total pop culture addict but I rarely add it into my blog posts - I often wonder if people would be like "what on earth is she talking about??"
DeleteOh yeah, I know that song!! Love your Spike, he's so fresh and modern in your colour choices and beautifully concealed zipper!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Cassandra!! I'm really pleased with the fabric choices and that orange/coral colour didn't blend with much else in my stash so it was nice to be able to feature it this way.
DeleteIt looks great!!!! I have some of that fabric in my stash too - waiting for the perfect project one day!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jen! It was so pretty and when I saw it at Spotlight I couldn't pass it up - usually the good stuff sells out and you never find it again!
DeleteCute cushion.
ReplyDeleteThe Kris Kross reference is too funny, and strange because I also had Kriss Kross going through my head this morning - I had to use warm milk for a recipe, and, as I was heating it up, I had 'Warm it up, Kris / I'm about to / Warm it up, kris / that's what I was born to do' going through my head :) My best friend since primary school is called Christina, so, of course, when this song came out when we were in primary school (we were about 10 or 11), I would sing 'Warm it up, Chris' and she would finsh the line :)
Ha they are so funny, do you remember how they wore their pants backwards? I used to love all that stuff back in the 90s and sit poised at my tape player to press record when my favourite songs came on the Top 40 countdown! I still have those cassettes somewhere :) Warm it up Kris!
DeleteHa! Your Kris Kross reference made me snort my tea!... Anyhow, love Spike, your fabrics are just perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy! Oooh hope your tea wasn't too hot!! Glad it made you laugh though!
DeleteYour cushion look so good Ros! Well done!
ReplyDeleteSorry, I have been totally out of the blogging loop lately not commenting and reading blogs. I'm trying to get back slowly in the swing of things.
How cute! I bet your girls fight over that cushion!!
ReplyDelete