Cushiony Goodness

I was honoured to be asked to be Godmother to a dear friend's daughter, Maya, who was christened yesterday, and really wanted to make her something special. I claim total responsibility for turning her mother into a self confessed 'Anna Maria Horner Stalker' (in a nice way, and only over the internet, nothing too scary) so decided on this.

It's a patchwork cushion, using the last bit of my first batch of Amy Karol homemade piping, and featuring the divine fabrics of Anna Maria Horner. I used an Alicia Paulson Summerhouse Pillow pattern for making very efficient patchwork cushions and am happy to report it was so enjoyable that I am really looking forward to making another (when I recover from that rash of name dropping).

I didn't quite follow the pattern (I accidentally used 5" squares, so only needed 16 to make up a cushion for my 45cm filler) and I'm not going to reveal her secret (because I've followed her blog for ages and she's really lovely) but I'm happy to report the back is all my own. I've figured out a way to insert a zip very nicely - which may not be a new way, but it's not from a tutorial I've read, I'm sure. Would you like a cushion zip tutorial? Let me know.

I added my Shiny Happy Art tag to the back (which, to be honest, I like just as much as the front). Made it look just that bit snazzier.
And because it was ONLY 12.30am, and because I was obviously in my 'wishful thinking time traveller' mode, and because I was drunk on Anna Maria fabric goodness, I decided Saturday night would be a good time to try a bit of log cabin patching, which I've also never attempted before. But since seeing a pic of Anna Maria's baby son lying on a log cabin quilt she just whipped up (I'd add a link here, but my computer is SO SLOW at the moment), it's been in my head that I really wanted to make one for my bub. So I googled it, found a log cabin diagram, and made up my first three 30cm squares while the Wallabies played England at Twickenham. But then the rugby finished and it was really late and I displayed a tiny bit of maturity and went to bed. Finally doing a little bit of sewing meant that I could also finally use the beautiful, hand embroidered pincushion that my new blog-friend Cherry in Adelaide made me when I put it 'out there' that I really would like a new pincushion. It's so much nicer than anything I would have made and I love love love using it! Thanks Cherry!

I've got more I'd like to write about but the computer is too slow tonight. I still haven't taken the photos I need to upload some new artwork - will try again during daylight hours tomorrow.

Goodnight!