Happy Thursday! I feel like I have been on a pillow making bender lately! Now that we live in a house with more than one place to sit, we have a lot more places for pillows. I like to switch up our decor a little when the seasons change, so I'm building up a stash of all different pillow covers.


I am also trying to finish up the last of the leftover blocks and tops from writing my book, Patchwork Essentials: The Half-Square Triangle. This block was an all solid variation of my Woven quilt! It actually has made me want to make an entire quilt like this, I just need to choose a color. Using up orphaned blocks is such a quick and satisfying way to make a pillow!


For the quilting, I didn't go too crazy. I stitched diagonal lines, avoiding the center of the block. This meant that there is some quilting in the ditch along some of the half-square triangles. I wasn't super sure I'd be happy with this look but I actually quite like how it turned out!


I decided to add pom-pom trim to this quilt to it give it a little extra special detail. I really love pom-poms on a pillow! I have to say though, it takes a lot longer than I remember. It's not hard or anything, just fussy. I'd definitely do it again, but probably won't be trimming out all my pillows. Who can resist these mustard gold poms though?


I kept the back simple with some linen, but used a pretty purple zipper for a pop of color. This is my favorite way to back a pillow.


Happy Quilting!

Staircase Lap Quilt

Happy Tuesday! I have a little lap quilt to share with you today!


I really love how this quilt turned out, but it took me a while to finally get photos of it! It originally appeared in the Winter 2018 issue of Quilts and More magazine as a part of the Scrap Lab section. For the design, I wanted to create a block that was a simple tessellation. I came up with these simple staircase shapes. This quilt is 48.5"x54.5".


I think what makes this quilt really striking is the color palette, it's really fresh! The fabrics used in this quilt are Painter's Palette solids by Paintbrush Studio. Here are the colors in this quilt: Claret, Taupe, Lime Mist, Moss, Rosebud, Peach, Teal, Snow, Coral, and Emerald.


I kept the quilting on this super simple, just some straight line quilting 1/4" on either side of all the horizontal seams.


For the backing I used a print from my Nordika collection that just so happened to be a perfect match! For the binding, I used scraps from all the solids used to put together the top.


Happy Quilting!

All About Pincushions

Earlier this week I shared this quick pincushion that I made, on Instagram (I'm @jenib320). It was a 15 minute project made with scraps. Anytime I write or post photos about pincushions, I always get questions about how I fill them, close them, etc. So, I thought I'd make one big post with all that information in one easy to find spot! If you've ever had questions about making pincushions, I hope this will be helpful!

What I Use for Pincushion Filling

I use crushed walnut shells to fill almost all of my pincushions. It is used as litter for pet lizards! I usually pick it up at a local pet store, but you can also order it online* too. A big bag will last a while, so you may want to split one with a friend!

Above: Dumpling Pincushion Pattern* by Julia Williams of Alchemy Tea.


I keep it in a big 2-gallon ziploc bag. I store a plastic funnel and a plastic spoon (free princess cereal spoon for the win!), right in the bag too. This way I don't have to wrangle the tools every time I want to make a pincushion.

I've also filled pincushions with fiberfill in the past, but I prefer the crushed walnut shells*. It gives pincushions such a nice weight and they can double as pattern weights when I'm cutting out garments!

How I Close My Pincushions

For an invisible closure, you could use a ladder stitch to close your pincushion opening. Personally, I am terrible at this stitch (and impatient), so I like to use a small whip stitch instead. It's quick and if you use a coordinating thread it's not super noticeable.

How to Make a Sturdy Pincushion

If you're planning to actually use your pincushion for pins rather than just for display, you may want to stabilize the pincushion top so that it hold up longer! Depending on the pincushion, I've used light-weight interfacing like SF101, medium-weight interfacing like fusible fleece, or quilt batting. It's a good way to use up those small scraps! This also gives you an opportunity to add extra detail with some quilting. Want to make it even more substantial? Quilt the backing too!

How to Make a Pincushion Out of a Dish

I've made a number of pincushions out of small containers like egg cups, candle holders, jars, little baking tins, and even a sponge holder! These can take a little fiddling with to get just right, but they're pretty easy to make. Start with a piece of fabric (usually cut in a circle) about two inches in diameter larger than the opening you're filling. Then run a quick running stitch around the circle and leave a long tail. Place fiberfill in the center and pull on the thread tails to cinch and create a little puff. Then you can test the fit in your object and add more filling or take some away. Once you're happy, knot the threads and use some hot glue to secure the fabric in place.

How I Display My Pincushions

My favorite way to display my pincushion collection is on this shallow wall shelf that I made with my Dad. It's not super deep, but can hold a lot! It's very similar in size to my thread shelf, which you can find a short tutorial for here: DIY Thread Storage Shelf.


Currently, I have my collection tucked into a cubby of my Expedit. I have a shelf in there to give me two levels of display. I'm hoping to get my shelf hung soon!

My Pincushion Tutorials

Triangular Log Cabin Pincushion Tutorial


Half-Square Triangle Pincushion Tutorial


Hexagon Pincushion Tutorial


Hexagon Ring Pincushion Tutorial

More Pincushion Inspiration


Happy Sewing!

*Note: Any links marked with an asterisk in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click through and buy something, I make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

Confetti Zipper Pouches

Happy Tuesday! I have a cute little pair of zipper pouches to share with you today! I made them with my friend Aneela's new speedy vinyl pouches pattern.


So earlier this month I had been itching to make myself a confetti pouch. I've seen them here and there, but it was seeing one in person at Target that pushed me over the edge. What's a confetti pouch? It's a pouch made with clear vinyl that is filled with confetti, sandwiched between the layers of vinyl. The confetti can move around inside, and they're just fun.

I made one attempt on a bit of a whim, but used vinyl that was too thick and had to throw it out. Enter Aneela's pattern, and it seemed like an easy customization to add! I experimented with different gauge vinyl for each pouch, in order to determine what would work best.

By the way, can you tell I was wearing a coral sweatshirt when I took these photos? It's reflected in some of the confetti!


First up, I made the largest size in the pattern. I decided to match my fabric to my confetti (which is from Dollar Tree). I went with this Japanese night sky fabric that I bought from Miss Matatabi on Black Friday last year (it's no longer available and there is no selvedge info unfortunately!). It has little flecks of gold sparkle.

For this pouch I used 8 gauge clear vinyl. I think this would have been closer to the right weight except I messed it up a little. When I attached the binding to the back of the pouch, I wasn't thinking and I ironed it. This made the vinyl wrinkle up and some moisture from the steam got between the layers. Whoops!


Anyways, the vinyl is thin enough that the confetti can easily move around, and two layers of it isn't a big deal! If you want to make your pouch a confetti pouch too, just use two pieces of vinyl instead of one. Baste around the edges leaving a small opening for filling with confetti. Then stitch that closed and make the pouch!


For the second pouch, I made the smallest size. For this pouch I used a print from Carkai by Carolyn Friedlander. Another print with a little gold sparkle! I used 12 gauge clear vinyl for this pouch. It still works, but is a little stiffer and so the confetti doesn't move around as much. 10 gauge would be the best I think, but my local craft store doesn't carry it.


And here is a view of the pouches from the back. I think these turned out really cute, and I'm definitely going to make some more, and experiment with other confetti pouches. They're a little over the top, but I don't care! They make me smile, and that's what matters, right? Now to go down the confetti rabbit hole on Etsy!


Find the pattern in Aneela's shop here: Speedy Vinyl Pouches Pattern

Happy Sewing!