Saturday, April 4, 2015

My First Quillow, Tested and Approved

I've always wanted a quillow ever since I heard about them, which was clear back in Junior High. My Grandma Brown told me about them. What is a quillow? It's a quilt but then folded up and tucked into a pocket attached to the back it turns into a pillow. A quilt + Pillow = Quillow.

I didn't get my first quillow until I was well into my 30s. A friend of mine, Brian, his mom is a quilter and we chatted and for Christmas Brian had asked her to make me a quillow. She sent it and it is one of my favorites to curl up with. It's also Caesar the MinPin's and Bremley the Cat's favorite too.

I was in my favorite quilt shop, the one where I took my first quilting class, and I found a pattern to make a quillow. I could not leave the shop without that pattern. I got home as quickly as I could (safely, of course) and opened the pattern. WOW, words and words and more words. It was soo confusing.

I thought to myself, "It can't be this hard to make a quillow?" So I pulled out the quillow that was made for me and I studied it. Yes, I sat and studied a quilt, not a book, a quilt. I looked at all the seams, I looked at the pocket, I looked at the fabric that was used and how that was sewn together. Then, Whammo!!! It hit me. This is super easy.!!! I can make this without this very confusing pattern.

So I went and purchased 2 yards of the plaid fleece below for the back and 2 yards of the Autumn Leaf Fleece for the front. Now it's reversible minus the pocket. 

For the pocket I purchased half yard of the plaid and half a yard of black. I did make a mistake with the black fleece. I should have purchased half a yard of the Autumn Leaf Fleece, but I was just teaching myself how to make this. I know now to match the pocket fabric with the main fabrics of the quilt.

What's next you ask? Well have a look for yourself!!! With the help of my dear assistants we made our first of many quillows. I even started to sell my quillows but that turned out to be too much work for very little amount of money. But it was another fun adventure in quilting. 


2 yards of Plaid Fleece
2 yards of Autumn Leaf Fleece
Bremley the Quilting Kitty hard at work
Ceasar, MinPin, The Quilt Tester

Keeping the Scraps under Control
The Pocket, Plaid on one side
Black on the other. I should have done the Autumn Leaf fabric.
This was my first time to make a quillow and without any instrcutions.
This Quilt is perfect!!! It's Now Mine. All Mine!!!
Ceasar's Comfort Quilt

This is the life!!!!

Jenny Doan's Disappearing Nine Patch


I was perusing YouTube for quilt pattern ideas when I came across a tutorial from a lady I had never heard of before. I loved it and had to subscribe to her YouTube channel. Jenny Doan from Missouri Star Quilt Company was wonderful and her tutorials were exactly what I was looking for. 

I usually don't have a whole lot of time to work on quilts with a full time job and church responsibilities that I was always looking for quick and easy quilts that look like it took me months to create. Jenny Doan is my type of Gal!!!

She showed how to make this Diasappearing 9-Patch block. WOW was it easy peasy!!! I love this pattern so much I have made several of these. This purple one was for a dear lady from church who needed some lovins. What a better way to give love than with a handmade quilt. This is Tina Monson's favorite color the pattern is so fun to do. Just look at the end result. 

Thank you Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Company for starting your tutorials!!! I love them!! Keep them coming!!! 


Click to Watch Tutorial by Jenny Doan

Paper Doll Quilt



The Paper Doll quilt is adorable and totally fun to make. I ordered this from Fons and Porter. I saw this in one of their magazines and had to order it. It came as a kit with everything you need to make it. The doll clothes are from an actual piece of fabric that you just add fusible webbing to the back and cut out each piece. Every part of the quilt is actual fabric. Children, and not just girls, love to play with this quilt.

Lay it out on the floor and dress the dolls in whatever outfit you choose or snuggle under the lap quilt with a great bedtime story, or a fun Disney movie.

I made this quilt for one of our closest and most dearest friends' daughter, Jane, for her birthday. Even her brothers had fun trying it out.