The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Project Quilting 14.4

 When the challenge for Project Quilting 14.4 was announced, A Novel Project, I knew exactly which book I wanted to highlight.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by the French author Muriel Barbery is my absolute favorite book.

 A moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us (Goodreads).

 The phenomenal New York Times bestseller that “explores the upstairs-downstairs goings-on of a posh Parisian apartment building” (Publishers Weekly).

The book is very well written, it is a pleasure to read, try it out! 

 

 From the title of the book I just had to make a project with a hedgehog. After some internet searching I found the cutest, free pattern on the Flamingo Toes blog: Harriett the Hedgie Pillow.

I needed a new pillow, so this was a win-win situation! The pattern fits a 20" pillow form. I chose to narrow the borders a bit to make the pillow a little bit more puffy.

 Here's the pieced pillow front.

 

 The only time the hedgehog could prick me was in the basting process.

 

 After quilting the hedgehog is so soft and cuddly.

 

I made the back of the pillow with a hidden zipper closure.

 

I seem to have a preference for pillows in these Project Quilting challenges, here's a comparison with the 3" pincushion I made in PQ 14.3.

Keep on quilting!

One Swoon Block Done

The first Swoon block for the pillow set is done. It will be a matching set that will go together with the Blurred Vision quilt  as a wedding gift. It is the same colors, except that the pillows have some extra white in addition to a print in teal and white in the center star.

The pillow cover will fit a pillow form of 20" square. I think it will go well together with the quilt on the happy couple's dark grey sofa.

Now it is on to cutting the pieces of the next pillow, and then I will start quilting in a week or two.

Linked up to Blossom Heart Quilts.

Another Swoon Pillow completed

On the day before Easter I finished assembling my Swoon Pillow cover. Stuffed with a 20" pillow form, I now got a new big beauty for my couch.

I took it outside for a photo shoot this morning to show off the true colors of the pillow. Now my April goal for ALYoF is completed; goal post is here .

When cutting the pieces for the design, I used the Companion Angle and the Easy Angle by Sharon Hultgren and cut out all the parts from 3" strips. This method created hardly any waste. Straight line quilting with light grey thread enhances the design.

I made a simple envelope closure for the back.

The weather today on this Easter Sunday is just getting brighter and brighter. It is turning out to be a perfect day with the leg of lamb soon roasting in the oven.

I wish all of you a very Happy Easter!

Linking up to April Finishes Party - ALYoF , Link a finish Friday #115 and Finish it up Friday.

Progress

Last weekend I finished the quilting of the pillow front blogged in the previous post.

Yes, it's a Swoon! The fabrics are a perfect match with the clear white, the pink fabric with flowers in white and Cornflower blue, and the Cornflower solid. I did a straight line quilting with my walking foot, and used a light grey quilting thread.

Here, the quilting is finished. The straight line quilting gives a nice texture to the pillow front. I have previously made two of these pillow covers, blogged about here . Then it should have been fairly easy to complete this 20" pillow cover with an envelope closure, but, I got distracted...

I started on another project that I can't reveal until next month, but I can give you a little sneak peak of a few scrappy star blocks.

I am only using using fabric from my stash for this project, among them some recycled shirts. If feels good to not buy anything new, but after most of the blocks are made, I can not see much reduction in my scrap bins...

When the quilt top is finished on this project, I will have to get started finishing my Swoon pillow cover, because this is my ALYoF goal for April.

Happy quilting!

Linked up to Linky Tuesday #15 at Freemotion by the River.