So much to learn...

So here I am!  I've finally taken the plunge after years of being a committed reader of other people's blogs, and created a blog of my own.  And boy do I feel inept.   Just like learning any new skill, working out how to set up, edit and post takes some consideration and a deep sense of gratitude towards my teenage daughters for patiently coaching me through!  So expect some mistakes, and changes as I slowly establish what I want to say and how to say it.

To date 2014 has been rather spectacularly unproductive, a busy start to the working year, followed by some challenging family matters, has made for a number of starts and depressingly few finishes on the quilting front.

But there has been one finish.

Many years ago, when we lived in Sydney, pre children, we purchased two Ikea feather cushions.  They have accompanied us through many many homes, and had new covers made for them several times.  But they are aging (rather like the Lovely Man and I).  I noticed last year they were starting to shed feathers in a rather alarming fashion.  Perhaps I could construct a cover that kept stray feathers in?  And include both cushions within the one cover to make it rather more generous?

For awhile I was stuck on which, of many options, I would most enjoy making.  I have long been an admirer of Rita at Red Pepper Quilts, so this seemed the perfect opportuity to go for simple 'Red Pepper' like squares, and use up some of the small scraps of favourite fabrics I'd been hoarding.

And here it is:

Side One - two inch squares finished

Side Two - 4.5 inch squares finished .... mostly!

What I failed to consider was that the two sides were not exactly equal in terms of final measurements, and since, by the time I realised this, I had quilted them both AND installed the zip, I simply made Side Two fit.

Quilting is simple stich in the ditch, as I didn't want to lose any of those beautiful images.

However, I am delighted to say, that while making the cover was rather more complicated than I had anticipated, and quilting both sides was something of a performance, not a single feather has escaped.  So heres hoping the cushion lasts another 5 years!