A Proverbial Pillow

Denyse Schmidt's quilt pattern, The Proverbial Quilt, is a fun way to add text to your sewing project! I have used the alphabet in this pattern to make this quilt...and today I put together a little pillow using just four letters - ENZO

The pattern is easy to use, but I have a couple of tips that make it even easier! Yay!
First, I traced my letter templates onto the dull side of freezer paper.  Each template is marked with a letter and number...I added BG to indicate a piece that should be cut from background fabric.  Cut templates on the line....

Then with a hot, dry iron...press the templates with the shiny side toward the right side of the fabric. The freezer paper will stick to the fabric making it much easier to keep the pieces organized.

Lay an acrylic ruler on top of the template and cut so that you leave a quarter inch seam allowance on each side. The freezer paper should stay in place...no need to double sticky tape the template to your fabric! 

Then simply sew the letter parts in order..... 

You will need to add spacers between the letters and background sections on the ends. Fortunately, my letters were all rather straight {no fiddly angles} but there is an easy way to match letter angles. First lay your spacer or background piece with the top along a horizontal line on your mat. Then lay your letter just over the edge of the background fabric.... 

 

Using the acrylic ruler, cut the background fabric along the edge of your letter - keeping the same letter angle...

My little guy has an easy name with just four letters.  After adding spacers between the letters and background pieces on the ends, I just arranged them two letters by two letters.

I trimmed my square and added some colorful sashing to each side which put my pillow at about 18.5 inches square!

A little bright pick stitching with perle cotton....

To finish I added a cute back with loops and buttons to close {maybe for another post?}

There are so many possibilities...re-size the letters and add text to tea towels or placemats....

 or perhaps initials on a pillow if the name is lengthy...how fun! 

This one is going to my niece's son....ENZO!

Thanks for letting me visit :)

mary