A Surprise for Mom!

 Over a year ago, I absconded with scraps left over from a quilt top Mom had pieced.  I didn't exactly sneak them out of the house - she gave them to me, but I didn't tell her what they were for.  I had found a stunning pattern for a throw pillow that I though would be perfect for her, to accent the quilt.  It was a paper-piecing pattern - the Star Flower Pillow from Moda's Bake Shop - and I started in on it right away.

I hadn't done any paper piecing for a long time, but convinced myself that, since everyone was doing it, it couldn't be too difficult...  After fighting with it and struggling over it for about four days (it literally had blood, sweat and tears in it!) and completing less than half of the 20" pillow top, I dubbed it the "pillow from hell" and relegated it to a UFO bin.  I almost threw it out, it was so frustrating.

I have felt guilty, off and on, about that pillow.  It's called to me, mocked me, and insulted me over the past year.  I would see it, every now and then, while getting fabric for other things, or digging for scraps.  I kept telling myself that I'm an intelligent, adult woman who should not be defeated by a pile of fabric and paper!  And yet, I just couldn't bring myself to try it again.

Then, while working on my Craftsy 2012 block of the month sampler quilt (yes, I'm way behind!), I watched Amy Butler's video for her paper pieced blocks.  A light bulb came on.  After using her techniques to make the sampler quilt blocks, I couldn't believe how simple and error-proof the paper piecing was.  I finally felt like I would be able to master the pillow for Mom.  I pulled the pillow out of my UFO bin, and in one afternoon had completed the entire thing.  No kidding.  One calm, relaxed, no-stress afternoon.  No blood, no sweat, no tears.

I actually enjoyed it.  I did have to take apart a little bit of what I had already done, but not much.  The next day I quilted it and finished the pillow, using this tutorial from Sew4Home to make an envelope-style back, so the cover is removable and washable.  This ended up being such a fun, successful project.  I have finally conquered paper-piecing, and completed a project that I thought would never be right.  The finished product is gorgeous.  I almost didn't want to give it away...  But I already have plans to make another one!