"Prince Charming" Double Hexie Pillows

We all know I simply have no self control when it comes to swaps, but I really love how they stimulate the creative process for me.  While I have received some totally fab-u-lous gifts in swaps, they are not the reason I participate.  I love to try new things and make something that {I hope} will please my partner.  Without the inspiration of the swap, and making things for new people each time, I doubt I would ever try anything new.

For this project, my partner suggested a palette that is not-quite my usual style. I was really stumped until I remembered that I had this Tula Pink Prince Charming bundle sitting on the shelf that I purchased - and used quite a lot - in 2011.  In fact, I made my son pillows from it that year.

The pattern was inspired by this tutorial from Kerri and from this pattern by Jaybird Quilts. 

Be sure if you try it that you are using a 60-degree equilateral triangle template.  Yes, I made a huge mistake and had to re-cut all the triangles.  Boo.  It was a lot of extra work, but the pillow turned out OK in the end.  In fact, I kind of like the fact that the inside hexagon is smaller than the outside, but it wasn't planned that way.  LOL

I had a couple of blocks left over so for the "extra" item, I made this little hexi-ish scrap basket.  If I was to do it again, I would make the inserts more rectangular than triangular, and make it a little bigger.  It is a mere 5-inches in diameter, so it is small, but deep.  Still, it would work very well in my sewing space, which is very cramped (to say the least).

So there you have it - one more swap completed with the hope that it is something my partner will really enjoy.

Catching up...

(Let me start out by saying that you may want to read to the end of this post...  Just sayin'!)  

It's been quite awhile since I did a blog post, hasn't it?  Well, first I had a little mishap with my machine.  I hit a pin, which has happened a million times, but somehow this one went down into the bobbin case and created all kinds of havoc.  I've hit pins before, but never with such a devastating result.  In the process of becoming accordion pleated itself, said pin dislodged the bobbin case, nicked the shield to the bobbin case, and generally prevented the machine from stitching.  Hence, Penelope made a quick visit to the doctor.  Thankfully, the repairman was able to fix her and get her up and running for only the cost of a service call (despite the up to $250 estimate I received - whew!).  And truly, she's been used hard this year, so a service call was sorely needed anyway.

And the other reason I haven't posted lately is that I've become totally obsessed with my GMFG quilt top.  It seems to consume all my spare time.  For some reason, I seem to work on it compulsively.  My friend made me 100-or-so yellow hexies for the fences, and so I was able to get to this point...

And I couldn't rest until I made about 100 more...

And so it progresses.

And it's a perfect project to do when you can't do anything else...

So, while I was following all the commenting on Flickr about my Waterfall pillow, I got the feeling that I was on the wrong track for my partner.  (But on the right track for my son, apparently - this is the only one of  my projects he has faved on Flickr!)

So I made another, which I hope is more to my partner's taste.  I love that I was able to use up some binding I had left over from my Outfoxed quilt, and lots of other scraps.  I've been wanting to make a plus pillow.  It was really fun.  There may be more plus projects in my future!

So that's what's been going on around here.  What have you been up to?  I'd love to hear!  Leave a comment and tell me about your latest project.  There may be a little something in it for you.  (Hint!)

TTFN