Inspiration - Nordic Style

Do you ever ponder where inspiration comes from? I enjoy thinking about that sometimes...looking at things I've made and reflecting on where the idea came from.

Nordic throw with a matching pillow

Early last fall I received a Country Curtains catalog and saw this picture of a cozy and inviting Christmas bedroom. I was dreaming of how perfect something this look would be in the guest room of our log home :o) I just knew that great Nordic throw would be the perfect companion for my All Points North quilt block.

Festive Christmas bedroom - Country Curtains catalog

I purposely kept my Christmas making to a minimum this year because of all the time being spent on preparations for our log home. However, if you're a maker then you know it just doesn't feel like Christmas if you don't have at least one handmade gift to give ;o) This pillow was a nice project to occupy myself during the evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Deep saturated reds and inky black fabrics gave a nice crisp look to this Nordic-style block.

All Points North - Nordic style

The background fabric was a fun departure from my comfort zone - my first inclination was to play it safe and use Kona bone (a solid fabric), but I have long admired printed background fabric in the work of others. I decided to go for it and pulled from my stash the red/cream Purebred Derby Preakness paint-by-number fabric from one of my favorite designers, Erin Michael. It adds a fun layer of dimension to the pillow.

The beautiful hand work of Mary Dugan (Molly Flanders Makes blog) enticed me to quilt this with big stitches using perle 8 cotton. Hand quilting is a comfortable, slow process that allows me to sit in the living room with my husband in the evenings instead of at my sewing machine.

Envelope-style back with buttonhole stitch trim

My favorite way to make a pillow back is the simple envelope style. I always plan on a generous overlap and usually use 2/3 of the pillow dimension for my fabric measurements - this ensures no pillow insert peeking out. To add just a touch of cozy to the back I added machine buttonhole stitch to sew down the binding across the back.

This was a satisfying final project for 2016 and has been gifted to a sweet friend. I think that cozy Christmas bedroom picture provided just the inspiration I needed :o)

As 2016 comes to a happy close I'm looking forward to what 2017 brings. Hopefully, a move into our log home for my family! What are you hoping for in the New Year?

Blessings,
~ Debbie