Moda Love Charm {Quilted Throw Pillow}

This year is what I call the Year of the Leftovers.

After finishing Peanut's Quilt, I still had some charm squares left because the pattern doesn't use the entire pack.  My first instinct was to just cut them into 2.5" squares for my hexie stash, but then I recalled that there was a "mini" version of the original Moda Love Pattern.

And then sticking with my "use all my stash" comimttment, I found this Essex Linen in blue to use with it. I still haven't mastered working with linens and small blocks, but hey, its a process and I used up the fabric that was just going to collect dust!

I decided I would just make another fun pillow cover.  Either for my studio or Button's room.  With that in mind, I used an off white linen scrap I had and made a blue gingham binding.

I did my hidden zipper back and quilted the front with straight line quilting in the four quadrants.  

Lessons learned?  No linen backing.  And stick to matchstick quilting to hide all my small piecing sins.

Button declined it for his bedroom, even though it matches his quilt and pillows, and it is now in my studio.  Sometimes its good to have your lesson learned quilted works out and and about!

Peanut's Baby {Quilt}

My sister is having a baby very soon and his nickname is Peanut. Unlike me, she is not surprised by the gender of her babies, but keeps their names a closely guarded secret. 

I was very late in giving her other boys their quilts, Primarily Sean and Gabe in the Hat. This time I wanted to get a small quilt done before my new nephew actually arrived!

The Moda Love Quilt has popped up in my friends' Facebook feed and I also noticed quite a few being made on Instagram. It is a layer cake pattern, but includes charm and min charm patterns also.

I found my Moda Mod Century by Jenn Ski charm pack, in my stash, that I had picked up a few years ago which I paired with Kona Snow from my stash.
I love the orange, reds and blues for a boy.

The trickiest part was deciding what colors were going to be the full squares and HSTs. I grabbed my colored pencils and made quick work. After making the HSTs and playing with the layout on the design wall. 

I blinked and had a top. It pieced quickly, even when I added a small border to make it slightly bigger than the original pattern.

I loaded it up on Ole Betsy, and decided on a FMQ circle quilting based on a pantograph I saw online that I now intend to purchase for the future.

The coordinating blue flannel backing quilted and washed very nicely for a sweet new baby.

And the orange swirl by Moda gave the edges the pop and the draw to the center that I wanted.

A tiny printed label on the back and it was sent off posthaste to her. I beat the baby's arrival!

Quilt Stats

Size: 36" square

Pattern: Moda Love 

Fabrics: Mod Century Charm Pack by Moda, Orange Marble Swirl,
Kona Snow, Joann Fabrics Flannel

Quilting: Free motion circles on HQ Avante longarm

I definitely plan to use this pattern again, possibly in the Layer Cake size!