Seaside Stitches: Orchid Pillow

You guys, another WIP is done. I know it's getting a little ridiculous. I need to ride this wave of productivity as long as it lasts!

Here is my Orchid Pillow before stuffing. It started in a Hawaiian applique class with Janet Elia last August. Janet provided a simpler pattern than this, but Bill bought me this one on a work trip to Hawaii over 20 years ago. The applique was actually finished soon after the class.

I needed a handwork project for last night's TV watching, so I took this out. I had to go find the purple thread that I had been using. Why did I put it away? I rinsed out the blue pen before I went to bed and it was dry by morning. I love the texture of hand quilting. I really need to do more of it.

I pulled fabrics this morning for the backing and binding. The first time I saw binding on a pillow, I thought it was kind of odd. Now I love it! It gives the look of cording, but it's way easier. The striped binding adds lots of color and brings in the greens and blues of my bedroom.

Man, I love this backing print. I only had about a 10" strip left, so I had to piece it across the middle. That's where I left an opening for stuffing the pillow. I added some fusible batting to the backing so the stuffing wouldn't look lumpy.