Arrival of Spring

Well, I did it. 

From start to finish, this pillow top was a relaxing project and a lesson in (ordered) improvisation and following my whims. In retrospect I may have used too much color, but considering I'm itching for spring to be here and enjoying every field of wildflowers I come across, I think I could be forgiven for making a somewhat "loud" pillow. 

I did keep it simple for the back, using one of my favorite damask prints in one of my favorite colors. Well, simple is relative isn't it. The binding was put on just like a quilt, zig zagging to the back to finish. 

For the quilting I chose to densely quilt lines in each section around the center block. I still just love that purple garden print, especially combined with the Ta-Dot fabric at the bottom. I used gray thread for something a bit different than white. I considered using different colors in different sections, but there are limits on color, even for me. 

I used a decorative tulip stitch on my machine to add some interest and a touch (more) of whimsy. The blue linen borders were a perfect spot to place a couple of stripes, and the tulips also feature on the edges of the back flaps. It's a cute touch that I can appreciate, even if it's subtle. From far away the blue borders look a little like lace, kind of cool!

Of course, this pillow won't be out year-round, just to herald the Arrival of Spring. It has found a place to reside on the chair in our bedroom and gives me a nice bright smile when I wake up in the morning.

Linking up to Finish it up Friday at crazy mom quilts with this colorful finish!