My Orchard Pillow in Stitch!!

Keeping a secret is really hard, especially since I feel like every one of you is a friend with whom I wanted to share this with so badly! You see, before I started blogging I never would have had the confidence to submit design ideas to magazines or book publishers. I really want to thank all of you for encouraging me with your positive feedback on my work.  Your requests for tutorials and help with your own projects confirms that I've got something to share.  So I did it!

I designed this pretty Orchard Pillow last summer (based on this mug rug that I made the year before for the very first mug rug swap on flickr).

With some guidance from the lovely Ayumi, I submitted my sketch and swatches to Stitch and they accepted my project!  

And after a very long wait, I can finally tell you all about it because the magazine is now out and available for purchase from Kathy at Pink Chalk Fabrics!  Look, there is it!!! (I haven't seen it in real life yet. I think it will be a couple of weeks until I receive my copies - and you can be sure there will be a giveaway so stay tuned!). Thanks for taking pictures for me Kathy, and allowing me to use them here.

Photos by Kathy Mack - used with permission

And thank YOU for all you've done to bring me to this place of excitement, and for sharing it with me.  I hope a few people will like it enough to make one for their summer garden bench. Or even their living room couch! Now, that would be a real thrill.  

The pillow construction is not difficult. It's straightforward machine applique with a little sneaky faux-trapunto technique to give the pears some extra loft. It's a great technique to use on pillows, or even baby quilts if you want a particular motif to stand out and have some relief off the quilt top.  The stems are super fun to do as well; it's all explained in the pattern instructions.

I can't wait for my copies to arrive in the mail, and to have my project back so we can enjoy it this summer!  

The sun is shining here finally. It's a great day. Enjoy it!