Pillow Talk Swap 2

The second round of Heather & Kerri's Pillow Talk Swap is currently wrapping up, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite swaps on Flickr. Mini quilts are great, but pillows are just so functional and have already added so much to the decor of my home!

For the second time in a row, I was the luckiest swapper in the group ... well, according to me, anyway! Here's a shot of the pillow I received from the hostess herself, Heather:

Isn't it amazing? I had been watching Heather post the steps of the cathedral windows tutorial that she developed while making this pillow, and had admired it from afar. I mean, solid gray? Flora & Fauna? It's SO me.

And then when I realized it was her swap pillow, I wanted it. Like, really, really wanted it. And the weirdest thing? I kind of had a feeling all along that it was coming to me.

Here it is alongside my original Pillow Talk Swap pillow, made by Amanda.

It's all coming together nicely, eh?

And here's the pillow that I made for my partner, Amber of One Shabby Chick:

When I first signed up for the swap, I happened to be shopping at my local quilt shop (Wish Upon a Quilt) and they had a sample made up of this exact pillow. It's from Anna Maria Horner's book, Seams to Me. The pattern itself, with it's ruffled take on patchwork, really appealed to me ... but moreso, I couldn't get over how crazy soft it was! I was captivated by the pillow and knew I had to make one.

I appreciated being able to try a new technique, since I had never done anything with ruffles before. And I made my own custom insert, since the pillow was not a standard size. I splurged a bit and bought bamboo filling from JoAnn, and I am so glad I did -- it helped my pillow to be as super soft as the one I saw at the shop!

This pillow is now safely at home in Hawaii. I hope you enjoy it, Amber!