'Peas in a Pod' Batik Pillow Finish-April FMQ Challenge

This FMQ pattern, 'Peas in a Pod', is from 
Christina Cameli, and I started it weeks ago here. 
It's very organic, and I played around with it quite
a bit rounding out, squaring off, etc. Christina 
shows it much smoother, and refined, but I had 
more than a little trouble with the batting I used. 
It was terribly dense to start with, and then I 
added intensive quilting with heavy thread. 

*This piece would be ideal as Kevlar-type padding 

 worn under chain mail or jousting armor. No joke.
I now understand why early soldiers used such 
padded underclothing to protect themselves. 

Darlene at Quilt Shop Gal is hosting the 
2015 Free-Motion Quilting Challenge as she's 
done for several years. The April Challenge
features Christina Cameli. Check out her
blog, A Few Scraps, for some sweet inspiration!
I highly recommend her books, one of which
I already own, and the other I'd like to order.

First Steps to Free-Motion Quilting

Step-by-Step Free-Motion Quilting: Turn 9 Simple Shapes into 80+ Distinctive Designs Best-selling author of First Steps to Free-Motion Quilting

I used some fabrics on the inside that are older,
and wouldn't get used in my modern things. No
one will see it, so I use that or muslin. My backing
is the same 3 fabrics, and quilting with a 
walking foot in a straight stitch.

I decided not to use a zipper on this pillow,
but to sew it shut. It's for me, and I can spot
clean it if I must. I stabilized the sides of the 
back by stitching a 1/4" around all sides. Then 
I added my binding, but only sewed it to the 
backing section of the opening.

I left a long tail to sew the binding together 
at a 45 degree angle. Christa Quilts has a great 
tutorial if you're ever stuck.

Notice that I was also sewing the front and back 
together at the same time as I added my binding, 
but you could do it first if it's easier. Then I brought 
the binding to the front, and sewed it by machine
on 3 sides. Leave an opening to insert your pillow!

Pillow went in, and this time I used one on the 
smaller side. I didn't want the whole thing
to feel like a rock. I pinned the section near 
the last opening so it flattened it out, and 
kept the pillow back. That makes sewing on the 
binding SO much easier in the case you have a 
pillow pushing on your last opening.

Miter the corners with a fold, and you're done.

And, since none of you seemed to mind--
Ta-Dah!

Now to frost the Espresso cupcakes I'm 
taking to sewing and quilting tonight.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
We've got lots to get ready

before I can go sew.

Linking up with~
Lizzie Lenard Free Motion Mavericks
Val's Quilting Archives
Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts
2015 FMQ April Challenge with Christina Cameli