Flowering Snowball

Well, I was so excited to see how this pillow would turn out that I just kept working on it.  And let me tell you…I could not be more in love with it.  It’s not mine…it will go to someone in the swap, but I’m soaking in the beauty of this piece for now.

Flowering Snowball

I just keep staring at it.  I think I could stare at it for hours (which is a good thing! because I need to quilt it and still turn it into a pillow!).  I’ve used bits of Flea Market Fancy here and there throughout my sewing career but mainly because someone was sweet enough to give me a scrap.  And then gloriously, they re-released a number of the prints from the collection and I was able to get some for myself.  So this is the first project that I’ve ever been able to do with unlimited access to this collection and create what I needed.

Flowering Snowball

When a collection  has been out as long as Flea Market Fancy has and been sooooo loved, I feel a certain pressure to create a piece that uses the fabric in a new way.  Or makes you fall in love with the fabric all over again.  This pillow certainly does that for ME, so mission accomplished.

Flowering Snowball

I put together this little mosaic as a sort of visual guide for how I sewed the pieces together and to show the complexity of the pattern.  Like any pattern, it’s all about breaking it down into steps that make sense and are not overwhelming.  I chose the fabric, cut the fabric out using the templates, laid out the pattern on my design wall (crucial for this particular pattern).  Then I sewed and sewed and sewed some more.  Each block was broken down into one curve at a time.

One thing I did this time that I’ve never done before is sew my curves together without pins (with the exception of one pin where I had to get seams to match).  I think the whole pattern seemed so impossible to me from the beginning that I was willing to try another thing that seemed impossible…curves without pins.  And it worked beautifully.  I don’t know why it clicked this time, but it did.  And I won’t fight it. 😉

Flowering Snowball

Next Step:  Quilting.

79 thoughts on “Flowering Snowball”

  1. It's lovely, I bet it's hard to give up. Good for you conquering the curves. I started sewing clothing many years ago, so curves are in my repertoire, but I'd rather use straight seams. After seeing this pillow I may try some, in quilting, too.

  2. This is so gorgeous!! I have never seen this pattern before, but I sure hope I start seeing it more! I just started doing curves without pins and it's so freeing. Phew!

  3. After the sneak peek yesterday, I was so excited to see this bigger version. Wow, I'm speechless! Every once in a while I see something that absolutely floors me–the creativity, the design, the color choices…like a perfect storm, all the pieces come together to make something of such visual magnitude, leaving me in awe-struck wonder. It's apparent that you went slowly–the curves are gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing this!If it's your design, you need to write it up and sell it, sister!

  4. This is gorgeous! I think the color choices couldn't be more perfect. It's FMF, but it's evolved beyond the initial recognizability of the prints into something that is uniquely Angela. I would love to try this pattern as well. 🙂

  5. so pretty, love everything about this from the pattern to the fabric. I am terrified of curves. Swaps are intimidating for me and I don't do them often. Good for you

  6. This is so incredibly awesome! I'm not brave enough to try curves yet, but I will someday, and this is a pattern I'd be interested in! Looks fantastic.

    Your stash is also beautiful, by the way.

  7. Angela, this is BEAUTIFUL!!! I love it! You chose just the perfect solid colors to make the FMF just POP! Oh my goodness, I am staring at it in complete envy. 🙂
    Karen
    khauglan (at) [yahoo] dot com

  8. Cindy W, Aus
    Angela,
    This is all over Pinterest already and is just Beautiful, OH to be in your mind for a day or 2.
    Damm, would love to be your swap partner!!!

  9. I am even more smitten today than yesterday. I am not good about creating the same thing twice after creating the first for a gift or swap. You may have more stamina for intricate patterns and piecing. Edit. You definitely have more stamina for curves than I do. I would definitely take good photos and frame that pillow top for my sewing space!

  10. I presume this is a hard work, but it's worth the time, you made a masterpiece!

    when I look at it, this quilt reminds me of girls (seen from up above) holding hands and turning with large skirts, quite complicated ^_^

    I love your work!

Leave a Reply

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top