Quilted NY Giants Pillow Cover Tutorial

NY GIANTS quilted pillow cover tutorial

craftyfootball

I am excited to be apart of the Crafty Football blog hop again this year.  Last year’s quilted playmat was a huge hit and has gotten lots of use.  For this year I was stumped on what to make.  My sewing time is dedicated to a couple of big projects and I want something functional for our home. quilted football playmatI have been a pillow kick to make something quickly and try to use up some scraps.  In my solid color scrap bin there were plenty of red, white, grays and blues to start something NY Giants.  The idea came to make a quilted cover for the pillows that came with our couch in the basement.  They are not the most manly and I have wanted to make covers for them for a long time.

ny giants colors scrap fabric While traveling this fall and visiting the National Baseball Hall of Fame, inspiration hit.  Yes, baseball museum is where the inspiration comes from.  So many old photos, uniforms, pennants, etc really got my brain going.  We have a large collection of vintage NY Giants sweaters from the Bill Parcells era.  Something like that would be perfect.

The design is simple but a great throw back to the Parcell's era sweaters we love so much.
The design is simple but a great throw back to the Parcell’s era sweaters we love so much.

Things you will need:

  • Solid fabrics in blue (more royal to navy), gray (light to medium), white and red
  • Quilt batting
  • Backing fabric
  • Thread
  • Old Pillow
  • Freezer paper or fusible webbing

From your fabrics cut the following sizes:

  • Blue fabric 7″ x 18.5″ strip (2) for the front
  • Blue fabric 11″ x 18.5″ strip (2) for the backing
  • Red fabric 1.25″ x 18.5″ strip (2)
  • Gray fabric 1.25″ x 18.5″ strip (2)
  • White fabric 5″ x 18.5″ strip

With your red and gray fabrics, fold in half, iron a hard fold.  Lay the red strips on the long side of your white strip of fabric, leave a small amount of white showing ~1/4 inch, pin, and stitch in place.  Layer the gray fabric right along the edge of the white strip, pin, and stitch in place with under a 1/4 seam allowance. strip cutting for pillowFor the GIANTS lettering I used Agency FB Bold Italic at size 250 per letter.  I used Publisher and put each letter in it’s own text box.  Printed with the mirror option on.  On a scrap piece of blue add fusible webbing to one side.  Cut each letter out and trace on the webbing side of the fabric.  When adhered later with the iron the letters will be facing the right way.

Agency FB Bold Italic 250
Agency FB Bold Italic 250

For two days hubby and I discussed and played around various fonts.  He wanted it to be perfect and he’s very happy with this choice.

 

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorial Remove the paper backing from the webbing and fabric.  Position the letters on the white strip closest to the middle.  Once you’re happy with the positioning, adhere it with an iron.

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorial Add the blue strips for the front 18.5″ x 7″ to the top and bottom of the white strip.  The front of your complete is now pieced.  The front should be 18.5″ x 18.5″.

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorialUse scrap batting to back the front of your pillow and pin.

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorial ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorialFor the quilting I used a coordinating blue, red, gray and white thread.  1/4 inch quilting is the look I like the best.  Quilt as you desire.

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorial For the letters zig zag stitch around each letter.  Once the quilting is complete trim up to approximately 18″ x 18″.

The back will be made using the 18.5″ x 11″ strips for an envelope pillow back.  Here is a great tutorial on how to make one.  Lay the front and back right sides facing each other and sew a 1/4 inch seam all the way around.  The finished product will flip right side out and fit over your pillow.

ny giants quilted pillow cover tutorial The quilting is not too dense and the fabric is soft.  Can’t wait to nap on this Sunday during football.   Giants are on a bye week so at least the pillow won’t get tossed across the room as this season has not been their best.

Also linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Finish It Friday.

     


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A Win Can Be So Bittersweet

Sunday’s Super Bowl was quite memorable.  It was hosted by my town…Indianapolis.  So far, everyone has raved about how great of an event Indy put on.  My husband spent the week working his full time job and then his part time job at a brewery downtown.  He met lots of people and had the opportunity to meet some of his idols.  My neighbor witnessed it and said it was quite stalkerish.  My husband has a passion for the New York Giants and all things football.

Well, I can thank his father for his slight obsession.  Okay slight obsession is an understatement, he was called Rainman of football last week by a Giant’s family member.  He knew the player, his school, where his father played in played in college and professionally.  They were impressed.  I guess I’m used to it.

However, my husband will not have the opportunity to speak to his dad about the Giants.  We are minus one in our cheering section.  Steve passed on New Year’s Eve very unexpectedly.  Over the last month, we have been grieving, dealing, and trying to move forward.  Then the Giants just had to keep winning.  It honestly has been the worst roller coaster ever.

Any other time I would be so happy for my husband and his love of the Giants.  It’s not the same this year, without his dad to say how he doesn’t think the Giants will play well.

Thank goodness for sewing, being creative, and having an outlet.  I’ve gotten back into running and on the bike.  Hubby and I have some weekend plans thanks to my parents that demanded our dogs for the weekend.

Off to do something normal.  Sewing, that’s my Friday thing.

PS…my favorite story from the week we spent in Albany with my wonderful MIL and BIL’s is:

Steve could not eat wheat.  Since I have known him, I have not seen the man eat bread.  However, in going through stuff at the house we found a giant collection of wheat pennies.  They were his thing to collect.  So a man that could not eat wheat, collected jars of wheat pennies.  Still makes my chuckle.

 

Go Colts

Normally on a Sunday during football season I sew.  My fiance and I are big football fans.  He is a much bigger fan than I am.  He watches any game that he can.  So I have about eight hours of free time to create. 

Today is Superbowl Sunday and my team is playing.  There is no sewing for me.  I have to make my death queso, called death because it’s HOT!  A full jalapeno with seeds goes into it. 

Go COLTS!!!