The Hard to Part with Gift!

Do you ever make something for someone, a gift, and once you've finished look at it and think "I can't give it away"?!?!!?  Yep, thought so.  I KNOW I'm not alone.  I KNOW that we've all done it.  Which makes me feel somewhat normal.

So yesterday I needed to make a gift for one of my nieces.  I stood in front of my fabric shelves and tried to decide which ones to use.  The gorgeous Ruby turned 10 yesterday!  10!!  It's that age where girls start moving towards being a little more grown up.  A little less cutesy.  A little more - well, older.  So I wanted to make something that would grow with her and she would still hopefully love in to her teens and twenties.  I spotted a little pile of charm size squares.  They had been sitting on said shelf for probably a good 12 months, waiting for the right project.  This was it!  I've been wracking my brain since then, trying to recall who gifted these beautiful squares to me, but still can't remember.

Anyway, they were perfect.  PERFECT.  There were 15 squares, so when I found the perfect print for the back, I cut out a square of that to add to the front.  This type of cushion is THE EASIEST kind.  Literally 16 x 5" squares, all sewn together with batting and some backing pinned together, and then quilted through.  Easy peasy.  The lovely Ros asked me a couple of weeks ago for some tips when it comes to lining up the seams on charm squares.  I can't remember exactly what I imparted, but here's what I do - I don't pin.  I sew with my needle down to stop and start.  When I start with two squares together, I sew about half an inch, then stop and match up my seams together just using my fingers, and with the seams going in opposite directions.  I hold the seams together until it goes under the needle.  The majority of the time, I end up with near perfect seam intersections :)

I adore this print.  The text is full of beautiful positive messages.

I think I need to head back to Spotlight where I bought it from and get me some more.  Don't you think it's perfect for a girl heading in to the double digits?

The colours burst from the fabric, so I chose the beautiful Aurifil #1100 hot pink to straight line quilt my way across the squares.

This delightful cushion took me just over an hour to make.  Another reason why it's so easy!  The difficult part came this morning when I had to wrap it up and send it off!  If anyone out there reading this recognises the fabric range/s, please feel free to share with me!  I think some of the prints look a little AMH, but I'm not sure!

I'm linking up - You can too!