For the Love of Llamas

When I first read a couple of years ago on Julie's (Pink Doxies) blog about her getting a horse for her youngest daughter, I could totally relate, because I'd been there, done that with my youngest daughter.  When I read that she and her family had rescued two llamas, and had gone through hell and back with them, vets, nursing them, caring for, loving them, and then developing quite the relationship with the two, I was pretty amazed and intrigued.

Cecil in the background, Misha in the foreground, August 2015, when Julie and I first met in person

Where we used to live in Alberta, the closest gas station and convenience store was called The Laughing Llama, and yep, you got it, they had llamas.  They were so sweet.  And interesting!

Can you spot any rogue, rather shy here, llamas?

When I was surfing the 'net looking for the farm animals (cows especially) doing yoga, I came across some llama fabric.  No way!  When I saw they had it on a pink background, I threw it in my cart faster than you can spell llama.  I knew exactly who was going to get something with said llama fabric.  Certain person who had recently done me a sweet favour.  And thus was born yet another DrEAMi!

Drop Everything And Make it! Click the pic if you'd like more info.  That First Quarter Finish Along that is 2/3 of the way through the first quarter? OUT the window.  My first QAL looming...MEH, it'll happen...THIS is going to happen.  And now.

I decided to make a cushion cover similar to that I made for Tish as a thank you last year, because it was such fun to play with 2.5" squares.  In Julie's, there are some new fabrics: the pink starfish fabric, the aqua sand dollar and the Cloud 9 waves, all symbolic of our Florida connection, the geometric Art Gallery one, which shows up in a second project below, and the modern C&S Christmas one to name a few.  Then there are some oldies, some very old and some more recent: several floral ones, a nod to Julie's love of gardening and knowledge of the flora of nature, some batik and kaleidoscope ones representing her love of hand-dyed fabrics, even some older Tula, 'Cleta' by Art Gallery, and even a piece from my Meadow Mystery! Such fun.

The back shows you what a fun print it is, maybe a little more Mexican than Florida in feel, but I LOVE the bling on the llamas!

I did an envelope back but I only do one layer, not a double one of fabric.  I've always had success with this method, it uses less fabric, and not one of my cushions has given out yet, and I've made many over the years!  There's a wee bit of a surprise on the inside of this one:

I had to use that selvage, and was so happy that I could plan it so it lay perfectly on that edge!  You know how I love putting little unique surprises in my quilts.

I used one of my labels from Ikaprint.  Note if you order, you can make them double-sided! I did not even realize this, and so I've started writing on the back of them with either a gel fabric pen or super-fine Sharpie.

Pink and black is pretty classy, so for the binding I used an RJR Handspray couple of strips I'd brought down with me for a strip quilt project.

I quilted it simply with straight lines through the patches.  I got a little fancier on the border.

I had extra fabric (on purpose) and I new exactly what I'd do with a hunk of it.  What do two pieces, Sulky Blendables 30 weight thread, and some straight-line quilting make?

Have I professed my love of Sulky threads enough?! Just look at the subtle shading, mmm!

A llama zipper pouch!  The llamas have also become quite close to Julie's youngest daughter, and so I made her a pencil case/toiletries bag/llama treats pouch, whatever she purpose she decides.

Both sides have different llamas studying the beholder, ha. Their expressions are spot on!

Inside...

She's in college, so I thought the Art Gallery "Maker" fabric which reminds me of math and geometry, even maps, was appropriate.

Both gifts were very happily received.

Julie's cushion cover got Sulky rayons 40 weight.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  original design
Size:  cushion cover: 18.5"; bag is about 6x11"
Fabric: 'Lovely Llamas' by Michael Miller, 'Maker' by Art Gallery Fabrics, 'Stella 504' by Dear Stella Design, sand dollar one is by Jane Dixon for Andover Fabrics, and various scraps and stash
Batting: Pellon Nature's Touch 100% cotton
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads:  pieced with Gütermann; cushion quilted with Sulky rayons; pouch quilted with Sulky Blendables

Linking up
Crazy Mom Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFF at Celtic Thistle Stitches
Fort Worth Fabric Studio 
Cooking Up Quilts