Memory Pillow & Hanging Gardens Quilt Loaded

Yesterday, I attached the last two borders of Esther's Hanging Gardens quilt, and put the backing together.

Before I could load it on my frame, I needed to get all the fabric off my quilting table, which I also use as a cutting table.  And before I put all the fabric away, I needed to cut pieces for a memory pillow for my blind friend, Penny, who was another of Bethany's best friends.  They both taught classes at our church school, and often graded papers together.

Penny, upon hearing that I was making Bethany's daughter Esther a memory quilt, asked if I might have a small piece of fabric left over for a little keepsake for her, "--about the size of a handkerchief," she said, "and if you wouldn't mind terribly, could you hem it for me?"

Penny just never asks for anything – or if she does, she wants to pay me.

Well, I wrote back, "Instead of just a small piece of domp r-r-r-rag (roll the r, like the original Winnie-the-Pooh narrator did), how would you like a pretty throw pillow? I have enough fabrics to do that."

(I’m sure you all know the story of Piglet and the burst balloon he’d intended to give Eeyore?)

She agreed, quite pleased.  

Well, I cut the pieces for the pillow -- and then, before I could stop myself, I just hauled off and put it together.  The trim around the edges came from one of Esther's dresses that I cut apart.  It now occurs to me that I should use one of the large pansy buttons that was on one dress to go in the middle of this pillow.  

When the pillow was done, I loaded the Hanging Gardens quilt on my quilting frame.  Now to choose a pantograph and start quilting.

Addendum -- Button added: