NYC Pillow Panel Blog Hop: The Big Apple

I have been so excited about making this project! This pillow panel is fun and offers so many creative opportunities. When I was asked if it was something I was willing to play around with it to created new projects, I was immediately drawn to the Empire State Building which (possibly thanks to James and the Giant Peach) just really holds a special place in my heart.

To make the most of this project, I decided to pick up two of the panels and use the Empire State Building from both panels to create a super fun table runner for my New York City fans!

Supply list:

2 NYC Pillow panels

1/2 yard of background (cut 2 rectangles 14 1/2" x 21 1/2")

1/2 yard of a Dark (cut 1 rectangle 10 1/2" x 14 1/2" and 2 rectangles 5 1/2" x 14 1/2")

10" x 10" square of white fabric and Inktense materials (or fabrics in your favorite apple colors for applique pieces)

I got started by making my "Big Apple". You can visit my Class Resources page and download the NYC Apple image for free.

Create applique pieces with the image or watch my video on creating an Inktense painted apple with with your NYC apple.

Position your apple on the 10 1/2" x 14 1/2" rectangle and applique into place using your favorite method of applique.

I appliqued my painted apple using my needle turn method.

On both background rectangles, mark a vertical and a horizontal centering line and then mark a horizontal line 1 1/4" from the bottom of rectangle.

Cut out the Empire State Building from two panels, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance around the whole building.

To make sure I could applique the antenna on the top of the building, I marked a line 1/4" on both sides of the antenna and left a 1/4" seam allowance beyond the 1/4" marking surrounding the antenna.

I used the vertical centering line and the horizontal base line to align the applique as shown in the adjacent image and appliqued the buildings into place on both of the background rectangles.

I love to do my applique by hand on the couch at the end of my workday, but if you applique on the machine, add a stabilizer behind the building to keep your stitches looking beautiful!

As with all panels, there may be some wonk in the panel. Before you align and applique your Empire State buildings into place, you may wish to starch and press the buildings. As you pin into place, you can also manipulate the edges of the cut out to ensure that the building is "squared" in the space.

Once your appliques are done and you have pressed your appliques, lay out your runner with the 5 1/2" x 14 1/2" rectangles as shown in the adjacent image.

Piece our sections together and press toward the darker fabrics.

Your Quilt Runner will measure 14 1/2" x 62 1/2".

Now I might just love Free Motion Quilting more than the average person, but I was so excited to quilt this project. I added the NYC to both of the sides of the buildings and planned to quilt them so that they would stand out in a complimentary color.

I used bubbles on one side and at the suggestion of a friend I added a cloud shape to the top of the building and I like the way that changed the overall image.

Opposite of the bubbles, I decided that I liked the idea of a fractured pattern that looked like the cracks in a street.

I used simple patterns in the dark spaces and a matching thread to allow the apple to show up well in the center.

Once quilting was completed, I trimmed and bound the runner.

This week I'm in Houston prepping for the change over between Quilt Market and Festival, which means I had a very entertaining time standing on countertops to get a photo of the finished project.

Don't ask my husband how about how much laughter was involved in the process of me climbing around on kitchen counters to figure this all out, but let's just say that I think I'm ready to put together a team for The Floor is LAVA any day now.

I hope you have been enjoying the NYC Panel Blog Hop. Be sure to enjoy the whole designer line up and enjoy all of the possible holiday gift ideas that can be created with the NYC Panel images. I myself am eager to try out some of the ideas my fellow designers have been creating the patterns for! Put on your favorite New York nostalgia movie and get to work my friends!

November 1: Jen StrauserDizzy Quilter

November 2: Swan SheridanSwan Amity Studios

November 3: Lissa LaGrecaLovingly, Lissa

November 3: Emily LeachmanThe Darling Dogwood

November 4: Deborah FisherFish Museum and Circus

November 5: Siobhan FitzpatrickCDM365 Studios

November 5: Autumn ShattoGeometry And Joy

November 6: Laura PilandSlice of Pi Quilts