Challenged

Sign up for the next Pillow Talk Swap ended a couple of weeks ago. Even though I swore I wouldn't, I did. Go figure. 

So, my partner info came a few days ago and I have been totally boggled over what to create for her home. Her requests seemed reasonable enough—blues and greens with an outdoorsy vibe. But really, she likes all colors and seems to like some of Malka Dubrawsky's work, too. So, befuddlement set in and I began to panic.

I dug through my stash searching for inspiration. I even checked out what she made and received in the last swap . . . because EVERYTHING that popped into my mind was so simple that I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing the mark.

I'm still not sure I'm quite hitting it . . . 

My initial fabric selections came down to Amy Butler's Nigella or a mix of blues and greens from past Amy Butler lines. They felt organic and natural in a way that many of the other blues and greens in my stash do not.

The overwhelming majority of swappers voted for option 1. So, I began working away on a design inspired by Amy Butler's Electronic Quilt Co. pattern for her Aspen Branch Tablerunner. 

My plan was to leave the raw edge exposed and clip it and then fray it to feel more like an aspen branch—or a palm tree frond as that's what it resembles to me. So, I'll probably try to fray the edges and see how it looks after that. I am, surprisingly, liking the fabric combination but not sure that the design is working for me. It seems to be getting a positive response from other swappers but I'm just not sure what to think. 

I was thinking about pebbling on the linen in the negative space. My partner also seems to like concentric quilting so that would be the other option—just lines of very perfect, evenly spaced stitching. 

To add a little interest, I would do a scrappy piped edge around the pillow and possibly do a button closure on the back. 

The alternate option is also a very, very simple design. But, I would use the tutorial from Sew Take a Hike for photo-to-fabric applique (like her umbrella below) to do something nature-y in the center of the pillow.

Those solid squares would be prints in varying shades of teal and green. I'd use Kona snow or bone for the white and the background on the outside and in the center would be linen. This kind of reminds me of a window . . . 

So, I am obviously feeling very conflicted. Neither idea shouts out to me as something perfect for my home . . . but I think they might be on track for my partner. I'm just not sure! 

Thoughts?