2020 NZP Pillow Sewing Challenge Announced & Pillow Sewing Challenge Round Up
The Nancy Zieman Productions Team is excited to announce the 2020 Pillow Sewing Challenge, taking place February 25– March 24, 2020! You’re invited to participate in the Nancy Zieman Productions 2020 Pillow Sewing Challenge. Brainstorm, browse, design, and plan. Then, sew a pillow! Enter the NZP 2020 Pillow Sewing Challenge by emailing one pillow image to [email protected].
Make a pillow to showcase your sewing talents. Entries may be for any occasion, any color, or any size (that fits on a sofa or comparable household furniture). Sew a pillow using as much imagination as you like. You may enter ONE pillow: Pillow must be completed within the last year and may not have been entered into previous Nancy Zieman Productions Pillow Sewing Challenges.
How to Enter
2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Pillow Sewing Challenge Guidelines
- Select or create your design. All sewing, quilting, serging, machine embroidery, and embellishment techniques are eligible. Pillow must be made within the last year and may not have been entered into previous NZP Pillow Sewing Challenges.
- How to enter: Send ONE high-resolution quality image of your Pillow to [email protected] by 11:59 p.m. CST on Sunday, March 22, 2020. Include your full name, hometown, and a sentence or two about your Pillow.
- One entry per sewist; open to US residents in the 48 contiguous states only.
- All Pillows will be judged, and winning entries will receive a prize from our generous sponsors! Explore the full list of prizes, totaling over $875 (see below).
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions enews—so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up today! Join us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.
- Grab our Pillow Sewing Challenge blog badge and let your friends know about this fun Sewing Challenge.
- Share your progress and projects on your social media sites using the hashtag: #NZPPillowChallenge2020
Schedule:
- February 25, 2020—Pillow Challenge Kick Off
- March 22, 2020—Pillow Challenge Entry Deadline
- March 23, 2020—A Panel of Judges Review Entries
- March 24, 2020—Winners Announced! All decisions made by judges are final.
As the calendar starts to turn toward Springtime, it’s time to start thinking spring/summer decorating. Pillows are a go-to sewing project for any skill level, they’re quickly sewn in most any size, and they can be made in multiple styles!
Tutorials Included
- Nancy Zieman’s Off-Kilter Log Cabin Quilt Block Pillow
- Wrapped Pillow Corners
- Boxed Pillow Corners
- Envelope Pillow Backs
- Embroidered Pillow Wraps
- Recycled Button-up Shirt Pillow
- Throw Pillows Made from Quilt Blocks
- Pillows from Quilted Fabrics
- NEW! Afternoon Picnic Floating Star Pillow Tutorial
Nancy Zieman’s Off-Kilter Log Cabin Quilt Block Pillow
Nancy designed this Off-Kilter Log Cabin Quilt Block Pillow for the 2017 NZP Pillow Challenge. Made from five cotton solid fabrics, this pillow design features Nancy’s modern approach to a traditional Log Cabin quilt block design. The color choice gives the pillow a mid-century modern feel—the process is Nancy’s time-honored Stitch ‘n Flip technique.
Wrapped Pillow Corners
Boxed Pillow Corners
Envelope Pillows 
You can, of course, make any pillow design you wish. We thought this easy pattern might spark your creative juices. Our Lattice Pillow features four machine appliquéd fabric strips interlaced on a solid background square. The pillow back is created envelope style and uses a hook-and-loop closure!
Embroidered Pillow Wraps
Recycled Button-up Shirt Pillow
Sew our Lumberjack Pillow—from a flannel shirt! We call this recycled-garment project our Lumberjack Pillow, although you could make this from any loved ones’ shirt and make a memory pillow. Our technique fits the shirt around a pillow form insert, allowing for many different shirts and pillow sizes to be easily created.
Throw Pillows Made From Quilt Blocks
Along our quilting journey, we try new techniques and test interesting ideas. Sometimes these valuable lessons and attempts yield “orphan blocks” or leftover quilt blocks – that don’t belong to a larger quilt. Take one or more of these treasured quilt blocks and sew them into Quilt Block Pillows – our simple idea doesn’t require any additional quilting!
Pillows from Quilted Fabrics
Making pillows from double-sided prequilted fabrics is easier than you think! Nancy was smitten with the quilted eyeglass frames and polka dot duo fabrics from Riley Blake. Nancy just knew that a Trio of Pillows were destined for this playful fabric.
Afternoon Picnic Floating Star Pillow Tutorial
Stitch our beautiful Afternoon Picnic Floating Star 18-inch quilt block, and showcase your quilt piecing talents. No time right now to stitch an entire bed quilt? No worries! Our one-block pillow project is for you! We’ve selected eight fat quarters from Nancy’s Afternoon Picnic Fat Quarter Pack to make our striking pillow. See how quick this quilt block comes together with TEAM NZP’s FREE! Afternoon Picnic Floating Star Pillow Sewing Tutorial!
Pillow Size Reference Chart:
Over $875 in prizes! Thank you to our generous 2020 Pillow Sewing Challenge Sponsors!
- C&T Publishing: Gift card to ctpub.com A $200 value
- Clover-USA: Gold Eye Milliners, Gold Eye Sharp Needles (No. 10), Threader and Petit Cut, Tailor’s Chalk (White), Seam Ripper, Water Erasable Marker (Thick), Protect ‘n Grip Thimble (Medium), Wonder Clips (Asst. 10pc), Bordeaux Ultimate Shears 200, Rotary Cutter (45mm), I Sew For Fun Pin Caddy, I Sew For Fun Heart Shaped Pins, I Sew For Fun Roll & Press & I Sew For Fun Point 2 Point Turner. A $184 value
- Pellon: Perfect Loft Cluster Fill: PLOFT 16, Allergy-Free Pillow Insert: AFPI1616, Down-Alternative Pillow Insert: DAPI1616, Print-Stitch-Dissolve: 2301S, Fusible Sheerweight: 906F-201YD, Shape-Flex: SF101-601YD,Flex Foam: FF776020P, EZ-Steam II Sheets: EZ25S, EZ Steam II Tape: EZ2-20T, EZ-Steam II Tape: EZ2-40T, Fuse-N-Tear: 371R, 100% Cotton Jelly Roll Batting Strip: FJR-2525, Craft Size Natural Cotton Batting: F/NCP3445 & Craft Size White Cotton Batting: GB-3445. A $145 value
- June Tailor: Quilt As You Go set of 3 Pillow Covers, Quilt As You Go set of 7 Uplifting Inspirational Mug Mats, Shape Cut Ruler & Cut ‘n Press II. A $130 value
- Riley Blake Designs: Couturiere Parisienne Fat Quarter Bundle, Pleasant Home 4″ Pin Bowl, Travel Magnetic Pin Tin & Blossom Embroidery Scissors. A $98 value
- Stitch it! Sisters: NEW! Modern Floating Triangles Wall Hanging/Table Runner Bundle Box with Supersize 5-in-1 Sliding Gauge and Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker. A $75 value
- Mary’s Productions and Mary Mulari Family Girls Apron Pattern, Little Sister & Brother Apron Pattern, Crisscross Apron Pattern & Chatterbox Reversible Apron Kit with one apron panel, one coordinating yard of fabric, a fat quarter and a special tip sheet. A $55 value
- Nancy Zieman Productions: Nancy Zieman, The Rest of the Story Book with DVD by Richard Zieman, Nancy Zieman’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Clover and NEW! Red Elegance Lap and Double/Queen Quilt Pattern. A $53 value
For a chance to be the random winner of a Red Elegance Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, please leave a comment below sharing where you’ll showcase your new pillow sewing project: Family Room, Bed Room, RV, or ?
Nancy Zieman Productions will give away one Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message – sent from Nancy Zieman Productions. Email The NZP Team at [email protected]
Be sure to join in and follow the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Pillow Sewing Challenge – this March at the NZP Blog. Deadline to enter is Sunday, March 22, 2020.
Happy Sewing,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.
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Lorna
My living room needs some sprucing up with new pillows.
Ginger
My man hates taking pillows off the bed at night, so my pillows have to live on the sofas… the ones he doesn’t sit on frequently! Lol
Nancy
Our bed could use some sprucing up with new pillows!
Carolyn
So many pillows, so little time! Wonderful ideas!
Jade
I will be donating my pillow for a raffle basket at an event that raises money for scholarships for girls.
Alice
I could use some new pillows. My little dog doesn’t like pillows on the couch so they always end up on the floor and chewed on the corners.
Susan Du
My couch definitely needs some new seasonal pillows! Thanks for the opportunity to win. Pretty color palette!
Debbie LaFleur
I plan to share my pillow in my outdoor kitchen as a centerpiece on the futon to create “pillow talk” conversations !
Carolyn T
My dressing room is also our guest bedroom. It’s the perfct place for a new seasonal pillow!
Susan
Use pillow in the living room for decorating of a season or holiday. Also, find that they add a pop of color and a bit of whimsy and charm to home decor.
CariAnn K
I am going to display my pillow on my new bed.
Marie
I’m finishing up a new quilt for our bed. I think a matching pillow made from the scraps would be perfect. Thanks for keeping the annual tradition of challenges. Something I really look forward to.
Beverly Smith
I have several projects in the works that could use the addition of pillows. In process are a log cabin quilt and another machine embroidery quilt for my son. I’m also finishing a Giant Dahlia quilt. All of these could use accent pillows.
Julie Kill
I need Pillows for our Camper (camper is a fixer-upper project), Bedroom and the sofa in the living room! Ours are all older and need to be re-done! Thank you again for brand new ideas, as well as speedy ways to get them done!
Dixie
I just finished a quilt so will be making a pillow from the scraps left over.
Bev Bolduc Aldridge
Only 2 places in my home may have a pillow—-the bed or the couch that makes a bed. It would have to be simple and comfortabe for a head rest.
Karen
I’m challenged to design travel-themed pillows for our motorhome. I made an Alaska-themed one last year for our trip up there.
Janet
I thought it would be nice to make a pillow for the car for long trips. Whoever is not driving can use the pillow to comfort their head and neck.
Clovis
Another pillow would go good with my other pillows on the living room couch.
Beverly
A pair of the boxed corner pillows will look great on the sofa in my living room.
Pat
A new pillow to be displayed on my made-up bed would be good (that is on days when I do make the bed). Thanks for the chance to win.
Jo Savino
One can never have too many pillows!!
Doreen
I’ll put it in my living room
Liz O
How exciting! Hopefully I will be able to play along! Thanks for the inspiration and the opportunity!
Have a wonderful day!
Sandra Chapman
Love the exciting pillow challenge and am trying to do the BOM for 2020 with the great red fabrics. Such wonderful gifts the sponsors are donating and any of them would be wonderful to win. Thank you for keeping Nancy’s legacy for us to lean on.
Bridget
My new pillow project will be showcased in my sisters living room.
Bonnye
I need to replace my pillows in my living room.
Karen Tucker
My new pillow will have a place of honor on my living room sofa, so I can see it every day!
Hannah W
My family room needs the pillows…I put away the Christmas/winter ones and now there is a bare spot, oh no:)
Karen Poole
I absolutely LOVE pillows! The more you have the the better!! I would display mine in my living room! Our sofa is starting to show some wear so I can pretty it up by adding pillows!
Karen Poole
Pillows are great for changing the mood of a room without a lot of hassle! I would use my pillows in the living room to brighten up my dark sofas!
Joan Godfrey
MOST OF MY RECENT PROJECTS END UP AT MY SISTER’S OR MY DAUGHTER’S. I JUST CHOOSE FABRICS THEY LOVE AND THEY GET IT. IT ISN’T LIKE I NEED MORE!!!!
Brianna
My new pillow will take its place of honor on our sofa.
Joann Ludwikoski
My new pillow will be displayed on my living room sofa along with some coordinating holiday pillows.
Karen McMahon
I always love a new pillow. My couch needs a new one. Thanks for giving me the incentive to make one!
Peggy V
I will use the pillow I entered on my window seat. It will be the perfect addition!!!
Amy Simmonds
My elephant pillow resides on the glider chair, in the baby nursery with its coordinating baby quilt.
Linda Martindale
The pillow I made was a Christmas gift for my granddaughter, who loves to read and looks at all kinds of books.
Emily Williams
My “faux knit” appliqué pillow will be going to my mother, an amazing knitter. With a gauge of 3 stitches and 5 rows = 16″ it certainly does not represent her fine knitting work, but it’s right up my alley of machine appliqué and quilting.
Emily
My “faux knit” appliqué pillow will be going to my mother, an amazing knitter. With a gauge of 3 stitches and 5 rows = 16” it certainly does not represent her fine knitting work, but it’s right up my alley of machine appliqué and quilting!
Lorraine
I’m going to put them on. my living room sofa.