Three More Frank Pillows

I'd made a pillow from this Lella Boutique Frank pattern and blogged about it in my posts for 9/24/25 and  10/1/25. It worked up quickly so I decided to make others. I pretty much used the same fabrics but experimented with the FMQ. I improved my time with the cutting out by noticing I could cut strips and sub cut those. Here are three more Franks waiting to be FMQ'd. The coloration is subtle but the center Frank is a slightly more yellow hue of green. I could get two Frank faces out of one fat quarter.

I have never read the story of Frankenstein but I did know that Frankenstein is the name of the scientist/creator and the green guy himself was called either creature or monster. What I did not know, until I read a plot summary, was that the creature started out somewhat kind, initially rescuing a young girl from drowning. Humans, horrified by his appearance, treated him poorly and only then did he turned vindictive. I like to think that my three Franks represent "creature" in his early friendly stage. I also learned that his green color arose from his portrayal in a movie because the green makeup used in the 1931 film was applied to made him look pale and cadaverous on black and white film. Unlike Kermit the Frog, Frankenstein was not born that way. Even so, the result is still "♫ It's not Easy Being Green ♫".

For my second Frank, I used a HQ Clamshell template. Initially I though it would be too formal but I like the way it turned out. I chose the 2" size twosome on the right and stitched them in from the bottom up.

Then, even after my exhaustive review of rulers for the first Frank in my post for 10/1/25, I caved and bought a Wave E ruler. The Handi-Quilter website no long carries this ruler so I bought it from another online store that happened to stock it. Maybe HQ has just not gotten around to renaming it but wanted to have it in my collection in case it became unavailable. Yes, it is long (12" instead of 8"), but I plastered the back with quite a few sandpaper tabs and it stayed in place for me fine while quilting.  I used the side with the more squiggly of the waves and sewed the waves across Frank's face from the bottom up. The yellow pieces of tape reminded me how far up to space the next wave above the one beneath it. The FMQ went quickly... far faster than those clamshells. The result is a different look, but I liked it as well.

 

For my third Frank I considered vertical scallops since the other previous patterns had been horizontal. I also considered a curved edge squares block design and compared the two by sketching on clear sheets to audition. I opted for the scallops.

I did need to struggle and scratch my head a bit to get the scallops spaced as I wanted them and facing each other in pairs, but it was worth it. I used the HQ Mini Scallop Ruler and I am pleased with the results.

I forgot to put a label on the pillow I made for myself to keep but since these three are giveaways I did not want to skip that step. Should I name them all Frank? Do pillows need a name like quilts? Titles like Frank 1, Frank 2, and Frank 3 presumed a hierarchy and I did not want that. I considered Frankenstein, Frankly, Frankincense, Franklin, Let's Be Frank, and Frankfurter. After some thought (more thought than the topic merited) I decided on FRANK for each of them. After all, they will be in different households and there would no confusion or cases of mistaken identity. I also wanted small corner labels to be short: FRANK and DIC 2025. The labels are diagonal across the two upper corners on the back. All pillows have the same green spider web backing fabric and a zipper in the bottom.

Here is the trio of Franks all perched side by side before being sent off to their new homes. Each has his custom unique quilting pattern: waves, clamshells, or scallops. I had fun experimenting and practicing on every one. Can't you just hear those three Franks singing to the tune of We Three Kings?

We three Franks / of Halloween,

Not ghosts or pumpkins / instead we are green.

We're monsters forever / ceasing never,

To create / a BOO-ti-ful scene.