The comforts of home and the joys of crafting.
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| Comforts of home |
No Spring has not quite yet sprung
but my spring cleaning has now been done.
I confess, I am becoming a little undone.
I am ready for warmer weather and a bit more Sun.
I am anxious to get outside to get my garden going.
I feel all revved up and ready to go but tomorrows forecast now calls for snow!
It was 12 degree above yesterday. A beautiful close to a spring like week.
It is however only the end of February. Winter persists yet.
It is only spring fever that has arrived.
With the cob webs cleaned and the mirrors all shining
I set out to seek an indoor project, made to inspire!
Pillows are perfect!
Brighten up a room and your constitution.
Stitch together a story that speaks to the day.
No sewing machine required. A needle, a thread, embroidery and cotton thread, as little as half a yard of fabric (depending on the size of pillow you will be re-covering) 2-3 small remnants of complimentary fabric,
scissors, an iron, an afternoon, a hot cup of coffee or a glass of wine and a little imagination will get you on your way.
I have certainly been feeling a need to respond to the call for the love of nature. Teased by the weather at this time of year and not weathering well the seasonal variances in temperature, I find myself spending more time inside than I like.
My longing for the greens of growth that will eventually overtake the now empty planters that I pass on my way in the door became my inspiration for design.
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| Make a pillow cover |
I chose a grey cord, blue corduroy, cotton print remnant and felt in my design.
The new pillow covers will slip over the old.
Fold the grey cord in half with right sides together. Lay the pillow to be covered on top of the folded fabric. The top of pillow will be at the fold in the fabric.
With a chalk pen mark 2 inches from the pillows outer edge on 3 sides. This will be your cut line.
Cut 3 sides only. DO NOT cut fold at top.
Open grey cord fabric and lay on a flat surface.
The front finished area of your pillow will be from the top fold down and across.
Cut the green cotton fabric smaller than the grey cord to allow for a border around your design.
The green cotton fabric edges will then be folded over 1/2 inch and pressed.
Lay the cotton fabric square onto the grey cord, center it
down from the top fold. Pin into place.
I next cut the blue cord just smaller than the green cotton. I also made sure that the ridges on the grey corduroy ran horizontal and that the blue cord ridges ran vertically. It adds a wonderful visual to the finished pillow. Fold over 1/2 on 4 sides and press flat.
Place the blue square evenly on top of the cotton square and pin into place.
Finally the felt pieces are cut and pinned into place.
Once you are content with the design you are ready to stitch things into place.
I used cotton thread to blind stitch the edges of the green cotton onto the main grey.
I chose to use a light blue embroidery thread on the blue cord to blanket stitch it in place.
I also used the embroidery to stitch all of the felt pieces in place.
Once the pillow front design is stitched into place the pillow edges must be stitched together.
Fold the pillow fabric in half with fold at top and edges even all the way around. Fabric will be right sides together.
Pin together and stitch together.
I stitch the length of one side like this - - - - - - the needle goes through all fabric from back to front to back to front and so on
and then I stitch back over the same area bringing the needle and thread up where it passed down the first time. ----------- filling in the space between stitches. Do both sides.
I stitch the same way on the bottom edge but to only about 2 inches in from each side.
Reach into the pillow pouch and pull the fabric right side out. Poke out the corners.
The old pillow is now inserted into the case.
Because the pillow will be wider than the opening on the bottom, it does helps to gently fold the pillow
while inserting into case. Reach inside the case to straiten the pillow and to ensure that each corner has been stuffed into the cases corner.
Fold under the grey edges at bottom pillow and pin front and back together. Use a matching thread to stitch together.
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| Lillian the Domestic Engineer |
As this is meant to be an enjoyable experience it is understood that there are no rules and no completion dates.
Whatever will be will be is good policy.
I
have worked so long on some pillow covers that the finished product
didn't end up resembling the original plan whatsoever! None the less the
end results were always pleasing.
I worked on two
covers over the weekend.
By Sunday evening I was sitting with a smile on
my face, satisfaction in my soul and a couple of fine,
freshly covered pillows gracing my sofa.
The joy of creating had satisfied my desire to be inspired.
I found satisfaction in self gratification, without guilt and while enjoying myself.
It was a good weekend in spite of the weather that was.
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Make your own Pillows
I just happen to have a corduroy couch!
I hope that the older I get the more I know. Slowly I am coming to know myself.
When I wake feeling blue
not being motivated about much I have to do
when mounting frustrations and grumbled gripes dare to defeat me long before night
when the sun refrains and the snow turns to rain
I now smile to myself and run with the game.
No longer able to run from myself I claim the feelings as mine
even though the world wont wait I need to take some time.
A little self love and a pillow hug feels necessary
and with that I'm fine.
I craft in the name of my sanity.
More CRAFTING IDEAS HERE
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