Oh ... it feels good! I've been wanting to make all my drab ugly couch pillows into beautiful colorful ones for a while. I have a total of six and after these two very simple yet effective pillow covers, I only have two more to go!
After finishing a couple big projects the past couple days, it was time to make a 'quicky' something!
 |
| 20" x 20" |
When I say simple, I mean super simple and no nonsense. I didn't add batting, I didn't quilt them. The most difficult part was the hidden zipper backing. But with Svetlana's Hidden Zipper Tutorial at S.O.T.A.K. Handmade...even that was pretty simple.
My daughter came home several years ago with this IKEA Home Dec fabric just for me. Naturally I loved it at first sight, but never really knew what I would make with it. It was and is on trend with today's fabric designs and of course the colors are wonderful too!
The fabric and zippers are from my stash and it feels just plain good to finally use some of that!
While the backing doesn't match perfectly with the Ikea fabric, it was close enough for me. (Also from my stash) I haven't a clue what color you call this or even the manufacturer, but I had plenty for both pillows.
First part of the zipper is pinned and ready for a finishing stitch. The tutorial for the hidden zipper doesn't use a zipper foot and I really like that! Not that it's such a big deal to change a foot, it's just nice when you don't have too!
When your husband says they're cool...then it must be so. Other than his creative criticism of some of my designs, he isn't exactly schooled in home decorating! Then again...neither am I!
They don't exactly hide the brown/beige boringness of the old couch, but they certainly do help!
Sometimes I have a hard time calling my scraps scraps. I enjoy working with little pieces because let's face it, little pieces become bigger pieces and eventually a finished something or another.
Cynthia who blogs @Quilting is more fun than Housework, asked if I had any scrappy projects to share on her Oh Scrap link up...well yes indeed I do!
Improv is like putting together a great big puzzle, you have to turn, twist and chop it up to make it fit. Making something that looks complex and visually appealing without looking like a chaotic mess is not always easy, but it sure is a lot of fun for me.
After making my Improv Table Runner: Stained Glass, I felt energized! I can't really explain it, but I knew I wanted to do more. Only this time I wanted to focus on one block and one color, pillows were the logical choice.
 |
| 18" x 18" Pillow Cover |
It was time to pull out the solid scraps! I would love to say I have the perfect scrap storage solution for everyone, for me mine works, but everyone has their 'own way' that works for them. I tend to keep my regular cotton solids in one bin, my Shot Cottons in another bin and my favorite color combinations in two other bins! I know exactly where I need to go when I need a color!
This was also the time to set up my newest set of tools, my mini iron and folding cutting/pressing mat.
The first day was awkward with my 'station' to the left of my machine. The second day I flipped the mat and had the cutting mat next to me, which made it much more comfortable and efficient.
From my scraps I pulled all one color in as many different shades as I could find. Sometimes I need to slice a strip from yardage for more variety and that's fine. It doesn't always get used up right away, but it's there for the next improv piece.
I begin by pairing up pieces (lots of pieces), cutting random sizes or angles and chain piecing them together (#1). After which I press them nice and flat (#2). Here's where the puzzle building starts. I start building bigger pieces by pairing up the initial pairs or adding another piece (#3). Eventually they grow big enough and I can assemble them into one big block (#4).
You can see how it becomes a puzzle! Of course, since I had my improv station up, my scraps at hand...it was easy to jump from one color to the next and create an entire series of improv squares. Did I go overboard? I'm not quite sure about that!
Once the block was assembled, I cut each one in a wonky shape ready to frame with black.
The strips of black were roughly 1 1/2" - 2 1/2" wide. This gives me enough real estate to play with for the next step.
The final frame.
Again, size doesn't matter! (too much) You want the strips wide enough so you can get some fantastic angles.
I then add enough black around the sides to make an 18" x 18" pillow, allowing a little extra to cut the yellow border a bit wonky. I used Kona Cotton for all the black on the outside, but bought a less expensive cotton for the lining. Basted and ready to quilt!
This was the time to go wild! I broke out my FMQ imagination and went to town! I was 100% sure each pillow was going to have pebbles over most of the block, the rest of the space was random, random, random!
Pebbles are so much fun to make! Plus, I know they will look amazing once they come out of the wash!
The pillows were finished off with a hidden zipper back. I highly recommend this tutorial: Hidden Zipper by Svetlana @ s.o.t.a.k handmade. It has become my favorite way of finishing off a pillow.
Like I said, an entire series!
Inevitably, there are always extra pieces with improv. Me being me...I wasn't going to let those pieces make their way to the scrap heap! They are now 'one', peacefully coexisting together!!
Pillows are the perfect way to add color and texture or transform an entire room. This I know, but don't practice!! I am so tempted to make something like these for my very own couch!
Oh, one day Jayne, one day!
LINKING:
I love a good storm. The rumble of thunder, the flash of lightning and the sound of rain. I know when it's over there will be a freshness about the air, the lawn will flourish, the flowers watered. However...
This is Tennessee! And you can't really rely on accurate weather forecasts. Around 7pm last night, we lost power. ARGH! With that, we also lost all access to cable! Double ARGH! I am totally lost with out those comforts, shoot I can't watch TV, let alone sew on bindings!
My kids were sweet enough to load the laptop with Pirates of the Caribbean movie, so you know, Johnny Depp helped me through!
It could have been worse! I had just enough light to finish gluing my hexies down for some pillows.
I have two 18" x 18" pillows in the works using 1" hexies. For some reason hexies and polka dots are my favorite combination!
There are also two 18" x 18" pillows in 2 1/2" hexies. I've made pillows with this size before, Cheerful Spring and was excited to do it again! Here's a link to a fabulous tutorial at Modern Handcraft ~ Modern Hexagon Tutorial. You will love making these!
I used my favorite tool the ever popular Hera Marker to mark some lines for machine quilting.
As for the storm and power, we got the power back on at 10 pm. Still no cable, no Internet, no sense staying up!
I finally went to bed after the movie only to be jolted a few times by the loud crack of lightning! Really LOUD! Turns out one street over a bolt hit a huge oak tree and that sucker went down!
The cable finally, finally have I said finally (?) came on at 2:15 pm today! Now it must be time to get back to work and get these pillow finished!
LINKING:
