Along the Lines Pillow

 

Along the lines pillow

     Here is another pillow in my olive, teal and taupe collection.  For this one I followed an old article I cut out from Sew News magazine.  This fabric was probably not the best choice as it was quite thin and 'crisp'.  The article suggested a linen fabric which I think would have been much better.

Article from Aug/Sept 2014

      I cut my front fabric into a square and didn't trim the dog ears as the strips made a very geometric pattern.  I cut all my strips of fabric and used the bias tape maker to form the bands.  I then applied Steam- a-Seam to the back.  Next came the fun part, arranging all the strips.  I had to weave them in and out to form the pattern.  Then I removed the paper backing from a few strips at a time and pressed them in place.  This was the hardest part of the process, keeping everything aligned just so.

Corner detail

      I chose not to add any cording, just kept it a knife edge like the article showed.  I added a napped sateen lining and serged around all the edges.  The napped sateen added some needed body to the fabric.  The backing piece was plain with a zipper.

Olive, teal and taupe pillows

     Not sure I would ever do this for a client, it was a lot of work and probably took 3 to 4 times as long a plain knife edge pillow.

Playing With Stripes Pillow Two

Fun with stripes pillow

 

     This is another pillow using striped fabric.  This is a Sunbrella fabric that I had left after making pillows for my daughter's patio set.  

Topstitching detail

     I cut the four squares for the front and joined the top and bottoms squares together.  I pressed open the seam and topstitched both sides.  Then I joined the left and right sections, pressed that seam open and top-stitched both sides.  I added a small split flange on each side and sewed the back and front together.

     For the back I just used the stripe vertically and made sure the zipper strip matched.

Split flange

    

      A fun pillow to make that is just a bit different from your everyday pillow

Receiving Blanket for Gabriel

 

Finished blanket

     After a grandbaby is born, I make them a receiving blanket that has all their stats.  My daughter says she likes them because they are warm but also feels like it gives some info in case of a car accident and the parent is not able to communicate.

     Today I am going to share a step by step tutorial with how I make mine.  First I start with 1 1/4 yards of flannel of two coordinating flannels.  I wash them in hot water, no detergent or softener and then dry in a hot dryer.  This gets rid of any sizing and shrinks the fabric so it won't shrink later.  It also softens up the fabric.

     Next I cut them so they are the same size, sometimes one piece of flannel will shrink more than the other.  I then use my computer program to make the embroidery files, I use MasterWorks and the Teddy Bear font.  I make sure the info will fit into a 4 x 4 hoop though sometimes with the name I will go up to the 5 x 7 hoop size if necessary.  I then transfer the files to my embroidery machine.

     I find the center of the corner by folding the two sides so they align and then press a crease.

     Next I fold up the corner 6 inches and press another crease.  This will now be the center of my embroidery design.  

     I then hoop the fabric with the creases lining up with the arrows on the hoop.  I have found that by placing the embroidery center 6 inches from the corner, I am able to hoop the fabric and not have to use sticky paper.

     I then choose the file I want and rotate it 180 degrees.  It is now going to stitch upside down.  I do this so that when I place the hoop into the machine, the large amount of fabric is to the front and not all bunched up in the back.

     I then place the hoop onto the machine and slide a piece of tearaway stabilizer under it.  The stabilizer helps to support the stitches and will tear away easily after I finished the stitching.  I do this on each of the corners and then stitch the name in the center of the blanket.

    

      After the stitching is finished on all four corners and the center of the blanket, I carefully remove the stabilizer and press.  I then place the face fabric right side up on my cutting table and then place the embroidered one, face down and start to pin together.

     At the corners, I use my Cut A Round ruler and round them using the 10" cutting line.

     I then finish my pinning and take it to the machine to sew together.  I use a 3/8 inch seam allowance and sew all the way around, leaving an opening to turn.  After pressing, turning right side out and pressing again, I am ready to finish it.

     I start at the opening and topstitch all around.  This not only closes the opening but will prevent the fabrics from rolling to the other side.

 

     On this blanket I used the double stitch and used a little longer stitch length.  This gives the stitch a little more presence.  Sometimes I just use the single stitch.

     I like making these as they are pretty fast for me to do now and I can have a personalized gift done by the time I get to visit.  

     I hope you liked this step by step instruction blog with the photos.  Maybe you will make one too following these steps.

Halloween Costumes 2021

 

Darth Vader and Rapunzel at school

     This year I started the costume dialog a little earlier than usual so I would have plenty of time to make them.  When I was watching the kids one day just before school started, we went through the costumes I have in the house plus the box of costume accessories.  Cltn saw the Darth Vader helmet, mask and light saber and decided that was what he wanted to be.  Miss M didn't see anything in the costumes she wanted, she wanted to be Rapunzel from Tangled.  

Pattern used

     We went to JoAnn Fabrics and found the pattern she wanted but they didn't have it in stock at that time.  I waited for the next pattern sale and found it then.  She then had her mom print out some pictures of costumes and we went shopping for the fabric.  She chose pink satin with a purply lamé for the front part. We then found ribbon and sequin trim for the rest of the dress.  I had to sew on that sequin trim by hand.

Dress

     For Cltn, all I had to do was make a cape as he could just wear black top and pants.  For his cape I used the same pattern, just didn't line it or make the hood.  Instead for the top of the cape, I measured what the hood measurement was and cut a band of fabric about 4 inches wide by that length plus seam allowances.   I pressed up one long edge 1/2" and then folded the band in half and sewed the two short edges together.   I gathered the cape to fit and sewed on the band to the outside of the cape and then pressed the seam up into the band and hand stitched the band from the inside.  Then I added black hook and loop tape to the band for him to close it. 

Cape

         Of course since they would be wearing the costumes to school, they needed matching masks.  I made Miss M's from the satin for the outside and the cotton lining for the inside.  Cltn's was just the same black fabric as the cape.

Matching masks

     They both liked their costumes and had fun wearing them to school on Friday and then going trick or treating on Halloween.  

Cltn, Darth Vader

With a 'crown' from bracelets