Second, this post is so late because I started the Hunger Games books this weekend and this is the first day I haven't looked at my Google Reader in months. I am afraid of how many unread posts there are. How many good ideas and pretty pictures I have missed! But Katniss Everdeen has my full attention until I finish that last book. I am half way through the second book...addicting.
Finally, what this post is about....Since buying all my beautiful Kaffe fabric I have been dying to get them in use in my living room....but most of what I got is going to be used on things that take time, planning, tools, and my Mom. So I have to wait until June. I can't wait so I decided to make some sofa pillows. You are probably wondering what kind of mental energy goes into pillows...but I forced myself to learn something new with almost each new pillow.... My goal was to build my skills up to get the most professional looking pillow possible. I am getting there!
Thanks to my friend Laura who lives near a shop that deals my sewing machine brand I got a zipper foot. Step one...check. I am on my way now! My first pillow after the envelope pillow was an exposed zipper across the back of the pillow. I have progressed to a zipper along the bottom seam with welt. Woot! No one reading this probably cares but I am patting myself on the back...and about to pass out. That last one was a mental work out. I am pooped. I was so proud when I finished the first one last night that I woke Sean up. I love him. He HATES sofa pillows but he reacted so well considering that fact and the fact that I woke him up.
So only three of the 7 pillows are Kaffe fabric....Here goes! The pictures are TERRIBLE. But I am so tired from learning new techniques that I don't care as long as they aren't blurry....sorry.
My first zippered pillow adventure was the back pillow. The fabric is from Ikea and there are little orange accents that you can't see. I realize at this moment that close ups and maybe a picture of the back so you know what I am talking about with the zippers might be nice. After some sleep maybe I will do that. I made two of these Ikea pillows.
The pillow in front was my last zipper across the back pillow before I jumped into the zipper along the seam. The fabric is from Joanns.
This is a Kaffe fabric. Big Blooms. My favorite part of the fabric isn't visible in this picture. The background is blue with orange dots. The contrast is great. I kind of regret the pink on the side and back, though. It's just loud. I think it would be hard to not be loud with any of the colors in the print....but....it's good for now. This wasn't my original plan. This is attempt #2. My first attempt was a square pillow that involved some trim. The contrast of the green trim made it seem incredibly juvenile and it was the last time I made a pillow where I cut the fabric the same dimensions as the pillow form. I learned that I do not like the very stuffed look. So now I cut the fabric one inch larger than the pillow form for both height and width. I also learned that when working with thin fabric like this quilting fabric...lining is important. So I did my first sewing project with lining ever. Double the cutting was daunting but it amped up the quality of the pillows so much that I will never lett extra cutting get in my way again.
These two pillows were the most work. The back pillow is pink and plum (looks kind of brown here). I wanted a stripe but couldn't find anything I liked so I made this one out of two broadcloth fabrics from Joanns. The colors might not seem to make sense....but they will. (The colors are in Big Blooms...but there is so much going on with that fabric that the striped pillow probably still seems out of place) I was the least sure about this pillow...how it would look...but it turned out to be one of my favorites.
The little pillow is the last pillow I made. I FREAKING LOVE IT. It's not perfect. But I feel so accomplished, I love it's cute size and this fabric nearly made me cry when I saw it in the store. It is a Kaffe fabric. There are two of these little pillows. The back is a solid corduroy. I didn't make the welt...that might have blown my mind this weekend. I bought the pre-made stuff at Joanns.
My next big learning experience/project is Roman Shades from scratch. I was going to start tonight but I need a break. I have learned everything I (think I) need to know to get started from talking to my Mom and from House Beautiful's Decorating With Fabric
. I highly recommend that book for any one that wants to learn to make any basic fabric projects. Pillows, shades, curtains, slip covers, table cloths/skirts.
. I highly recommend that book for any one that wants to learn to make any basic fabric projects. Pillows, shades, curtains, slip covers, table cloths/skirts. Happy Marathon Monday!
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