I Have Pillows!

They are done! Actually, they've been done for a couple of days, I just couldn't get the pictures due to busy-ness and cloud cover. So, without further ado...

The backs.

 The fronts.

 Back and front.

Front and back.

I am so happy to be done with these. I loved creating them. There was no pattern. I just sewed by the seat of my pants. Putting in the zipper turned out easy enough. I found some really good videos showing how to do them. One in particular was done very well. I would love to give credit to the woman who's video helped me the most. Her name is Christy Burcham and her business is Scisssortail Studio. She did a really nice video for the placement and sewing of the Flap Zipper. Thank you Christy!

So now on to the other two pieces I want to sew for my sisters. One is an apron user. So I am making her a cute little apron. I have a pattern for that. If I can manage to read the directions correctly I will have that done tonight. I'm just not one for following directions very well. I tend to go off on my own path, so this is a good challenge for me. I already messed up on the cutting directions, but it wasn't a super critical place. I will be able to fudge the finish without any telltale signs. I am making a table runner for the other sister, since she has this gorgeous huge dining table and does a lot of entertaining. I will be Kind of following a picture of a runner, but I will mostly be doing my own thing.

I am so happy to be getting back into the swing of things here. It feels better. Now, I just have to keep my momentum going....

I hope you all are happily stitching away at your next favorite project. I can't wait to see what you are all up to!

Oh My! What Fun!

I would have never thought pouring too much bleach on something would be so much fun!

I got the denim fabric to complete my denim pillows, but I didn't like the way the new denim looked with the old. So I thought I would age the denim, and threw it into hot water with bleach added. That did nothing to the fabric. It looked new still. (Now if I were to do that accidentally to something I loved the color of, it would fade it in a nano second!

Then I thought since I am not in love with the denim I would experiment with it and bleach. Why not? Well, now I know why not. I think I have started something that will turn my craft room into even a bigger mess than it is already. I love how the experiment turned out and my brain is already churning with the possibilities I have just opened up!

There are some spots that the bleach ate the fabric, but once I have ironed and trimmed up all the bad spots I think this will work for the pillow backings. And now I will probably go look through all my boring fabrics and "re-do" them.

Then, knowing me, I will turn this new fun thing I have discovered into dyeing my own fabrics and making all kinds of messes.

At least I played in my sewing room!

Warning: Picture poor!

Just an update on my progress. I went and bought some dark denim fabric for the backing on my pillows. I was thinking about going ahead with zipper closures, and was going to buy the zippers today when I went to get the fabric. But being the me that I am, went off and forgot to buy them!

So maybe tomorrow I will run to Walmart and see if they have something appropriate, or just forget about it altogether and do the flap version or a nice button closure. I'm so scatter brained sometimes!

I really have to do some talking to get myself to leave my property. I don't know if it's the lazys that get me or anxiety. When I leave I have to stop my car, get out, open the gate, get back in the car, drive through the gate, stop the car get out, close the gate, then get back in the car and go. Then it's the same thing in reverse when I get home. So, you see, it could very well be the lazys! (Especially when the weather is being miserable!) I'll see in the morning when I get up, if I'm in a zipper, flap or button mood.

The room mate told me today that we have a date for the actual walking and planning for my pallet barn tomorrow afternoon. We've been talking about it for a month now and nothing happens. He's a busy guy. I'm just grateful that he wants to help me with this task. (Task? I think maybe it's closer to a major project!) If we can get this done, then I will also be putting up a fence at the back of my property to keep the horses on an acre back there, so maybe no gates in my future!

I sure wish I could have done all this when I was a younger, healthier person. It may have been a little easier!

Just because I didn't have any fabric-y kinds of pictures to show...I get to see this sometimes when I am having my morning coffee. Isn't that the coolest?

Hope you are all loving that fall is around the corner. I am!

Gaining On The Pillows!

Look! A post only four days after the last post! Something must be wrong.

No. I finally got my vision of pillows in check and have been moving forward with them.

For some reason the computer won't let me put this to the left, so I'm stuck with center.

The first picture is the second pillow top. I didn't end up quite with the plan I had. I was just so busy adding strips and making sure not to put all darks or all lights together I forgot what I was going to do. Until, that is, the very last little corner there. Oh well, it gives it a little more dimension. I put a straight border around the whole thing to give me more room to work with and to stabilize the edges, because those are bias cut. The border is a little "ruffle-y" but I think once I sew the back on it will work out fine.

The first pillow top needs to be enlarged, so I will add another row all around it to bring it into line with the size of the pillow forms.

So far I am pleased with how this is turning out. I always have worked better with an ad lib sort of plan. Hopefully, I won't screw up the final sewing of the pillow covers!

Two squares Become One!

Finally! No...FINALLY! I got one pillow top done. Not the whole pillow, but there is progress. I worked diligently on the top and then tried really hard to dive into the second one, but my back was not having any part of it. So I put everything away and covered up anything I didn't want the cat sleeping directly on, and went to bed. My inspiration seems to come at odd hours, like when I should really be eating dinner, or taking a shower, feeding my critters, whatever it is I want to avoid for some reason or another. Don't get me wrong, I get it all done, just not by a clock or schedule. It's a good thing no one has to count on me for something!

Yes, that is a hole there in one of the strips. I'm keeping it real here. I did keep the stains for the most part out as much as possible. There were, after all, my dad's work pants. Which he wore until he absolutely could not work anymore. And then they were his "puttering around" pants.

So, I have cut more strips from other pants. I have to decide how they will go together. I want to do a diagonal pattern of some sort. Maybe one side diagonal and the other side the strips going in a different direction. Like:

I have cut the strips in different widths, so it gives it some interest. We will see what comes of it. I have to get brave again and battle the back pain! I am inspired though!

After all this I have a pattern for an apron and the fabric I need for it. I want to make the one sister an apron. She wears one whenever she cooks. (Probably why her clothes are never stained!) Then I want to make a table runner for the other sister. Confused yet?

More to come. What do you think of my projects so far? I am not looking for compliments. I would like feed back. Your comments mean a lot to me and my growth as a sewist!

Happy Labor Day! I hope you all aren't laboring!

If all goes well, next week I need to bake some bread. I have a couple of yeast packets to use before they expire! I can't wait to smell the kitchen! Hee Hee!