STRIPES MEET WILLOW

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2012

I've been "away" for some time,
not intentional, just happened.

Random life situations, pet concerns, exhaustion, brain farts.....
When I mean away, I mean no real computer time,
No Facebook
No blog stalking
Nothing.
I checked a few emails and that was it.
I tried so many times to get back on here,
never worked!
I've caught up on most of my fav blogs recently,
 so it seems I may be coming around.
:)

Since I didn't get the pleasure before........
April Fools!
I hope it was all fun
Happy Easter!
I pray you received the gift of Resurrection.
Happy Mother's Day!
 Mommas, whether biologically or of the heart,
 I hope you felt appreciated and honored!

online

and

Happy to just be :)

Although I've been "gone", I have been VERY busy.

More childcare added to my schedule, new activities for my kids :), a "little" sewing-for-profit project for my sis's pal again,
(which took much longer than it should have)

and striving to get it done so I could continue boutique items.

Aside from the eternity scarfs
 HERE

that I worked on previously,

I only got to work on 1 blouse which I didn't even get to donate
 this weekend to the boutique, lol 
(I'll show you in the next post)
I've been "gone" I tell you!

I KNOW I said I was going to make & donate lots.....
I totally failed.
I feel really bad too.
I did however donate a few items I had previously worked on.

The event was beautiful,
lots of people came to receive great clothing,
free haircuts,
prayer
&
food.

BUT I have a chance to still help out!
This June our church will host
its 3rd fundraising sale to support outreach & growth in the church.
I will for SURE donate items.

Now on to the STRIPES.

Isn't this cute?!
Very similar to what I worked with but larger
found HERE

I worked on covering S's seat cushion & pillows.

S is my sis's boss.
I mentioned here that my sis E. had me doing another project for S.
This will be my 3rd.
S. must continue to trust me lol
Of course this was weeks ago :/

Little hands had left this 6 month old seat a tad worn.

Here it is after!

STRIPES MEET WILLOW

My struggle with this redo wasn't covering it or even adding zippers,

something I'm still new at

NOPE

It was matching fabrics and NOT clashing with S's rug,

+

all in a stretchy polyester blend.

S's rug

My sis sent me photo's of the rug, room and seat and I did the best with my poor quality phone to match at the fabric store.

Ya, I looked ridiculous putting the phone up to the fabrics lol

PS.... PICNIK IS GONE!

That was my favorite place for photo editing/collages

Got any easy to use, free suggestions?

1. I can't remember the measurements now but I believe it was 2 yards of fabric, since it was a polyester blend it was very stretchy and enough to cover the whole thing. Purchased at Joann's. I cut a few inches off from the length which will be used later on. 
2. I turned the fabric inside out, put back onto cushion, pinned the short edges and sewed. I then sewed the corners and about 12" in on both sides, leaving a large opening in the middle. 

3. Here I've worked with the opening by leaving the fabric inside out and folding back the raw edges, then sewing. I will eventually sew the small connectors by hand as the strip is much more expensive.

4.  I refit again, correct side, tucked in each corn and pinned.
5.  I removed carefully and sewed along the pins. Then I sewed the point back towards the seam.
6. From the leftover fabric I cut a narrow strip folded it over and used to cover the opening.

7.&8. I sewed the strip to one side and used these snaps on the inside. I did my best to hide them, using 36 out of 40. YA......it took a long time.
 Then I sewed the ends of the strip to the cover to keep it folded over.

9. After :Corner & covering strip

WILLOW

 

1. 4 pillows to cover. I used 1 1/2yards of this Pussy Willow (quilting/novelty?) fabric from Joann's.

2. I got practice with each pillow but didn't figure out the easier process until the last one. Here it is.
 I draped fabric over each pillow and marked where I'd fold short side under twice and pinned. Then I ironed all the folded edges. I then centered & pinned the zipper to the short side of fabric and facing up.

3.  I made sure to pin the fabric around it together so it wouldn't separate while sewing across the zipper.
4. I turned inside out, unfolded 1 layer on both sides by zipper and sewed both sides together as close to the zipper.

5. Then I pinned the ends of the zipper to that joined piece and sewed. Repeat on other end.

Last but not least, I flipped inside out, folded edges over and used a zig zag stitch to keep it from fraying. I could only fold the long sides once.

ONCE AGAIN

BEFORE & AFTER

After all the stress of matching,

 making

 and praying S and her family would like  it.....

They LOVED it!!

Thank you Jesus, it was a success!