TRIBAL CUSHION COVERS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2012

Ok, I have to say that my sis has a way of volunteering, suggesting, "signing" me up for things, LIKE this redo. I know she means well and must think I can do it lol

She approached me the 1st week of January about a "simple" project for her friend, which I thought was going to be on a small scale.

I had no idea what it was going to entail.

I'm not confident enough to start taking on people's requests as I'm a total amateur, both in the unskilled and  just for fun not for profit kind of way.

Well...this was for profit.

AHHH, I freaked!

That meant perfect, professional sewing.

I don't know either!

As I tried to weasel my way out, explaining why I COULDN'T, she said her friend didn't care about perfection, she had liked my previous work.

Yes...this same friend had already come to me about some pillow cases over a year ago.

I agreed.

All along reminding myself,

I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST
I CAN
I CAN
I CAN

HERE GOES!

I did as much research as I could in 1 day, due to everything I have going on.
I finally found something on the kind of covers E's friend wanted.
Basically, I'd be making fitted sheets like for mattresses.

BEFORE: HUGE window seat cushions!

There are 2, both taller/wider than me.
I'm 5'1
You bet I GASPED!

1. the measurements I took L. 68" W. 37" H. 5"

This was one of my struggles, not knowing how much to have overlap underneath. THEN, how to convert the inches to yards (metric website helped) and figure out IF the fabric I was going to get would be wide enough.
I had to figure out in advance what I'd have to do IF it was not the correct size.

I decided I'd add 5" inches to each amount giving me enough to overlap and sew in the elastic.
On REGULAR non stretchy fabric that would have been fine, since she requested stretchy (polyester/cotton blend) fabric, it turned out to be too much. :(
I realized it when I layed it down on the cushion.
Not only that, because it wasn't going to be wide enough with my previous plan I had to buy 2 separate pieces and use the length as the width.
I could have just gotten 1 long piece and calculated less inches
FIRST LESSON!  
2. I joined both pieces with pins and sewed together...its where I first learned 1 long piece was enough.
3. Tons of overage (cut 8in from total L. & 4in from W.)
4. Lay mattress on a table so that the material hangs. Pull the corners out and pin down.
5. Sew (sewed 3x) each corner where you pinned and cut 1in. from the stitching
6. I then folded the excess over and sewed 2x
7. I then put the fabric back on the cushion, flipped over and pinned the underneath
8. I cut 6 (10in) pieces for each cover, 4 corners & 2 middles along the length. I then burned the ends to seal them.
9. I centered each elastic piece on the corner/side with extra material hanging over and stitched vertically 8-10x

L. I then flipped the material/elastic around, covered the elastic with the extra material,  and back stitched a bit. I  left the needle in the elastic so that it would hold it in place while I stretched it.
R. This is the tricky part, as I stretched the elastic the most I could, I also had to make sure the material was covering it and pinned. I then stitched over the material slowly (3x), making sure the elastic stayed stretched out.
When released the material and elastic gather.
Once every elastic was sewed in place, I folded each side and corner 1 more time and stitched it all. (forgot to take pic)

AFTER: Lounge area

CLOSE UP

This took me over a week (so no 1/8 post)!
 (my schedule, figuring it out + snagging machine/thread)

It got done in time to work on my 1/15 redo

E's friend loved them :)

I got compensated for my time and efforts
($ was provided in advance for materials)

I believe it was a success!