Thursday, November 12, 2015

Show + Tell :: Pillows

November 12 2015,

Christmas is around the corner - and this year, my sister in law would like four pillows, one draft stopper, two pillow cases for our nephew and curtains for our niece.

For the curtains I sent her a link on Amazon where she could get insulated curtains. I've never made curtains - and I think it's probably cheaper after everything is said and done to buy it instead of making it. She was fine with that, so that is off the list.

So today I finished four pillows, two 14" and two 16". Boy was it a bitch to make. No really, it's really easy, but I would rather be quilting.

So here are the results of the pillows. This fabric was bought 8 years ago, and I bolt a bolt of it. I've used 1.5 yards of it, I have plenty more to make plenty more pillows for another 20 years.


This below is the pillow form. I decided to make my own pillow form because I've read that it's cheaper, and this would also be an opportunity for me to use some fabrics that I really have no need for. After making the pillow form I stuffed it with Poly-fil. It was easy. But I overstuffed a few, and sewing up the last part of the pillow form by machine was not so easy. Lesson learnt.



Note in the picture above, on the upper right side, you can see that I have a quilt on an ironing board (that's the back of the quilt) ready for the quilter to quilt it (that's going to be in early December).

Now I have to figure out how to make the draft stopper. I'm still trying to figure out what filling to use. I think I may end up using kitty litter because they have a dog and a cat at their house. As for the pillow case, that's another problem. I don't have a serger, and without a serger, it's going to be interesting.

I really want to start on another quilt, but I told myself that I couldn't start on anything until I got these done. Because once I start on another quilt, I won't finish these, and we're going to have a bunch of disappointing relatives! **Update 5:50 pm - I lied, I am starting another quilt. My excuse is I can't do anything because I have to go buy 1/2 yard of white kona cotton and a bucket of kitty litter**

One last thing, just because I make quilts and know how to use a sewing machine, it does not mean I know how to make clothes, make Halloween costumes, mend rip clothes, alter clothing, sew with jersey - silk - or knits - chiffon - material, make a wedding veil, sew a button, sew a zipper, sew an elastic, iron clothes, and / or make a pillow case. But I do know how to hem and make wonky pajama pants. There I've said it.

'Nuf said.

Now go sew.

Quilt & Bitch

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't have a serger either so I use a french seam so no raw edges show. Here's the URL for a website that has a tutorial for this kind of pillow case. Good luck!

Quilt+Bitch said...

Thank you so much with the suggestion - you save me from a huge headache!!!