DIY – Page 7

Works in Progress, March

April 6, 2015March 5, 2015 by KTgreen

Today I planned on showing you the third and final pillow in my series of cool and funky pillows. But……

I wasn’t happy with how it was turning out.

It was okay. But it wasn’t cool and funky enough.

So I ordered something to help make it cool and funky. And hope to get it by next week and I can then finish the pillow. I think I will LOVE it. (That’s a quote from my granddaughter Piper when she opened a Christmas present from my niece Michelle–clothes with kitties!)

But I got a lot of other projects finished.

I made a 12″ x 16″ pillow case for Colton.

Pillow Case for Colton

I don’t know him but I met his Grandmother recently and thought he might like it. I had the fabric left over from a quilt I made for my grand-nephew Tyson.

A Quilt for Tyson — Tyson’s quilt. I LOVE this fabric!

I made a pillow case for Jack because I had a wee bit of that pirate fabric left.

Pillow case for Jack

I said “do you like it?” and Jack said “Yes, (big hesitation) but can you make me one with Mickey Mouse?” Oh yes. I would love to make you one with Mickey Mouse! And maybe a sleeping bag with Mickey Mouse. And pjs with Mickey Mouse. That’s how sweet this kid is.

Got some new fabric that I’ve been obsessing over. I saw it introduced on the quilting blog nanaCompany back on February 6th and I’ve been trolling all the fabric websites waiting for it to be available.

Milk sugar and flowers fabric — Love that pink with the kittens and bunnies!

I like looking at it and thinking about the wonderful quilt I will make with it.

And my biggest project!

Riley’s quilt.

The top is done.

Now all I have to do is,

baste it,

quilt it,

and bind it.

(Many Many Many Hours)

The goal is to have it finished by April 15th. (It doesn’t have anything to do with income tax!)

That’s when I leave to spend THREE WHOLE WEEKS with my THREE BEAUTIFUL GRANDKIDS in the frozen tundra. Which is also known as Mandan, North Dakota.

Another cool and funky pillow DIY!

February 26, 2015February 26, 2015 by KTgreen

I fell in love with this zebra fabric many months ago. Maybe more like borderline obsession.

I could find no reason to buy it because I usually have a project in my head before I order fabric. I don’t like to keep a huge stash of fabric. So I usually have to justify–to myself–exactly why I NEED to buy more!

But it went on sale and I had a birthday coupon from Fabric.com for 20% off and that was all the justification I needed! So I bought it. Along with several other pieces. Some already have homes. Others (like those pink pigs) are still looking for one. Curses, now I have to get more storage! Or open up a shop and sell stuff.

fabrics

After I made the very cool leopard pillow with small pom poms, I realized it needed a companion. A zebra companion. With huge pom poms on the corners.

But then I ran across some surplus piping that I made for my piano bench cushion last year.

Perfect! Almost better than pom poms! Stripes!

zebra fabric and piping

So here’s the pillow!

zebra Pillow And it looks extra funky with the leopard pillow!

Like last week’s sewing project, I’m not going into great detail on how I made the pillow. This is an envelope style pillow and I have this tutorial to make the pillow cover.

Just a couple things that are different than last week’s version. This is quilting fabric so it doesn’t have a lot of “body”. I lined all three pieces–front and both backs with fleece. Use a zipper foot to attach the piping.

Here’s the back:

zebra pillow back

Another cool and funky pillow DIY! — Just another view!

And look! It’s Maggie!

When I showed it to Terry, he said it was very nice. And wondered if giraffes would be next.

No, silly.

Giraffes are not near as cool as zebras.

Or leopards.

Next should be panthers!

Funky Lumbar Leopard Pom Pom Pillow

June 15, 2015February 19, 2015 by KTgreen

I’ve been noting a lot of catalogs and home magazine referencing lumbar pillows.

Lumbar Pillow pottery Barn — Tiger Faux Fur Lumbar Pillow Cover, 16″ x 26″, $49

And what exactly is a lumbar pillow? And why don’t I have one?

I must need one. If I didn’t they wouldn’t be in the catalogs and home magazines.

Is that some kind of circular logic?

I did some research and found them all over pInterest in all kinds of sizes. Even the 12″ x 16″ that I use for the name pillows was pinned as a lumbar pillow. Pottery Barn had numerous sizes. I asked Answer.com and that website said 12″ x 18″. From my extensive research (about 5 minutes) I don’t think that there is any consistent size. But I know I don’t have one and probably need one.

So I made one.

Finished Funky Lumbar Leopard Pom Pom Pillow

First I made a muslin case to stuff fiberfill in. I decided that 12″ x 24″ was a good size. Perfect for my “lumbar” area. That size insert at Pottery Barn is $22.

I was happy to discover a long piece of muslin in my fabric stash so was able to cut one piece of muslin 13” x 49”. (Otherwise I would have cut two 13” x 25” pieces and stitched them together.)

Not going into great detail on this. Fold it, stitch the three sides but leave a fist sized opening to put the fiberfill in. Turn right side out. Stuff with fiberfill. I keep a couple of bags of premium fiberfill in my sewing room because it looks better in the toys I occasionally make.

Funky Lumbar Leopard Pom Pom Pillow — Hmmmm, this might be the back of the package.

When finished stuffing, hand stitch the opening closed.

And, did I mention I’m into pom poms now? I’m blaming the blog i suwanee. One of my favorites. Bright Colors, zebras, fringes, patterns, trims, donkeys but I mostly love the POM POMS.

And another blog that I just stumbled across in blog land said that leopard is a neutral. Really. Just happened to have me some leopard fabric. Which looks great with Pom Poms.

Pom pom and fabric for Funky Lumbar Leopard Pom Pom Pillow

(So am I getting really cool and funky or am I turning into the crazy old lady with pom poms on her hat wearing leopard tights? But those socks are definitely cool. And funky.)

Nevermind.

I’m making an envelope-style pillow case. I’m not putting a lot of detail here, either, because I have featured envelope-style pillow cases many many times. Just click on a “many” and you’ll go to more detailed instructions with pictures if you have questions!

The front is a piece of fabric 13” x 25”. Sew the pom poms on the front piece, 1/2″ from the edge. Use the zipper foot.

front piece with pom poms attached

I would typically use two equal sized pieces for the back (13 x 18) but I’m using up some leopard faux fur I bought for another project. I didn’t quite have enough to make the two pieces. So I cut one piece 13” x 7” and the second piece 13” x 22”.

Hem one of the 13” sides on both back pieces by turning under ½”, stitch, turn under another ½”, stitch.

Note, I usually say PRESS instead of stitch on the first turn under. DO NOT PRESS FAUX FUR! I think it just might melt. Haven’t tried it. But I’m heeding the warnings.

Faux fur is also slippery so I basted the larger piece on to the front first just to be safe. Right sides together, the unhemmed 13” side even with one of the 13” sides on the front., checked it out, then basted the smaller side on.

back of pillow before turning

Turned the pillow right side out and made sure all my pom poms and the corners were okay. Better taking the extra step then ripping out stitching.

Then I stitched all four sides again. Clipped corners. Turned right sides out, poked the corners so they’d be pointy and stuffed that pillow form inside.

Finished Funky Lumbar Leopard Pom Pom Pillow

Voila!

Funky Leopard Pom Pom Pillow, envelope style pillow cover — Ready for my Lumbar.

Funky lumbar leopard pom pom pillow.