sewing

Quick Quilt

Published on April 22, 2013April 22, 2013 by Our Humble Abode17 Comments

So, I made a quilt. And it didn’t take that long. About 10 total hours, from cutting to using. After trying and disliking a small patterned bedding, I searched the internet for a more simple, but still colorful quilt. This Pia Wallen Cross Blanket is awesome, but also expensive.

Then I saw this Polly blanket.

Perfect colors to tie in with the elements of the guest room. White like the trim, gray to match the doors, yellow for the walls, blue like the headboard and dresser, and green accents. But I couldn’t find a price or a place in the US selling it. Instead, I used this as inspiration to make my own fabric quilt.

I bought a half yard of six different colored linen fabrics. Light gray, dark gray, mustard, white, teal, moss, and used navy I bought for the headboard. To maximize the fabric, I cut nine 6 by 16 rectangles of each color, keeping the left over ends.

With all pieces cut, I started randomly arranging the colors, sewing the short ends together to make a strip.

Then I ironed each strip before sewing two together.

I continued sewing two strips together, then sewed those strips to form the front. Once I made the front large enough, I laid an ironed flat twin sheet (five bucks at Wal-Mart) on the floor right side up. Then my patchwork piece on top, right side down. For a little more weight and warmth, I added a layer of white flannel on top of my patched sheet.

Before sewing, I marked my lines, then stitched along all three sides and part of the bottom. Basically, I treated it just like an over sized pillow cover. Once I turned it right side out, I had and front, back, and inner liner with a small hole at the bottom. I hand stitched it shut and called it done.

Folded at the foot of the bed it adds pattern and color, and functions as a throw or a summer blanket for one person. Handy Sammy and I are both super happy with the results. Bonus, I’ve finally sewn a full quilt. Every time before, I’ve made way too small pieces for my patience and skill level. Turns out, making large pieces makes the process quicker. Who woulda thunk it? How about you, have you ever made a quilt?

X Marks the Spot

Published on August 30, 2012October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode8 Comments

For a while, I’ve really wanted to make something interesting using striped fabric. Specifically, using stripe fabric cut at an angle. While I can’t make my vision come to life right now (hint: it involves a bedroom; don’t be dirty), I can make a version. Actually, I got my butt in gear after seeing this pillow, shared in our latest Etsy fav round-up.

I started with a green and white fabric I bought at Ikea and a piece of plain card stock from my stash. To minimize damage if I screwed up, I decided to make a 14 inch square pillow cover. Then I cut my card stock into an 8 inch square, which gives me a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

To make the cool x design, I measured a green stripe and marked the center with a little tick mark at the top and bottom.

Then I placed my square template on the fabric, lining the corners up with the tick marks and traced the edges.

Repeat, repeat, repeat. Maximize your fabric by placing the squares right next to the other, slightly staggered in height.

Cut out the squares and place together to form an x.

Now pin the top two together, and the bottom two together like this, right sides together, keeping the stripes lined up.

Sew along the edges, then pin those pieces together, keeping the stripes together. I decided to use a gray faux silk backing with an exposed zipper bottom, but you can choose your backing and closure type. Envelope closures are super easy.

Originally, I planned to sew a second for the slipper chairs in the family room, but the green didn’t mesh well with the chair color. Now it lives on our bed.

The splash of color in our otherwise unchanged and boring room makes me smile.

And I like the faux silk shiny backing. You know I can’t resist shiny anything. I did mess up though. For some unknown reason I put the zipper along the whole bottom. I should have cut it down and centered it, leaving fabric in the corners for crisp edges.

Oh well, I guess that’s bound to happen when I’m sewing while watching White Collar. Can’t. take. eyes. off. Matt. Bomer. Seriously, he’s not even hot, he’s gorgeous. So I guess because I made this pillow while watching him, I’ve got a little piece of him in bed. Bahahaha.

What do you think of this design? It would work with any stripe size or color, too. Do zippers trip you up, too? Maybe you’re just a fan of White Collar? Or Matt Bomer? I am! I am! Haven’t seen Magic Mike, but anything with Matt is a sure hit with me.

Let’s Tango

Published on July 31, 2012October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode4 Comments

Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement yesterday! I’m so happy you like the pillows. I hope to add more as soon as possible in a variety of colors, so stay tuned. Do you remember when I made new pillows for our outdoor bench? And at that point I mentioned I wanted to add tangerine pillows. While sewing the arrow pillows, I kept my sewing machine out to sew a few orange pillow covers.

I bought the fabric at Joann’s about a month ago, not knowing exactly what I wanted to make.

For the back side, I made an envelope closure back in a bright tangerine coordinating fabric.

I’m a big fan of mixing floral and geometric, and I’m really liking the color combo.

These covers are quilting weight cotton, but if they start getting damaged, I can bring them inside.

So that’s the latest little project. Progress has been slow elsewhere because the roof is taking up so much time and energy. Hopefully I can knock out a project or two to share soon.

Blue Bench Pillows

Published on July 18, 2012October 9, 2012 by Our Humble Abode4 Comments

Before heading out to Minnesota, I made a stop at Joann’s just to see if there was anything I should know about. Luckily, our Joann is liquidating their stock because they’re moving stores soon. So, I stocked up. Because hoarding fabric is fine, but hoarding cheap fabric is even better, right? I got a few quilting weight fabrics, a mustard yellow vinyl, a few zippers, and a fun blue geometric print.

Because the blue was the heaviest, I decided to use it for outdoor pillows. Ten or so minutes later, following this method, I had two new pillows for our bench.

Along with the blue, I bought a tangerine floral print, but I’m concerned about using the quilting fabric outside. The original pillows are still there.

Certainly, it’s a small change, but I’m liking the new color. I’m still hoping to add a contrasting color, like orange.

What’s your favorite orange fabric? Or your favorite patterned fabric? Do you lean toward geometric patterns or floral prints?

Bow & Arrows

Published on July 9, 2012October 18, 2012 by Our Humble Abode17 Comments

After deciding to paint the backs of the entertainment center yellow, I decided to add pops of yellow in the living room to tie everything together. My first focus, pillows. Redesigning the blog inspired a pattern. Flipped and repeating arrows.

Of course, I had to make the design. In Photoshop, I altered the background design for a more suitable stencil. Enlarging, beefing up the lines and shortening the overall design gave me a good base.

I opened a new page, copied, pasted, and rotated the arrow design 45 degrees. To make a repeating design, I duplicated my arrow layer and flipped it horizontally. When I like the placement, I merged my two arrows together and duplicated that layer, this time flipping the design vertically to make this design:

Printing to plain paper gave me my template. I had transparency sheets on hand, but you can pick up a package at an office supply store. Taping the template to the underside of my clear sheet made cutting a crisp design quick and easy.

Once I finished cutting my stencil, I gathered my fabric supplies; yellow duck cloth, fabric paint, a foam brush, paint tray, and my new stencil.

I’d suggest marking both the center of your fabric and the center of the stencil. Making reference points for a repeating pattern would be a good idea, too. Eyeballing this design wasn’t difficult, but a more intricate design might be. So, remember that when making a stencil. Then, starting at the center, I worked my way toward the edges.

Fortunately, the fabric paint dried quickly, but I did cut the edges of my stencil to make overlapping easy.

After the paint completely dried (about 20 minutes later) I cut two pieces of yellow fabric to make an envelope closure style pillow. Now we’ve got a completely custom pillow on the couch.

Time to start thinking about curtains, but that could be an entirely different post. So many options, so little time. What have you stenciled recently? Walls? Pillows? Maybe you’ve been sewing? Whatcha making? Or are you starting curtain planning? Let’s discuss.