Springtime, Butterflies & New Pillow Covers

In the days before central heat & air, preparing the house for summer involved more than just turning a dial from heat to cool.  Storm windows were replaced with screens, heavy curtains were exchanged for lighter ones that didn’t block welcome breezes.  Lightweight cotton spreads were were put on the beds, while the quilts were stored until fall.  Now many of these practices have become a decorating choice rather than a necessity.  Along with cotton bed spreads- changing table linens, slipcovers & pillow covers are easy, and inexpensive ways to brighten your home’s decor for Spring.  Pillow covers, in particular, are versatile and so easy to make.  The covers can be filled with an insert, or can be used to cover an old pillow.  The following is three variations of a basic pillow cover pattern which can be found HERE.



This first pillow cover is made of a water color cotton print, it looks like melted crayons to me.  It’s just the basic pattern, but with large, decorative buttons on the front, instead of small utility buttons on the back.


   

This second pillow cover uses a foundation- pieced butterfly pattern.  Foundation piecing may seem complicated, but this is very easy.
  
 
First just print out this Butterfly  PATTERN and trace it on to plain, white cotton or light-colored scrap fabric.  You could also just paper-piece it if you like.  I prefer using a fabric foundation-and I always seem to have fabric scraps I need to use up.

 
When foundation piecing, the fabric is placed on the front, but is stitched on the printed lines on the back.  So, to begin, cover the #1 section with a small piece of white fabric, facing right side out. Then, cut a piece of the butterfly fabric that’s a bit bigger than section #2.  With the right side of the fabric facing toward the white fabric, line up the edge of the #2 fabric with the line between #1 & #2, overlapping it.



Sew on the line between #1 and #2.  Then fold open and press.


Next, cut a piece to cover section #3, position as before and sew on the line between #2 and #3.



Again, fold open and press.


Continue with this until all the sections are covered.  Then sew the other two pieces of the butterfly, and sew these together to make a complete butterfly.



Press seams open on the back.  For a more detailed explanation of foundation piecing, see my previous post, Rainbow Chevron Block Table Runner -Here.



I made three of these little, 4” butterflies from different fabrics, and stitched on the little, black antennas, and decorated the wings with buttons.
 
I then framed the butterflies with blue strips and thinner pink strips.  I finished by sewing a blue, pink & white floral fabric to the top & bottom.



Also used this white & floral fabric for the back, completed with four white buttons.  Again, I finished the pillow cover using the basic pattern which can be found  HERE.


This last pillow cover is a simple patchwork pattern of vintage cotton & linen, though it does involve a little fussy cutting.




To fussy cut is to target and cut a specific motif that's printed on fabric, rather than randomly cutting yardage as we normally do.  I wanted to use the white embroidery of this peach-colored vintage cotton  This is usually done using a template-there are many kinds of these available.  I usually just make my own.  I save clear, plastic coffee lids to make templates for fussy-cutting.  I cut a paper shape, tape the shape on the coffee lid, then cut it out.  After I decide what area I want to use, I trace around the template with pencil, and cut it out with scissors.  Usually the goal is to cut identical shapes, but I cut these randomly.  

 
After I cut as many of the 2-1/2” squares of the coral cotton as I could, I matched them with 2-1/2” cotton linen squares.


Next, I chain-stitched them together using a 1/4” seam allowance.



I hunted through my fabric stash & found a few other fabrics to add to the pattern, green gingham, a yellow plaid, and a floral, vintage cotton handkerchief.



Next, I cut the other fabrics into 2-1/2” squares, and arranged them randomly-then sewed them together, again using 1/4” seam.  It’s funny but, I’ve found it’s harder to arrange patches randomly, then to follow a pattern.  You’d think it would be the other way around.



In the end, I had a 18-1/2” square.  I layered it with thin cotton batting and a cream colored backing.  I decided to try using a twin needle that I bought for a different project, but hadn’t used.  It was much easier to set-up & use than I’d thought.  Happy with the way it looked-I stitched down each seam.  I started in the middle, and worked my way out.  Also, I kept turning the square around so that it didn’t start to curve in one direction. 

 

Happy with the pillow top, I finished the cover using this PATTERN. 
    

Well, that’s all for now.  Please leave a comment so I know that you stopped by- Carole
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Quick Santa or Holiday Printed Panel Pillow Cover~

  The same thing happens every year-I wonder where another year has gone!  After Thanksgiving- ‘poof’ it’s Christmas & New Years again.  Time to finish Holiday projects is running out.  I’m always looking for a few quick, last minute gifts to make. 
My sewing circle regularly swaps scrap fabrics, and I particularly like exchanging Holiday themed prints.  Angels, snowmen, Christmas trees & stars, and Santa-I love them all!  These are some of the fabrics I received:   


I usually don’t use printed panels, they’re a little too cutesy.  But this Santa has such a great expression, I love the twinkle in his eyes, so I decided to use it.  Since there isn’t much time-a simple 18” pillow cover.


Since my son is grown now, I don’t decorate as much for the Holidays.  Just a wreath & my little ceramic tree.  But, I have several friends who go all out decorating for Christmas.  I thought a Santa pillow cover would be a fun gift for this year and for the years to follow…….   and certainly easy to make.
I started by trimming the Santa panel to 10-1/2”x13-1/2” trying to make it as square as possible, but that didn’t leave much seam allowance on the sides.  I cut 1-1/2” & 2” strips from the Debbie Mum snowflake fabric and 3” & 5” strips from the light blue.  I like using the blue fabric, getting away from the Christmas “red & green” theme.



I first sewed the wider 2” ‘snowflake’ fabric strips to the sides, then the 1-1/2” strips to the top and bottom using 1/4” seams.  Again, trying to make it as square as possible.  Pressing all seams toward the outside edges. 




Then sewed the wider 5” blue strips to each side, and the other two 3” strips to the top and bottom.  Again, I pressed the seams toward the outside edges, and trimmed the finished piece to a 18-1/2” square.  Layered it with light-weight batting and just plain white cotton for backing.  I started by stitching in the ditch on both sides of the snowflake border. 



Now, the fun begins!  I’ve never done free-motion quilting-honestly, it scares me a little.  I decided to experiment with my open-toe foot, to see how curvy I could quilt with out the free-motion foot.  I first outlined his eye brows….

   

and his moustaches.  I went slowly and stopped to turn between stitches, but I managed to make some nice curves.



Then stitched a few lines across his cap and around the pom-pom on his cap.  Still happy with the look of the quilting, so I started on his beard.







I managed to sew a few nice curves-I might give the free motion quilting a try.  I’ve let myself get stuck in a rut with the stitch-in-the-ditch & straight line quilting.  Any way, happy with the front of the cover, it’s time to make the back.
I cut a piece of the snowflake fabric 18-1/2”x24”, then measured 6-1/2” up from the bottom, and cut the back in to two pieces.  I cut it this way so that I could keep the fabric pattern straight.
Next, I put a 18” covered zipper in between the top & bottom pieces of backing fabric that I just cut.  This sounds a little confusing, but just follow one step at a time.  I zig zagged  across both cut edges to prevent fraying.  I pressed the zig zaged top of the smaller bottom piece under 1”.



Then, I pinned the bottom of the zipper across the folded under edge.




With my sewing machine’s zipper foot on, I sewed the zipper in place.  First with the zipper half-way open, to avoid having to sew around the zipper pull, I sewed to the zipper pull at the middle,

 

then pulled the zipper closed and continued  sewing the zipper in place.  Now I pressed under 2” of the top piece’s bottom, zig zaged the edge, and positioned the top edge of the zipper onto the pressed under edge.  The extra inch of fold will cover the zipper. 



Line the bottom zipper edge with the zig zaged edge as shown in the picture above.  I know this sounds complicated, but just take it one step at a time. 


 

Again, start sewing with the zipper open, then pull zipper closed so that you aren’t sewing around the zipper pull.



Be sure to keep the fabric’s pattern lined up straight while putting in the zipper.

  
Now, trim both the front & back to 18-1/2” square, and place front & back together with right sides facing each other.  First baste both ends of the zipper in place on the seam lines.  Make sure everything is lined up straight & square.




Sew front to back.   Be sure to leave the zipper open so that you can turn the cover right side out after sewing sides together.  Before turning it right side out, finish by zig zaging the raw edges all the way around.



This what the pillow looked like at first.  I wasn’t too happy with the pointy ends, so I went back and rounded off the corners a bit.

 

Much better!  The zipper in the back is almost hidden-


And that’s it- all done!  Use it to cover an old pillow, or an 18" pillow form.
Blogger Labels: Quick,Santa,pillow cover,Christmas time,gifts,holidays,easy,simple,project,decorating,gift,fabric panel,sewing,Debbie Mum,fabric,theme,last-minute,cotton,quilted, hidden zipper,machine quilting,afternoon project,fabrics,panels,pieces,snowflake

Scrappy Autumn Place-mats~

Hello, here it is, Autumn again!  Although we don’t have a very dramatic change of seasons on the CA coast-the days are getting shorter & the nights are a bit chilly.  People are putting up their Halloween decorations & buying bags of candy, the holiday season has begun.  Soon it will be time to take the Christmas decorations out of storage & hang the Christmas lights.  After Halloween, time seems to fly by-I guess it’s because there is so much to do!  Decorating, shopping, cooking, baking special goodies, crafts and sewing projects.
This is my latest sewing  project:  Scrappy Autumn Place-mats. 



At least that’s what I’m calling them.  I love place-mats because they are an inexpensive & practical  way to dress –up the table. Cloth napkins are also practical & just, well- nicer.  As is usual for people who sew, I’m always trying to organize my hoard of fabrics.  I started by sorting out fabrics for Christmas, but discovered quite a few Autumn themed prints & solids.  The main, maple leaf, fabric has diagonal lines in its pattern-which led me to use this random braid design.  It’s starts by foundation piecing the middle braid.  I used this pattern- 

To print this pattern, follow this link to: Scrappy Braid Pattern.



Many people prefer to use paper as a foundation, which is removed when finished.  I think fabric makes a more stable foundation, even though it’s thicker.   I like to use light-weight scrap fabric as a foundation, I save old sheets, pillow cases-what ever.  Cut a piece that’s about 3-1/2”x18-1/2”, trace it on to the fabric using a pencil & ruler.  The pattern is only 5” long, but it’s enough to get started.


When foundation piecing, you place the fabric pieces on the front, and sew on the lines drawn on the back of the fabric.  Start by cutting a triangle that’s just a bit bigger than the beginning triangle.  Cover the triangle area on the front of the fabric with the right side facing out.  Place another piece of fabric on top of  the 1st, right sides together.  Match the two edges with the first line that’s between the 1st & 2nd area.  Then stitch on the line between the 1st (triangle) & the 2nd area. 

 
It’s alright if you sew past the next line, it will be sewn over.  After you sew the seam, trim the edge, then flip the piece over to right side out and press.
 

Next, place another small piece of fabric over the 3rd area, making sure it’s slightly larger than the section.  Match-up as before, this time sewing on the line between the 2nd & 3rd section.

 
Trim, flip open and iron, again.


Getting the idea?  The pattern will end, but just keep going, alternating the sides like this with random-sized pieces, to the bottom of the strip.


When you reach the bottom,


Trim the strip to 2-1/2”x18”.  The strip will be a little stretchy(I don’t know what else to call it), so iron it with a good amount of spray starch before taking the next step.



Next, I cut two 1-1/2” strips of dark green cotton, and sewed one to each side of the braid.  Ironed with a little more spray starch, pressing the seams toward the outside edge.


Cut two 1-1/2”x18” strips of tan fabric, and do the same as before.  You should have a 6-1/2”x18” piece of work, now.


Add a 4” strip of the Fall print to each side, press the seams toward the outside edge.  Now cut a 13”x18” piece of quilt batting & fabric for the backing.  Center and layer:  pieced top, then the batting, plain fabric backing on the bottom.

 

I just stitched along the six long lengthwise seams, and another two lengthwise down the middle of the Fall fabric.  I used invisible machine quilting thread on the top, and thread matching the backing fabric in the bobbin.  You may have noticed that I changed from having the green backing to the tan backing.  It just looks better.  After the quilting, I centered & trimmed the piece to 12-1/2”x17-1/2”.


I finished the edges with double-fold binding, the same as I would a quilt. You can find my binding tutorial Here.

I also made matching cotton dinner napkins hemmed with mitered corners. A first for me!  I thought they would be tricky & time consuming.  But, I found that miter corners aren’t that difficult.  I found a tutorial at Sew4Home,  a great resource for all kinds of home sewing projects.  It may seem a bit fussy, but really makes a difference!  This tutorial first turns over a 3/8” hem, then an 1” finishing hem.  I did the 3/8”, but then turned over 1/2” finishing hem.  The 1” hem seemed too wide for napkins.  I’m pleased with the result.
Well, I hope you like this project.  Leave me a comment-I’d love to hear what you think!
Bye for now-Carole
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