Pillow Fight!

I had a marathon pillow-making session tonight.  It was all a part of my New Year's Resolution to get old projects out of the way before I start any new projects.  I have had plain white pillows on my couches for months just waiting for pillowcases.  I don't know why I have been putting off this project, because they are just straight seams and some zippers, but procrastinate I did.  Now that they are finished, I can finally return Sewer Slut Susan N.'s Fun and Fabulous Pillows to Sew, which did not offer much in the form of inspiration, but the technical details were helpful.

I started with the butterfly pillow.  I found this velvet at a yard sale (where else??) two summers ago.  It looked like it had been taken off of a footstool or something, but there was enough unmolested fabric to make an 18" pillow.  I used a faux cream suede for the backing.  I used the same backing for the next pillow, which was paired with a piece of bark cloth (also a yard sale find).  I had enough of this fabric to make one more 18" pillow, but I messed up in my cutting, so I have to find a smaller pillowform.

Last June I posted about some matching velvet pieces I found at a local yard sale and at a vintage store in Minneapolis.  I decided to pair them with a really nice piece of green upholstery fabric from the remnant pile at Harts Fabric in Santa Cruz.

I still have two 18" pillowforms left, so there's still work to be done, but I think that is enough for one night.

Resolution: Finish Projects!

I've had these two unfinished shirts sitting in my sewing basket for a long time.  One was started in the Summer of 2008 and I got hung up on the buttons, because my button-holer decided to keep jamming every time I attempted to use it.  The other shirt was started in the early Summer of 2009 and got shoved in the sewing basket, because the dog ate my thread.  I decided that I would finally get around to working on all of these unfinished projects, so I tackled these two shirts last night.

I used Kwik Sew 3436, View A, for this shirt.  I had made View B previously, but wanted to make something with the long puffy sleeves.  It is a really quick and easy pattern and I love the fabric that I used with this shirt.  I don't remember where I came by the fabric, but it is definitely a yard sale find!  The buttons were purchased from a little store in Felton, CA that is now out of business.  I was not keen on them at first, but fellow Sewer Slut, Susan N., and our former sewing teacher convinced me that these would work and they were right!  Here's a close-up of the buttons and the print:

Next up is a vintage Simplicity pattern, #7983 circa 1977.  I found this pattern at a yard sale last year and decided to pair it with some red bandana fabric.  I chose to do View 3 (the pink and yellow examples on the pattern).  I opted out of the ribbon trim out of sheer laziness -- I did not want to go to the store to pick out the appropriately sized ribbon.  I considered using mystery lace, but decided that was too much trouble as well.  It was a pretty easy pattern.  I'm not sure that I would make it again, because it is not the most flattering on me and the sleeves are a bit drafty.

                     

Little Helper

Mr. Parker decided to help me organize my sewing basket
this evening.

6 Yards!

I received a little package yesterday from my future sister-in-law (Thanks, Laura!) with six yards of this fabulous vintage fabric!  What should I make with this?  I'm thinking a bag or a coat...