Friday, February 19, 2010

Pillow Project



I can't sew. Because of this fact, the following project might be offensive to those of you who can. I have a machine and I can basically {sort of} sew a straight line....but when it comes to entricate design, skill and God help me patterns....it's not pretty.


The other ladies in my family can sew....my grandmother was a seamstress for crying out loud, but along with the cooking gene, I didn't get the sewing gene. dagnabit.


Am I gonna let a little thing like ability stop me? Nooooo....


Like I said I can sew a straight line, and if you can we are golden!!!




I was leisurely strolling through one of my favorite antique shops and someone had an entire rack of discontinued fabric samples for sale. Still very pretty fabrics, just no longer being manufactured, and for 25 cents each, a whole stack-a-roo came home with me.



I thought these two fabrics coordinated very well and then I did that thing that I don't do very well....and things were going pretty, well: good!




I used an old pillow that with three kids {including my husband} had seen better days as a filler...it looked really nice and I only had to rip out 1 seam-those fabric samples are not as straight as they look! It looked awesome! But then I got to looking some more and I put it on the sofa and looked at it again and I decided it didn't look finished. A lot of head tilting went on...So then I {finally} thought about a button..yes that would do the trick!

So I eye-balled it in the center and sewed it on with jute twine {is there nothing you can't do with jute? or is it: is there anything that you can't do with jute. either way jute is awesome!}




I think the jute adds a little more detail




I think I like it! It is certainly better than it was!!!




I think it picks up all the color in the rug too!



Thanks for stopping by! I hope you're inspired!

Visit these ladies to see a lot more!!


Donna

Funky Junk's Saturday Nite Special


Kim


Cindy


Susan





30 comments:

  1. I think Your new pillow project turned out wonderfully...very cool and great pieces for such a good Price$$$.
    I like the jute too,
    xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...
    Stop over and enter my giveaway if you haven't already!!!

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  2. You found some great fabric... it's beautiful! You could have fooled me it sure looks like you know how to sew, it looks fantastic! Great job!

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  3. It turned out just beautifully!

    Warm blessings,
    Spencer

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  4. Wow great job, those are some beautiful throw pillows!

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  5. What a great deal on those fabrics! Love the new pillows and you are so right that twine does add a special little touch!

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  6. I love the pillows! You did a great job. And, I think we have the same sofa!

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  7. What a great idea! They DO go great with you rug too! Thanks for sharing.

    Jennie @ Cinnaberry Suite

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  8. Oh -- I love those pillows. I use to work at a furniture store and loved getting first dibs at the swatches. Some of them are the perfect size for projects like pillows, etc. I love you blog, and am so glad you stopped by so that I could find you. Consider me you newest follower and I look forward to visiting you often.

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  9. I just love your blog. Those pillows - fabilous! Your blog - unbelievable. Have to say I fell in love asap. had to become a follower so I can visit more often!

    greetings from Finland

    - Jaana

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  10. I am in love with this! It's perfect. :) Very clever.

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  11. Who says you can't sew?? Those look great. Did you sew the pillow behind it as well? Great job!

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  12. Beautiful pillows - and what a score on those fabric samples! :) Thanks for sharing - I'm inspired!

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  13. Very well done! I won't ask if you put a zipper in the pillow... I don't put one in all of mine, but wish I had. Love the fabrics.
    Beckie in Brentwood, TN

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  14. Wonderful job! Looks like something expensive from Pottery Barn. Very Nice!

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  15. Wow, what a score! Those pillows look amazing! Great job!

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  16. I think it looks like a designer pillow! Great job! laurie

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  17. Your pillow looks great! I can't believe you only spent 25 cents for each piece of fabric!

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  18. I can't sew either.
    I love the fabrics too.
    I think you did a great job!
    Maybe we were separated at birth! ;D

    Hope you'll drop by AtticMag this week to see my home on tour,
    Allison

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  19. For someone who can only sew a straight line...you did a FANTASTIC job!!! I hate sewing with a passion...but I did inherit my mother's sewing machine. I just may go and dust it off and make some pillow cases!!!

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  20. That turned out SOOOOO cute!!! I love the fabric and the button. Great job :) I have the exact same pillow that's behind the one you made. I got mine at Gordmans. Too funny!

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  21. Hi Michelle, I just found your blog a few days ago and I love all the projects you do. I was particularly inspired by your crackle finish on the brass lamp. So I tried it, well not on a brass lamp mine was plastic but those are just details right.

    I posted about it and linked back to you. Didn't turn out like yours but I will do better next time. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  22. I love that pillow and the button with the jutte is perfect!

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  23. I love this because I can only sew in a straight line too! They turned out great :)

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  24. very pretty! you did a great job. I can sew, but I sure don't like to. I'd rather be using a drill. :)
    thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment on my "thinking outside the box" silverware memo center!
    gail

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  25. I love those fabrics! What a great find! The button is so sweet.
    Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  26. you got it goin' on! the pillows look FAB!!!! you act like you're a regular sewing vixen - *wink*

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  27. Your pillows look FABULOUS!!! Thank you for the cheers on my lamp shade. I can see you are a lover of pottery barn too....oh to sneak in a DIY on them makes me giddy with delight. So thrilled that we found each other.

    Cheers~
    e

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  28. You did an outstanging job on these. I love being able to use swatches or samples for something useful rather than see them end up in the trash. Thanks for sharing these.

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  29. What a find, how lucky for you. I understand completely. I have a seamstress mother who bought a beautiful sewing machine for me, for my sixteenth birthday, and it frightens me. I only go near it if I have too. You were a brave soul. I will need some of your craftiness, as I'm embarking on a shoestring budge redecorating venture. I need all the inspiration I can get.
    Take care,
    Dana

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  30. Hi Michelle,
    How clever you are! I agree with what Laurie said; they DO look like expensive designer pillows. Imagine what they'd have cost to make if you'd purchased those beautiful fabrics at full retail price.

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Thank You for taking the time to comment! Because of the insane amount of spam comments, I had to stop anonymous comments-sorry for the inconvenience.
Michelle