Sisters with Flair

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Pillow tutorial for dummies like me

Ok- let me first tell you how ridiculous this is that I'm posting a sewing tutorial. I had a hot glue gun heating up next to me in case the sewing machine had any melt downs. I was prepared to hot glue these pillows together if necessary!


I just had my house painted this week, a lovely shade of gray. Classic silver, actually. I'm changing out all the red in my family room and going gray- with some hints of orange if I ever find some fun fabric! I have a bunch of pillows that need recovering now and I'm desperate to change them so I reluctantly pulled out my sewing machine. Its just not the same sewing experience when I'm without my mom. Usually, my mom hops on the machine and I pull up a chair and start unwrapping chocolates to pop in her mouth as she sews. (I don't want her to get chocolate fingers on the fabric after all. I'm so thoughtful, I know) I should be an incredibly gifted seamstress with all my mom's and mother in laws's help. But sadly no, I'm quite possibly the world's worst sewer. (Yes sew-ER is also how you spell sewer, as in, the place where I should throw all my fabric after I've tried sewing!)

So on to my pathetic attempt at sewing this pillow-

Step 1: Fold the fabric in half and cut the size you want, adding a half inch to each side for the seam. Don't cut the fold- it's one less straight line you have to sew & then rip out (if you're like me!)

Step 2: For the ruffles I cut six strips 2 inches wide and double the height of the pillow. Then sew them down the middle with the biggest stitch you can. Gently pull one of the threads at the end to start making it a ruffle. Pull carefully or it rips and its all over for you- and you may have to pull out the hot glue-

It should look like this after you pull the one thread.



Step 3: After you make the six ruffles I pinned them to the pillow wear I wanted them and stitched them down the middle.

Steo 4: Once the front was how I wanted it, I folded the fabric right side in and sewed the two sides together. I flipped it right side out and handstitched it closed! I love the end result but don't look hard- its not the prettiest stitches- The person who invented shabby chic must be a lame sewer like me! Flaws, what flaws? It's shabby chic!

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