Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Thinking about Throw Pillows
Some years ago I took a pillow making class at the Sewing Workshop. Sewing Workshop classes are fabulous: thorough, and inspiring. I am sorry to say that, although the class was fabulous (with Linda Lee, no less), the pillows are still part of my UFO pile. I recently saw Stitch magazine.
Stitch Magazine, Spring 2009
I fell in love with the pillow on the cover and may make some pillow covers using the pattern (or my version of the pattern) to brighten up some tired couch pillows to go along with the promised new paint job. If all goes well, I may discard the half made purple covers from the Sewing Workshop class and use the Stitch idea/pattern to cover those rather large forms (14″ or 16″) as well. For once I feel excited about throw pillows!
I also may make a pillow or two to raise money for Cleft Palete. MIL suggested using some poppy fabric for the centers. If I had some squares of that California poppy from a few years ago, it would be perfect, but I don’t, so I will have to make do.
Certain individuals are on a statewide board of directors for an organization that among other things, raises money for Cleft Palete. Each year, as part of the process of running for office, the nominees make gift baskets in order to draw people ino their suites/campaign headquarters. They raffle the gift baskets to raise money for Cleft Palete. Certain individuals came up second in the most money raised this year for his gift baskets.
The convention is always in May, so I, usually, cannot attend due to the demands of The Child. There is a small thing called school and another called food. Leaving him at home alone is really not an option. This has the effect of organization voters wondering if I support him in his volunteer endeavors. I think they might forget what it is like to have school age children. Anyway, I thought a couple of throw pillows would:
show my support
be something different that would draw the wives into the raffle
allow me to try something without having to commit to having it in my house
get some new readers to the blog
I might have showed this site before. I thought the pillows they show are similar to the Stitch magazine pillows and I could use their directions to supplement the Stitch magazine directions. More on Stitch magazine in another post.
I’ve done a bunch of pillows. They are the perfect quick project because of their size. Usually, it is very gratifying to make them precisely because they get finished and don’t end up in a UFO pile. Usually…(it’s happened to me, too…unfinished pillows). But the theory goes, that once you finish a project, however small, it’s supposed to motivate you to complete some of those other projects you have going!
This is a great idea,though, donating them. That in itself is very motivating! I love the pillows you have pictured.
I have a pillow I need to make and love the look of the pillows like you’ve shown….with the piping in the edges. I have always had a horrible time making them though!
I may just have to try again. lol
Take a look at the Stitch magazine and see if the directions help you out. There is also a book called something like Sewing Edges and Borders, which is all about piping and the like as opposed to borders for quilts.
I’ve done a bunch of pillows. They are the perfect quick project because of their size. Usually, it is very gratifying to make them precisely because they get finished and don’t end up in a UFO pile. Usually…(it’s happened to me, too…unfinished pillows). But the theory goes, that once you finish a project, however small, it’s supposed to motivate you to complete some of those other projects you have going!
This is a great idea,though, donating them. That in itself is very motivating! I love the pillows you have pictured.
I have a pillow I need to make and love the look of the pillows like you’ve shown….with the piping in the edges. I have always had a horrible time making them though!
I may just have to try again. lol
Take a look at the Stitch magazine and see if the directions help you out. There is also a book called something like Sewing Edges and Borders, which is all about piping and the like as opposed to borders for quilts.