Eggcellent Series #1 - Shabby Faux Chenille

Thank you so much for joining me today! All week I will be presenting different tutorials on how to create Easter pillow covers. What kind of tutorials will I have? I have two different faux chenille, one paper pieced quilted cross, one applique with crochet, and a fun embroidery/crayon tinting.

Are you excited? I am! I have been wanting to make pillows for a long time. However I was afraid of zippers. Granted you can create pillows several different ways, but I always thought a zipper cover was the most professional looking. Earlier this year I learned how to install an invisible zipper easy peasy. The best online tutorial I can refer you to is Sew Katie Did. Seriously that Coats & Clark $2 foot is amazing! I have it on one of my older sewing machines and it has officially become the zipper machine. Now Katie and my guild friend both placed their zippers on the bottom. If I have a fancy back then I do place the zipper on the bottom, but in many cases I'll actually place it the middle of the back.. I think it lays better, but that's just my two cents.. OK, on to the tutorial!

Today I am going to show you how to make this lovely shabby chic pillow cover. You could use this technique for any reverse applique shape, so please experiment and have fun!

Materials needed:
14" pillow form
1/2 yard of linen
1/2 yard of light weight fusible interfacing
large scraps for the eggs
ric rac trim

 Step One: Cut (2) 14" squares of linen fabric.

Step Two: Create your applique shape template. For this pillow I did a basic egg. Now pick out the fabric you will want to use as the applique. Stack four layers of the fabric, making sure the applique shape will easily fit within. Next draw 45 degree angle diagonal marks every inch apart (see photo below). I use my cutting mat, ruler, and erasable marker to create these lines.

Step Three:Sew down every marked line. Next cut end to end down the middle of each marked line, only through the top three layers. Do NOT cut through all four layers. There is a chenille cutter on the market that is perfect for this task, but it is not necessary for this small project.

Step Four: Take a chenille brush or unused toothbrush and severely agitate the freshly cut fabric. I find it helps if you squirt a bit of water on the fabric while you agitate.

Step Five: On the back of applique fabric, draw out your egg shape and cut.

 Step Six: On the front cover about 6" up from the bottom, draw three of the same egg shapes with an erasable marker. Now carefully cut out the middle parts of the egg, leaving at least 1/4" space from the marked applique shape.

 Step Seven: Place the front pillow cover right side down. Pin the applique right side down with it peeking out through the window. Repeat for the remaining two eggs.

 Step Eight: I really like the sketchy look of free motion quilting, so I went crazy with it. You can either free motion around the applique border or use your regular sewing foot. The most important thing is to be sure the you are sewing down through the linen cover and catching the applique.

Step Nine: Cut (2) 14.5" strips of jumbo pink ric rac. Pin one strip above the eggs and one below them; carefully sew right now the middle of the trim.




Step Ten: Cut out (2) 14" squares of the fusible light weight interfacing. Iron interfacing on the wrong sides of both the front and back cover. Next finish the edges of the front and back cover by either running it through your serger or use your sewing machine's zig zap stitch. (This is not imperative, but it makes your pillow more professional..)

Step Eleven: Again, I highly recommend checking out Sew Katie Did's tutorial on adding a zipper. That is exactly how I do it and she explains it very well.

Have questions? Let me know! Come on back tomorrow to see a paper piece quilted cross pillow. It's gorgeous for Easter, but would also make a very sweet Baptism/Blessing/Christening gift.

**Sharing this tutorial at:
Made By You - Skip to My Lou
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
Today's Creative Blog

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Top o' the morning to you! Happy St. Patrick's Day!! I hope if the leprechauns visited you last night, that they did only fun pranks and left you some sweets. We never had one visit before, but I had caught word that the crazy little green man was planning a visit to our home.

We spent yesterday afternoon making him some fake gold. We spray painted gold on lima beans; very quick and fun. We were hoping that we could entice him with our gold and possibly trap him!

And then right before bedtime, Kiddo had a mini melt down. The idea of a little green man magically getting into our home while we slept, peeing green in the toilet, changing the color of our milk, and possibly even being trapped in our green bucket was just all too much. Couldn't blame her..kinda sounds like a bad college roommate! So in a last minute effort to keep Kiddo's sanity, but still have fun, I left our pot of gold on the doorstep and left a note asking the leprechaun to please refrain from coming in.

Luckily we had a very understanding leprechaun and he did abide by our wishes. And he even left treats! A bucket full of gold chocolate coins and chocolate potatoes. (OK, so they are really divinity chocolate eggs..the leprechaun had a fit at See's when he discovered the yummy potatoes had been sold out for a week..big sad face!)

We had a fun morning with Lucky Charms cereal and green milk. Kiddo was pretty sure it would taste awful, but was delighted to learn the flavor did not change. I haven't yet told her that um..something else will change color in about 4 hours..we will cross the bridge later..

 Baby, Daddy, and I had devoured our green eggs. Seriously, our breakfast tomorrow is sure to be lame in comparison..

I made the girls matching St. Patrick's day outfits so that they will not get pinched today! Why isn't there an adorable picture of them wearing it? Kiddo refused to wear it and Baby is in hers, but playing at the park with Daddy. Oh well..

 As I was appliqueing on the heart and shamrock, it occurred to me that almost all the outfits I make for the girls with appliques.. are hearts. Eh.. I'll need to work on that one I guess, but I still think it's adorable. And all the hearts are just because I love my little Irish girls soo much!

Hope you have a wonderful day! We have our corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes in the crock pot. Nothing like finishing dinner before 9am..

And don't forget that next week I will be posting a daily tutorial of Easter pillows - it is sure to be an eggcellent series!

Plus Kisses Boo Boo Packs - Moda Tutorial

Are you eager for summer? My family and I have already spent several days lounging in our backyard. When you have lived in Utah for a few years, you would be amazed that 60 degrees feels warm!

I made these fun boo boo packs for the Moda Bakeshop. It is quick, easy, and if you are like us then you will need several this summer!

I had a question this morning about how long the rice is "good" for. Well.. I haven't issues yet to be honest. We have a different set that is a year old, but I haven't found a need to change it out..

Also, I mentioned in the post that these are great as little heaters while camping. What we do is place them near the campfire (not too close.. my husband has singed his before!) and toss them into the bottom of your sleeping bag. It is truly a wonderful thing to slip into a warm sleeping bag and quickly have toasty toes!

I hope you will check out the tutorial!

An Eggcellent Series!

I'm completely obsessed with  making Easter pillows right now. Not sure why, but I've decided to run with it. 

Next week I will be posting tutorials on how to make several different kind of pillows. I have two faux chenille ones featured below. There will also be a paper piece quilted one and an embroidered lovely. I hope you will tune in and get inspired!

And if you are not sewing inclined, I do have these listed in my Etsy shop now..

 Shabby Chic Eggs

Good & Bad Eggs

Lucky Pants

Last year I made my husband a shirt for St. Patrick's day and he still wears it all the time. Since he still loves his shirt, I thought this year I would make something for myself!

It's not every day I post pictures of my undies.. Well these are brand new and meant to inspire you to make some St. Patrick's Day projects, so hopefully I don't offend too many! I think it's fun to have some lucky undies... 

You can download a mirror image of the jpeg of my design here. I made it the same way as I made my husband's shirt, you can read the original post here.

Are you making anything fun this year for St. Patrick's Day? Let me know!