Isn't that just the coolest name for a link party? Pillowpaaalooooozaaa. It has to be cool to get me to attempt pillows. If you've been around for a while you know I don't sew, but hey a couple months ago I told you I can't paint either and no one believes that anymore, not even me! But really, I can't sew. It involves math, and accurate measuring and if your me, seam ripping. Burlap is very forgiving in two of those areas.
So Linda at
ItAllStartedWithPaint along with Kari at
ThistlewoodFarm are hosting this Pillowpalooza party. I wanted to make some pillows to jazz up the joint before my son's grad party. I fully expected I might be linking some pillow flops, but I
LOVE my pillows.
I Love them! L.O.V.E. them I tell 'ya. My mom might even be smiling down thinking there is hope for me and my sewing abilities yet. Ummm probably not mom, were you watching when not once but twice I tripped over the cord and then tried to sew with the pillow already IN the burlap?
First thing I had to do was borrow a sewing machine. This one worked like a charm even though it clearly isn't a new model. I got out the directions to thread it, and it was like reading Greek to me, but it was sort of like riding a bike.... I got right on and went back to home-ec class 40 years ago. I also prayed the already loaded bobbin held out. It did. The lady who sold the machine to my daughter in law had her name on the instructions. Florence. Florence also had her name on the foot pedal and machine.
I had all those burlap sacks left from my
breakfast nook valance making task, and I have seen all those amazing pillows you ladies make from burlap. I was fairly confident I could sew a straight line. I took some teal paisley pillows, (don't be jealous) and just cut the burlap bigger than them and stuck it inside, paisley and all.
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| You know you want this fabric, admit it |
At the beginning of the week I glued them, but it wasn't working and that's when I borrowed the sewing machine. I stitched all the way around them and just frayed the burlap when I was done for a fringe. I was actually amazed at how I was able to get the pillow in nice and snug. I thought they needed something so I went through some jars of buttons that I've had for 25 years. I bought them in plastic bags at a garage sale from an old lady who saved them for years, so some could be I don't know how old!
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Found the perfect buttons, and also a key so I sewed that on one too. I cut the bottom of a coffee sack off to make a lumbar pillow. Only had to sew the top as the other three sides were already stitched. But I guess you're not suppose to stitch the whole thing shut otherwise how the hell do you get the stuffing in? So I ripped a corner back out and stuffed a bunch of pillow fluff in that I took out of an old pillow. Then I glued the buttons on with the wrong side showing (on purpose) because I liked the vintage writing on that side of the metal buttons.
These sacks are the softer burlap not like the ones I used on the valances. I also sat outside on the porch to fray the edges so I didn't make a mess inside this time. But I
was in my jammies. I looked up a couple times surrounded by coffee sacks thinking maybe Juan Valdez and his donkey would show up.
Tonight I went grocery shopping and stopped at the farm store just to see if there were still some coffee sacks left. I bought 8 more. They cost a whole $1.28 each.
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| This one is my favorite. |
