Hangin' by a Thread

Yet another how-to for you today.  I really put my sewing skills to the test this time around and made everything from scratch.  I started with a latch-hook rug kit from my local department store.

I can't really give an accurate time estimate of how long the latch-hooking takes.  It started out as a childhood hobby that I picked up from time to time (mostly during the summers) and therefore took me several years to finally complete.  The rest of the project, however, took less than a day (~5-8 hours).

Once the latch-hook is finished, cut off the excess mesh, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around, and secure the mesh to the back of the rug.  Select fabric for the back of your pillow (I chose fleece for extra comfy softness) and cut it about 1-inch wider than the latch-hook rug on all sides. 

To ensure a clean-looking stitch, place the two pieces with the "pretty" sides facing each other.  Fold the excess fleece back and sew to the rug.  I recommend stitching through mesh cross sections and knotted wool pieces of the rug.  Be sure to leave 2-3 inches of unstitched space. 

Once the two pieces are about 3/4 sewn together, reach inside and gently pull the fabric through the hole you have left in your stitching so that the pillow is now right-side-out. 

Then stuff the pillow with a pillow form or polyester-blend stuffing.  For larger pillows (like this one) I recommend stuffing rather than a pillow form as it allows more freedom for the shape and bulk of the pillow.  When using stuffing, however, be sure to gather more than you think you will need and be generous when stuffing all the "corners" of your pillow. This material is more likely to sag and bunch over time if not properly packed. 

Once the pillow is sufficiently stuffed, sew the remainder of the two pieces together and enjoy! In retrospect I would have left a smaller opening so that I didn't have quite so much of the pillow sewn together with a different stitch (from the outside as opposed to the inside). 

It was also more difficult to sew the pieces together once the stuffing was inserted (even with pins to hold the fabric in place).  I would suggest leaving a wide enough hole to turn the rug inside out and pass your hand-plus-stuffing through (so you have enough room to maneuver the stuffing where you want it), but not so large of a hole that more than a quarter of your pillow has a different stitch pattern. 

I've already gotten so much use out of this pillow and have even used it as extra floor seating for guests.  At first I thought I had been too generous with the stuffing, but it has proven to be a great balance of comfort and firmness.  Overall I would say this was an A+ project!

It's so fluffy!

Sew Many Craft Puns

As this blog is sort of a "miscellaneous drawer" of topics, I thought I'd step off my soap box and do a few how-to's of some craft projects that I've been working on.  :)

The inspiration for these projects came from one of my good friends and her recent sewing exploits.  You can check out her how-to blog here.  Since I am nowhere near experienced enough to imitate her impressive clothing-making skills, however, I started small...

My sorority Mu Epsilon Theta was opening a new chapter in Arizona and I wanted my 'little sister' to have something special for her initiation - something that would be a cozy reminder of the sisterhood.  My high school's dance team had gotten their senior members a personalized pillow case for graduation, and I remember it being one of my favorite gifts. It seemed simple enough to make (by cutting a few corners), and so armed with inspiration and a reasonable deadline, I set off to make a pillow case!  Below are the instructions for my personal process for those of you who are looking for some easy homemade gifts. 

Gather two black pillow cases (I recommend buying an extra as a practice run so the final gift looks more polished), fabric for the letters (I used my sorority's colors), fabric glue, puff paint, and some ribbon for the edge of the pillow. Cut out paper stencils as a guide for the outer-most fabric frame of the letters. 

Then trace the letters onto the fabric with a pencil and cut out the shapes.

Pin the letters in place on the pillow case and glue each one down with fabric glue.  My mother, who's sewing machine I borrowed for this project (Thanks, Mom!), came up with an ingenious way to do this: 

1. Place wax paper over one side of the letter
2. Fold opposite side onto wax paper
3. Cover entire surface of fabric with fabric glue, ensuring thin but even coverage
4. Fold back onto pillowcase and press in place
5. Repeat with other side
6. Voilà! Let the letters dry for 3-7 hours (I just left them overnight) on a hard, flat surface. 

Once the outer frame is dry, cut about 1/4" off of each side of the paper stencils to trace your inner fabric letters (you can see the outline I drew on the letters at the top of the page).

Repeat the cutting and glueing process and let sit for 3-7 hours. Once the letters are dry, seal the outer letter frame with puff paint to prevent fraying. 

 I recommend storing the paint bottle upside down while you work to prevent air bubbles.

Now you're ready to sew! Measure and cut ribbon to fit down the right-most edge of the pillowcase.  If it is factory made, there should already be a seam you can use as a border.  Pin the ribbon in place, making sure to poke through the first layer of fabric only (or you'll sew the pillow case shut!). Use a sewing machine to stitch the ribbon in place. 

And you're done! Here's my finished product: 

 If I had had more time to work on it, I probably would have hand-stitched the letters onto the pillow case rather than glueing them down.  This would more effectively prevent fraying the make the pillow case easier to wash.  I also would have added a ruffle to the edge of the case (as seen in the inspiration above), though I would need a great deal more practice and training to sew a successful ruffle. Finally I would have added my little's name somewhere along the case (either in puff paint or iron-on letters).  

Overall I feel really good about how my pillow case turned out (luckily I had one to practice on, so my little got the best of the two) and have gained more confidence in my crafting abilities. :)

+1 Dexterity