For my birthday, I received a bunny pillow case from James and Emily.   Unfortunately, I didn’t have any pillow forms that were big enough to fill the case, so I was forced into the realm of DIYDS (Do It Your Damn Self). Here is a little tutorial on the art of pillow forming.

Before:

**Note** I am an advocate for thrifting and recycling, but used pillows is a line I don’t cross.  You never know how old the pillow is or what little dust mites and mold have been growing in there. Gross. So make an exception and get yourself a new pillow.

I love shopping in my own closet, and I happened to have two small pillow forms that I had been saving for a completely different project!  Score!  If you don’t have any pillows, you can find bamboo or corn fiber fill at your local fabric store.  Both of  these are very soft, luxurious and environmentally friendly.

The perfect fabric for this project is a clean thrifted sheet.  You’ll have plenty of fabric left over for other projects, and *bonus* most sheets tear straight.  Although they may not be printed straight.  Or hemmed straight.  So to straighten things up, cut a slit at the edge of your sheet and tear off the hems.  Measure from this line, adding 1″ for seam allowance.  You can cut a slit and tear at the measurement.  Easy peasy!

I wanted my pillow to be 18″ X 18″ so I added 1″ to each measurement, so I cut out two 19″X19″ squares.

1. First, mark one side that will be your ‘opening.’
2. Pin the two pieces together, leaving a 6″ opening where you placed your mark.
3. Beginning on one side of the opening, sew all the way around, stopping 6″ from where you started.
4. Using the opening, turn your new pillow case inside-out.  Use your fingers to poke out those corners.
5. Now it’s time to gut your old pillowforms. Tear out all of that fiber fill, and stuff it into your new pillow case.
6. Make sure to shove the fiber fill into the corners.  If you want a nice, plump pillow, stuff it to the brim.
7. Poke the last fibers into the pillow, and pull the pillow corners on either side of the opening taught.  The fabric should naturally fold at the appropriate seam line.
8. Carefully pin the opening together.
9. Slipstitch that baby closed!  Now stuff it into your pillow case of choice!

Hooray for projects completed!  Are you working on anything?

xo

brittany

On with the hemming!

When I worked at Hart’s Fabric, I found that customers were familiar with the uses of double-fold bias tape, but single-fold was a mystery to them.  When I learned it’s use, it transformed my sewing life, so I would like to share it with you.

I am by nature a lazy seamstress (if I am sewing something for myself).  It’s not because I don’t love to sew. It’s because my brain is so full of ideas and projects that I want to sew as quickly as possible so I can move on to the next thing. This results in skipping steps, taking shortcuts, and overall lazy sewing.  The easier and quicker the better. Plus, my mother always told me that if I grew my hair long enough it would cover my closures and I could just use safety pins (instead of buttons or zippers).  So you can see where I am coming from!

Single fold bias tape makes hemming a snap.  The tape is cut on the bias (basically diagonal), so it stretches and goes around curves with ease.  It makes a handsome finish on circular skirts and dresses, and it’s easy as pie, so let’s get started!

Single fold bias tape looks like this.  Both sides are folded in to make a long strip.  I make my own, but you can buy it in little packages or by the yard at your local fabric store.

1. Get out your single fold bias tape and unfold one side. Fold in the end of the tape about 1/2″
2. Pin the tape to the right side of your garment, with the folded side of the tape facing you.  Line up the unfolded side of your tape with the edge of your skirt, making sure to use a pin to secure the fold.
3. Go to your machine and stitch in the crease of the fold of your bias tape all around the skirt.
4. When you come to the end, make sure that the end of your bias tape overlaps the original folded bit you started with.
5. The reverse side of your seam should look like this.
6. Time for the trusty iron!  Iron your seam flat.
7. Then flip your garment over and fold the bias tape up.  Iron and pin, making sure that the fabric of your skirt peaks out just a bit at the seam.
8. Sew along the edge of your bias tape, all the way around (make sure your bobbin thread is a good match to your garment colour)
9. Voila! Here is the hem from the inside and outside.

I made this dress from the same thrifted plane fabric that I used to make my sunglasses case!

What will you hem?