August 6, 2017
Quick update to the process post from yesterday, below: I did wash those settee cushions, and did they ever need it!!! - It also occurred to me that I might turn the cushions around to bring the back to the front, and send the worn front to the back. Still with me? This wasn't a hard task, ergo no photographic evidence, beyond the finished product. Suffice it to say, I took the ties of what had been the back, attached them to the old front, stitched up what had been the open back, opened up what had been the old front. turned 'em around, and that's what I call Ball in the Jack...
I was also able to use the remaining 4 pinwheel squares to front the "undercushion." The original settee just had the two cushions, which proved way too low and droopy for us. Undercushion is just a piece of foam, now covered and infinitely more presentable. A Mystique! Thanks for reading!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 5, 2017
A Saturday morning sew that incorporates previous blog themes of "Just gotta sew" and "The thrift of sewists."
I think that now I've cracked the code of the seat cover, I cannot resist using this technique for covering all those very often used and showing signs of constant use seats I have around my house. The sewing stool. The ancillary sewing stool. Now, the computer stool!
And here's where the "thrifty" part comes in. I have remnants of the very first project I ever sewed on the Husquvarna. At a time when I had no identified material lying around waiting to become something else, I eyeballed a stash of napkins taking up space in my linen closet. Perfect. All of a certain tone or family (to my eye), I could make due with that. Mind you, now this was before I had fully, or even partially grapsed the value of initial clean cuts. I'd chosen a simple "pinwheel" pattern of half square triangles (HST's). Napkins make great HST's! I was on my way, and ever so eager to feel the power of this new machine which seemed unstoppable in comparison with what I'd been using.
This stool sits in front of the computer in the kitchen. I've already made cushion covers for the settee there that we hang out on, especially in winter, as it is next to the woodstove.
Ergo, the remnants burning a whole in my pocket... Thrilled to apply 4 squares of pinwheels to cover the neighboring stool. To get started:
I lay it out, sew it together, paying little to attention to perfection, simply joining seams which will arrange themselves neatly enough the less I micro-manage. You can see how happily haphazard these original triangles were. I am not bothered by their raw expression. In fact, I admire it. There seems an energy in it, a determination to be, whatever.
I lay the seat on top of the new fabric to measure off the excess.
I use a handy dandy tool from my easy reached to cupholder of handy dandy tools. This one happens to be my Fons & Porter HST guide. I make a mark with my handy dandy purple disappearing marker, all the way around the seat.
After I've cut my way around, I decide I would like to quilt it too, just to add durability, as this seat will be used by the whole family, for some time to come... Using remnants of batting from the big bag of batting remnants I have, without even joining the remnants. That's what a tear I was on this morning.
Next remnant to make good use of is the bi-fold olive color bias binding tape I've had a healthy supply of for years. Instead of using the neat bi-fold folding, I open it up to use it with only being folded in half to make the pocket for the pull cord. On the next seat cover, and I have no doubt there will be another, I'm sure I could sew at the 1/2 inch crease, and then fold under, sewing again to cover raw edges and add stability, but for this one, I just got on with it.
Fourth remnant: a yard and a half of piping cord that I've had in my "everything" box for years! I might have used a shoelace, or even a long selvage edge I've cut off (and kept), but I thought this would be strong and stand up to the strength of the napkins!
Works like a charm.
Et voilá! Seat cover #3. The mystique continues. Utilitarian, yet pleasing. Enhanced in value and aesthetic.
Time now to wash the settee covers. Wear and tear. Winter's coming and we fairly live on that settee. Homework, dinner, everything. Time to get them ready for another season.
Have a happy Saturday Sew yourselves. Thanks for reading. Let me hear from you. Do you have a project you're eager to start, but need a question or two addressed. I'd love to hear your ideas.
All best sewing wishes, j