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Fresh Linens: Ruffled Lumbar Pillow from Fat Quarters and Layer Cake

A lumbar pillow is the common term for just about any long and narrow bed pillow. It can be large or small, soft or firm. Though we’ve seen them in all shapes and sizes, we’d never seen one with ruffles and covered buttons, like the one we designed for our Fresh Linens guest bedroom. The deep pleat-like ruffles add a romantic touch and soften the geometric edges of the squares and points on the other pillows in our pile. That’s the secret of an effective grouping of throw pillows: mix shapes and sizes and subtly blend textures and styles.

Fresh Linens: Apple Green Panel Curtains with Jelly Roll Accents & Tie-Backs

Pretty curtains softly billowing in the breeze of an open window are a sure sign of summer. You can almost smell the honeysuckle, can’t you? Our guest room curtain panels are made from two simple width-of-fabric cuts with a flange accenting their seam. Long, loopy tie-backs let you pull your curtains off to the side or cinch them in the middle with a generous bow as we did. We also show you a fast and easy way to handle the lining.

Fresh Linens: Restful Rose-Banded Pillowcases with Honey Bun Accents

“She used to say she could taste sleep and that it was as delicious as a BLT on fresh French bread.” I love that quote. It’s from Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells. I’m a good sleeper, and I firmly believe there’s nothing better than nodding off on a new, freshly laundered pillowcase. Our pretty pair of pillowcases is a great beginner project. So fast and easy, you can start at noon and be napping by 3:00.

Donna Babylon: Quick Tip – How To Find & Work With Design Repeats

Your project calls for a panel of fabric two or even three times wider than the fabric you bought at the store. No problem. You’re going to sew multiple widths together to get the bigger width you need. But you can’t just start cutting widths of your fabric. The pattern isn’t going to match up and/or your beautiful design motif is going to end up in the wrong place on your project. Instead of wasting expensive fabric through trial and error, you need to figure out your cuts based on the fabric’s design repeat.

Baby Gifts: Pretty Bird Travel Changing Pad

Go, baby, go! Diaper bags are great, but sometimes seem so big and bulky. When you’re on-the-go and need a clean, soft surface for a quick change, this travel pad is perfect. The center panel, where baby’s buns go, is a heavy, quality polar fleece. It resists water (for quick mop up) and is super soft. Works like a charm without being bulky. The entire pad folds and wraps up small enough to pop into a shoulder bag… or keep it in the car for travel emergencies.

Fresh Linens: Layer Cake Round Wedge Pillow

We provide a pattern download that gives you the perfect wedge shape to create the pinwheel design of this pillow. You can easily cut two wedges from each 10″ x 10″ Layer Cake square, which means you’ll use just six Layer Cake squares for this project. Or… spread your creativity around to friends and family, and make SEVEN pretty pillows from the 42 squares in a standard Layer Cake pack. I’d say that’s quite enough for a grand scale pillow fight.

Donna Babylon: Quick Tip – Make A Perfect Match When A Seam Goes Through A Design

‘Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match,’ the girls sang in Fiddler On The Roof . They wanted husbands. But they could just as well have been singing about matching up both sides of a seam when goes through the middle of a design. Both kinds of matches can be tricky to pull off. And even worse, they’re obvious to everybody when not done correctly.

Fresh Linens: Patchwork Euro Pillow Shams Using Charm Pack Squares

One of the best ways to add both height and drama to your bed linens is with pillow shams. They sit in front and cover up the more ordinary pillows. Just like in real life… the pretty ones are always in the front row! There are two traditional shapes, regular and Euro. A regular full size sham usually measures around 20″ x 26″, a regular king approximately 20″ x 36″, whereas the Euro sham is square, usually about 26″ x 26″. Our Fresh Linens Euro Shams feature an easy yet elegant patchwork center made from a Charm Pack, plus a lovely flange in a coordinating solid.

Whimsy: EZ Pre-Quilted Baby Blanket

Love, love, love this double-faced, pre-quilted fabric from Joanna Figueroa’s Whimsy collection for Moda Fabrics. There are two, reversible patterns to choose from. We selected the option with Whimsy Vintage Flash Cards in Milk on the front and Whimsy Dot in Milk on the back. Then we trimmed the whole thing with coordinating Whimsy Ric Rac Stitching in Multi. I used a fancy decorative stitch to attach my binding, which takes a little longer to stitch, but adds an extra-special touch. Since all you do for the center of the blanket is cut a square, and the binding is a faux-mitered technique, this blanket is SO easy, I even simplified the name to: EZ!

Donna Babylon: Quick Tip – Joining Fabric Widths to Make an Extra Wide Panel

What To Look For In A Quilting Thread

If you ask traditional quilters about quilt finishing or quilting (finishing is the fancy term for creating stitches all over the quilt top to keep the layers together), they will most likely tell you the threads used for finishing should match the fibers used in the quilt itself. So, if your quilt is made of cotton fabric, all of the thread used to hold it together should also be cotton. This is good advice if you’re planning to make a quilt that can stand up to a large amount of wear and tear. There are, however, a wide range of really fun textures and colors of thread available, and part of the fun of sewing is trying new things!

Father’s Day: Pendleton Wool Chinook Stadium Blanket with Canvas Tote

Dad will love this big, warm Pendleton wool blanket with its own handy canvas tote. It’s the perfect compact companion to take to his favorite sporting event. The Chinook pattern is a Pendleton classic, an authentic Indian design adapted from petroglyphs found in the Columbia Gorge. When the weather breaks or the game is over, roll up the blanket, wrap it and latch it, and he’s good to go. Dad could even use it to wave over his head when celebrating a touchdown or goal… in the event he’s left his giant foam finger at home.

Whimsy: Charm Pack Baby Quilt

We’ve had quite a few requests for more quilts and have a number of them planned in the coming weeks. Today’s uses Fig Tree’s nostalgic Whimsy fabric collection by Joanna Figueroa for Moda in a handy pre-cut Charm Pack. Coordinating Whimsy yardage and Bella Solids make up the back, sashing and binding. Even if you’ve never quilted before, you’ll find this to be a very simple design in a very manageable baby size. One tiny disclaimer: quilting is known to be addictive and an adorable baby quilt like this could easily be a ‘gateway project.’ We take no responsibility for turning you or a family member into a wild-eyed quilting maniac with boxes of scraps hidden all over the house.

How To Work With And Select Outdoor-Safe Fabrics

When I was first introduced to outdoor sewing, I have to admit I wasn’t very enthusiastic about it. (And, no, I didn’t think it meant taking my sewing machine outside.) Why would I want to put all the time and effort into sewing home décor items and then leave them outside in the weather? I’d seen what happens to cloth items that get left out on the deck overnight. I was missing an important piece of information. There is a whole array of great looking fabric designed to be left outside. They’re called… wait for it… outdoor fabrics. If we can put a man on the moon, we can make great looking fabric that doesn’t mind being outside.

Summer Fun: Babylon Flip Flop Pillows

You can’t welcome the arrival of spring and summer weather without flip flops! Bring the fun inside with one of these super cute flip flop pillows from our friend, Donna Babylon. Ya know, I just gotta say… back in the day, we called this particular type of footwear: ‘thongs.’ I can’t tell you the gales of laughter this brings from my kids when I accidentally slip and still call them this. It’s similar to the reaction I get talking about records and/or rotary dial phones. Read on to learn Donna’s secrets for a smooth, full and fabulous pillow.

Art Journal Super-Stylin’ Appliquéd Burp Cloth – Guest Tutorial by Bari J.

We’re back with the second of Bari J. Ackerman’s two delightful Art Journal projects. We adore the painterly look of this Windham Fabrics line, and were thrilled when Bari offered to put together two projects just for us. This is simply the world’s most stylin’ burp cloth. If I’d had something like this when my kids were babies, I would have ruined a lot fewer shirts and jackets. Okay… raise your hand if you’ve walked around for an entire day at work with a spit-up stain on your back shoulder! Check out the appliqué collage; this is a Bari ‘signature style’ – a wonderful combination of color, texture and pattern.

Donna Babylon: Quick Tip – The Care And Feeding Of Bobbins

The bobbin on your sewing machine provides the lower thread supply, allowing your machine to form stitches. Needless to say, if your bobbin isn’t set up properly, your machine won’t work.

Whimsy: Neckroll Pillow with Ric Rac

This comfy neckroll is the first of a trio of wonderful Whimsy projects. Joanna Figueroa’s Whimsy collection, for Moda Fabrics, debuted in February of this year, so we’ve been admiring it now for several months. We fell in love with its soft, warm colors and the nostalgic prints, florals and stripes. I even love the names of the colors: buttercup, beach, chocolate and grass are just a few that make me want to lie on my back and look for the bunnies and dragons in the fluffy spring clouds. Joanna’s simple line drawings of vintage wagons, milk jugs and chickens are perfect throw-backs to the old Dick and Jane early-reader books. ‘See Liz sew. Sew, Liz, Sew!’ Our roly-poly neckroll pillow features the Whimsy Wavy Ric Rac design. Neckrolls are great for youself and make a much-loved gift for anyone on your list who’s had a hard day and needs a little nap.

Art Journal Pinwheel Play Mat: Guest Tutorial by Bari J. Ackerman

The first time we saw Bari J. Ackerman’s Art Journal fabric line, we thought perhaps we’d stumbled onto a collection of paintings masquerading as fabric. Beautiful. Plain and simple. Bari’s designs have an exuberant use of color. Her florals make us feel like we’ve collapsed inside an impressionist’s garden where everything is bold and lush and shot through with lilac, periwinkle, citron, rose… all the cool crayon colors!

Re-make & Re-use: Napkins to Go from Dad’s Old Shirts

This very unique Re-make & Re-use project comes to us from Julia Chapman, a new member of our Sew4Home seamstress team. She developed the idea for a benefit in which all the items for sale had to be an ‘upcycle’ product of one kind or another. We love cloth napkins here at S4H, but had never seen any made from old shirts, let alone with their own handy carrying case. There are racks and racks of men’s short sleeve shirts at thrift and second hand stores… and probably in your own closets. Colors and patterns that might be too wild to wear would be perfect as napkins.

Moda’s Ruffled Jelly Roll Table Runner

This terrific table runner combines two of 2010’s top trends: the color turquoise and ruffles. Hats off to our new friend, Angela Yosten; a web developer for Moda Fabrics, United Notions and Moda Bake Shop… as well as a very creative blogger under the name, Moda Home Mom. We met Angela recently while setting up our designer relationship with Moda Fabrics. She was very enthusiastic about our Turquoise 2010 series and had a great idea for a table runner, using a Moda pre-cut Jelly Roll. Angela’s designs have been featured on many popular blogs and sites, and we are thrilled she wanted to share one with us. We’ll be returning the favor very soon – be looking for a Sew4Home pre-cut project to be featured on Moda Bake Shop.

Black & White Pillow Pile: Six-Cornered Tassel Treat

You know what’s cool about pillows? You can take one design, and by simply changing up the fabric, get a completely different look. That’s what we’ve done with this stunning hexagonal pillow. We’ve used this style of pillow a couple times before, but you’d never know it. Our black and white version features a coordinating linen back and Extreme Fussy Cutting (similar to what those daring skateboarders do, but you’re less likely to fall) to create a beautiful flower in the center of the pillow… complete with a contrasting linen covered button as the flower’s center point. Pretty tassels finish the high-end designer look.

Black & White Pillow Pile: Eiffel Tower Pom-Pom

Did you know the Eiffel Tower was built as the entrance arch for the 1889 World’s Fair? Its graceful lattice ironwork has attracted visitors for 121 years. I wonder if our beautiful Eiffel Tower Pom Pom Pillow with its tufted center and covered buttons will last that long? This is a super-simple pillow, but the finished look is one that would go for BIG bucks at stores and in catalogs. You can make one for a fraction of retail, and it will be unique to you. Vive l’Pillow!

Black & White Pillow Pile: Lovely Pleated Lumbar

Patty thought pleats were pleasing and so put plenty on her projects. I think pleats are one of the coolest ways to add a bit o’ pizazz. I still have to pause and really think them through every time I start, but as soon as they’re pinned in place, I look again and it’s like, ‘Duh! That was easy.’ So don’t you be put off by pleats. We have easy step-by-step directions, and throw in a few diagrams and plenty of pictures for good measure. The combination of the pleats with the natural linen and Michael Miller’s bold black and white accent fabric makes a very elegant statement. I think the statement would be, ‘Good gracious that’s a lovely pillow. I think I’ll make one for me.’

Black & White Pillow Pile: Squares & Stripes

One of the most classic decorating palettes is black and white. It never goes out of style and is anything but ‘basic.’ The combination can look crisp and casual or sophisticated and stylish. Black is a color that anchors and grounds; in fact, any room will benefit with a bit of black to add definition to its focal point color. We have a whole week of beautiful black and white pillows for you, starting today with our extra-large Squares & Stripes. Its dramatic pinwheel center is achieved with clever cutting and careful seaming.

An Interview with Fabric Designer, Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts

The Sew4Home community (that’s you!) has really enjoyed the designer profiles we’ve done so far with Patty Young and Paula Prass. We love them too. It lets us a peek into some very creative worlds. This time, we turn the tables a bit, and instead of talking with someone whose fabric we’ve already used in our S4H projects, we introduce you to Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts. We have a number of awesome projects upcoming with fabrics from two of her collections, Fresh Cottons and Whimsy. Joanna took time out of her VERY busy schedule to chat with us, and you, about home décor sewing, the inspiration behind her fabric design, her books on quilts and vintage sewing, and how, as a very little girl, she once sewed buttons on the the clothes of all her fellow passengers on an International flight. She’d never get the needle on board today!

Mother’s Day: Quick Gift – Tattered Flower Headband

You’re late, you’re late for a very important date! Stumped for a quick gift for Mother’s Day? Our Tattered Flower headband saves the day. I made this in about 30 minutes. But, it looks like I slaved for hours over the intricate triptych design, button embellishment and chic frayed-edge flowers. If asked, you’re welcome to use any of those big words to describe how hard you worked on this gift as well.

Mother’s Day: Pretty Pleated Travel Pouch

Mom’s have stuff. Lots of stuff. It’s a rule. Sometimes, we need to take our stuff from one place to another, in which case, we need a stuff-carrier… and we do not want to use a plastic baggie. This lovely pleated travel pouch is an elegant answer to a pressing need. It uses just tiny bits of fabric, so it’s a great project to try out little fabric cuts or perhaps use up some scraps. Our design has an easy-to-insert top zipper, generous pleats on both sides and a luxurious satin charmeuse lining. I’m thinking… perhaps one for you AND one for Mom. I bet you have a bit o’ stuff, too.

Mother’s Day: Spa Wrap

This cozy terry cloth wrap will make Mom feel like she’s at a luxury spa every time she steps out of the shower. We used extra-thirsty 100% cotton terry velour in a soft pink. The polka dot binding, flower accent and ribbon-edged pocket add the elements of style that make this such a perfect gift. Velcro as well as pretty ribbon straps keep everything in place… there’ll be no awkward slipping, sliding, hiking and tugging with this wrap. Tuck in some pretty soaps or bath beads and you have a present that Mom will enjoy every day.

Beyond the Basics: Specialty Rulers To Make Your Sewing Faster & More Accurate

How many sewing rulers should you own? If you had asked me that when I first started sewing, I might have answered, “I dunno… maybe three.” After you get a yardstick, a basic metal ruler and a tape measure, what else do you need? I have a sewing friend who probably owns more than 20 sewing rulers. I say “probably” because I lost count, and I don’t think she really knows how many she has. Before you conclude she’s either obsessive-compulsive or a shoplifter, you should know her projects turn out beautifully. The rulers are the reason.

Products We Love: Cruz Label & All Things Labels

More and more people are evolving their passion for sewing into a business. Craft and market fairs have popped up in even the smallest communities, including upcoming seasonal Farmer’s Markets, many of which are expanding to include handmade products along with their famous fruits, vegetables and flowers. Online creative storefronts, like etsy.com, artsefest.com and silkfair.com have exploded in popularity. If you’re thinking of selling your creations, you should label them. A professional label adds the touch that says, ‘I mean business!’ We recently discovered two great online label options: Cruz Label and All Things Labels – sister companies from Los Angeles. We gave them a test run with a set of three Sew4Home labels, and were very happy with our results.

Market/Craft Apron

Handy. Dandy. That’s our market/craft apron. Ultra-clever folding allows you to create it using just one main chunk o’ fabric plus a little bit of trim. I especially like the way the hem shows on the front between the waistband and the pocket pouch. Top stitching holds it all together, and a line of pretty decorative stitching across the pocket binding makes it extra special. This would be one fancy yet functional apron to wear for those of you who make and sell your crafts at local fairs and markets.

Tattered Flowers for Embellishment

Woodland Delight: Handy Door-Handle Fine Washables Laundry Pouch

Must be Spring, because we’re in an organizational frenzy here at Sew4Home. We’re tidying up every nook and cranny in the house, including the closets. This handy pouch hooks over a door knob to catch your fine washables. Toss everything in, then tote it all to the laundry. A clever tie in the front lets you adjust the opening wide to easily stash your delicates, or cinch it closed for privacy.

French Desk Set: Pencil Cups

I use my computer all day every day, but that doesn’t mean I don’t also have about two thousand pens and pencils. As a writer, I love to collect writing implements. I’ve stored them in everything from flower vases to tiny galvanized buckets, and of course, the requisite artwork-covered tin cans lovingly made by my children. For our French Desk Set series, we knew we needed a couple classier Pencil Cups. Ours are quilted and feature a leather accent tie and cute button. Classy? Yes. Easy to make? Double yes!

Woodland Delight: 9-Pocket Door Caddy for Jewels and Lingerie

For years I had an “unmentionables drawer.” This had a double-meaning (double entendre for my fancy-schmancy friends): I kept my unmentionables in there (undies and the like), but it was also a drawer I preferred not to mention because it was such a MESS. I was always digging around, looking for something, tossing things about like a giant salad. Yikes! This easy over-the-door, nine-pocket caddy is much better at keeping my fine-wear and lingerie tidy and within reach. Plus, the Woodland Delight fabric is so bright and fun. You could also use the big pockets for larger jewelry, like beads and bangles. Even lightweight active wear, such as yoga tops and running shorts could be easily stashed.

An Interview with Fabric Designer, Paula Prass

Here at Sew4Home we are all about the fabric. It’s our number one source of inspiration, and one of our favorite designers of this inspiration is Paula Prass. We’ve used pieces from both of her original collections: Flights of Fancy and Summer Soiree. But went totally hog-wild when we received fabric cuts from her latest group: Woodland Delight. Paula took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to chat with us, and you, about home décor sewing, fabric design, interior design, and a quilt that made her cry.

French Desk Set: Blotter

A desk blotter is a bit of a throw back when you consider most work areas these days have a computer or laptop front and center. But, our French Desk Set collection is very traditional, and so a classic blotter was a must. The surface is a custom-cut piece of non-glare glass, which makes a wonderful writing surface and allows you to see Moda’s beautiful French General fabric underneath. We’ve incorporated gripper fabric into the design, and between that and the weight of the glass, it ain’t goin’ nowhere … whether you’re furiously scribbling a missive or penning an elegant thank you.

Fascinating Fasteners

Fasteners are generally not the most glamorous notions on your list, but they are very hard workers and necessary to many projects. Sometimes you just need a functional closure; other times you want a cool way to attach one thing to another, like a fancy buckle on a pillow front, or an innovative tie-back for your curtains. We’ve compiled a list of commonly found fasteners to introduce you to the potential of these all-around accents.

French Desk Set: Fabric Matted Frame

After covering this plain mat with a scrap of the stunning French General Rounneries Oiseaux Bird Roche fabric used in our French Desk Set, we gave it a vintage feel with a few bits of trim and one cute flea market button. Including repainting the frame, this project took 30 minutes.

Haul It Floor Cushions

Some well-known facts: toy cars are cool, toy cars roll best on hard surfaces, hard surfaces hurt your bottom after a while. We came across this totally fun Michael Miller fabric, in 2010’s Color of the Year, and knew it would make a dandy play mat. Though we usually try to keep our projects to simple squares and rectangles here at Sew4Home, this one cried out for an interesting shape. I mean, really, if you’re playing cars, doesn’t it make much more sense for your play mat to be in the shape of a retro car and trailer?

Organza Flower Pillow

Yesterday you learned how to make delicate organza flowers. Let’s put them to use with this Turquoise 2010 project. You’ll also use your new skill of inserting concealed zippers. Why … it’s like three projects in one! We love the swirling pattern on this brocade. Very elegant, and yet it doesn’t detract from the beautiful flowers.

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