Stripe Pillows Done

We decided to go with a combination of kaleidoscope design, with gathered welt and button tufting throw pillows for Ruth’s guest room.

We are also made a bolster for the bed, with a gathered center piece.

and lumbar pillow for the chair, incorporating on both the same trim that goes on the shades to tie it all together.

Stripe Style

Ruth asked me to make some pillows for her guest room using two fabrics: a stripe and a floral.  I am also making roman shades with the floral fabric to go with existent duvet, shams and chair.  

Here are some ideas. Let’s see what she picks…

From Tired to Fabulous!

 

If the livingroom is getting tired, instead of changing the whole couch, you can always refresh the look of living room by tossing on some new pillows. Neutral color sofa or chairs don’t get out of date! and you can spice them up with accessories to make it look new!

…and while we are at it, we will make sure this won’t happen again

Because I always reinforce the inside of the seams with an overlook overcast!

Strong in the inside, beautiful in the outside

... for many years to enjoy.

Say What?

The worst phrase in the industry for go-go-go people like me

is: back order!

I know it happens... frecuently, but it always makes me cringe.

Why is it that the gorgeous fabrics always make you wait anyways? Ha! I guess, like the fancy ladies, the fancy fabrics are worth the wait.

Over the course of a few weeks, my client Anna patiently brought fabrics and trims to me one by one as she received them in the mail…thanks to back order.

And then I started to realize, working in increments gave me time to pause, contemplate and enjoy the process, there was no point in pushing, I wouldn’t see it all done at the end of the day… so I enjoyed looking at the stunning fabrics until all of them were ready.

Once again I made it to the happy ending. Anna loved the finished pillows, her clients loved them, and I had a good time taking it slow... I guess b.o. doesn't sound that bad after all!

Beautiful Coral

Quick post!

Love these Coral pillows designed by Anna!
Fabric is exquisite, so easy to work with
and that stipped ready made cording from Robert Allen
frames the motif  beautifully.

Pillow Talk

This week I will be working on a set of pillows for a client’s living room and it really got me thinking about all the pillow projects I do that are similar to this one and how my clients seem to be divided fairly evenly between polyester and feather filling for their pillows. The choice of one filling over the other is a matter of preference.

In my experience, people choose feathers for pillow filling for esthetic purposes. Feather filled pillows need to be fluffed but perhaps offer a more full and tailored look. Generally, feather pilling is more expensive, but they will last for years.

Polyester filled pillows keep the same shape thus, do not require fluffing. However, over time, the polyester filling can become flat and may require replacing, but this is only after extended heavy use. I have noticed that some of my customers with children prefer polyester filled pillows because you can toss the pillows where ever and they still keep in shape and no filling comes out.

Me? I love ALL pillows! all shapes, all sizes, all fillings...

Is There a Buried Treasure in Your Basement?

Piece of European priest robe dating from the 17th or 18th Centuries.

I love antique textiles and so does Marsh.

Marsh is an antique textile collector and for a long time she decorated her home with pieces from her collection in a variety of ways without actually altering the fabric. Recently, Marsh came to me and with the idea of going in a new direction with her textile collection that she was hopeful would one day turn into a business opportunity for herself. Marsh’s ideas for her textile collection involved the repurposing of some of her textiles into more functional home items like decorative pillows. She really had some fantastic ideas about how and where she wanted her textile collection used but needed some help with execution.

When Marsh showed me her favorite textiles to me I was blown away. These textiles were not only at least over 3 or 4 hundred years old, but they were in excellent condition and were intricately embellished. When I see these kinds of textiles it makes me think about the time and place they were actually crafted. Back then; all detail work was done by hand! Textiles like Marsh’s make me wonder about what everyday life might have looked like. These beautiful fabrics would have been a lot more common. I wonder how many of them were used and whether the artisans who created them could have ever imaged that they would be treated as treasures hundreds of years later.

Centuries old decorative band becomes a throw pillow’s centerpiece atop vintage velvet

Since much of Marsh’s collection were pieces of larger textiles she decided to transform them into decorative pillows that would live all around the house. What I really love about projects like this is not only that I get to manipulate and learn from these beautiful fabrics but that I get to help someone showcase their treasured collection.

Antique velvet drapery panel with matching fringe transformed into yet another stunning pillow

I know, not everyone has a collection like Marsh’s. However, like her, many of us have beloved textiles in one form or another that we would love to display in our homes. Grandma’s cross stitch, your children's blankets, or your mother’s monogrammed linens... all have the potential to take many forms and I hope these pillows can serve as inspiration for you for your next creative adventure!

Playful stripes

Stripes seem too static and maybe even a little boring on these oversized pillows for a family room… mmm, and I have some extra yards…

Let’s make “Kaleidoscope” pillows!

Of course execution is all about precision, precision, precision!

Cut it carefully; match the seams perfectly
and voila!
A couple of fun and unusual pieces the whole family loves.

Must Love Dogs

Liz loves her dogs,
But the only ones she allows on the sofa are these…
Loved this “comic” style design
And the combination of cording and fringe around the pillow makes it super rich (and thick!... new walking foot machine is so cool!)

Love Pillows

Pillows are always a lot of fun
so many styles, so many options
different shapes, details, fabric combinations
and unique embellishments to add!