Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Domestic Pursuits


Our wee home is taking shape, little by little -- one by one the empty boxes are banished to the garage, and the atmosphere begins to grow more cozy.



And oddly enough, it looks as the random curtains that I've rescued from yard sales and thrift stores over the years (if the tag says "Waverly," you can be almost certain it's coming home with me!) will come in handy; and not only that, but they'll fit our windows exactly, and will blend in with our current decor. Little providences.



But I digress. Actually, I'm cheating a bit in this post, because the sewing project below was completed last fall! But since I haven't yet had time for sewing (though my machine, I am happy to say, is up and ready for use), I thought I'd finally get around to sharing it. Not that I ever procrastinate...



Our little red sofa desperately needed some accent pillows. Red isn't exactly a mild color, and a whole bank of it can be rather overwhelming. Accent pillows are a dime a dozen, of course, and I probably could have found something to suit in a store. But the temptation to indulge in some home decorating sewing was too much to resist. So I trotted off to JoAnn's, where I eventually found perfect (and more importantly, inexpensive!) coordinating fabrics. Two tassels, two zippers, and a few yards of cording later, I had all I needed -- the red suede piping fabric was already in my stash.



Of course, everything went together beautifully, without the least difficulty -- and certainly without any mistakes! *coughs* Well, there were one or two mishaps...



I actually wasn't going to include zippers at all, but when I contemplated "washability" (and the prospect of slipstitching the back of the pillow closed with piping involved), I quickly decided that zippers were a necessity! Even though I'd already cut out my back pieces, I had just enough fabric left to make the necessary adjustments.

And the taffeta -- well, that was supposed to extend to the corners of the pillow. I just didn't account quite enough for the effect that gathering it into the tassel loop would create. Fortunately, by turning under the ends an extra few inches, the problem was solved.



So there, in far too much detail, is an account of our throw pillows (AKA, more-than-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-a-single-pair-of-pillows). And that, you will be happy to hear, is

THE END

*wink*

12 comments:

  1. I love the pillows!!! I need to make some for our couch too :) Thanks for the inspiration!

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  2. Your clock is amazing. It looks like a Restoration Hardware piece!

    We have a red sofa, too! I was a little nervous when I ordered the fabric for it, but everything else we have is so neutral that it really ties the living room together. :) Love the pillows!

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  3. So glad to hear you are settling in :-)

    Your pillows are lovely by the way. I too need some throw pillows for our blue couch. Hmmm, I wonder what I have in my stash?

    Lots of love,
    Sommer

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  4. Wow, I love the cushions, and I also love your clock - I have a thing for lovely clocks!

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  5. Ooooo... I LOVE those pillows, Shannon! You did a beautiful job on them. :-)

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  6. Great job! Very clever! Can't wait to see more.
    Blessings,
    Mrs. Hope
    and Lauren

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  7. love the pillows and I am so happy for you and your husband that you all are gettting settled. I have two friends that were recently married and they are unpacking and getting domestic pursuits underway as well. So glad to see you getting into it too!

    God bless,
    Rebecca

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  8. Hi there, :)
    Just stopping by all the way from Australia, to say hi, and let you know that i have been reading your blog for sometime now. :) Congrats on your marriage, and i LOVE your pillows. Hehe I hope you will post photos of your home when you are done unpacking etc! :) That would be great. :) I enjoy your blog! Hope to get to know you better! Your a great sewer too! :)
    Melissa

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  9. Thank you for your kind words! Luci and Rachel, I also love that clock -- I was looking at it the other day, though, and realized that for 4 o'clock, they put "IIII" instead of "IV!" Go figure! :-}

    I need to get some more pictures of the house soon -- which means I need to do some more unpacking! :-)

    Blessings,
    Shannon

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  10. I would love to have these pillows on my sofa how much would you charge me

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    Replies
    1. Tyshanna,

      Thanks for stopping by! I have pretty limited sewing time just now, but might be able to whip up a pair of pillowcases -- I'd be happy to discuss it with you! You can contact me at thoughtsandthimbles@gmail.com.

      Cheers,
      Shannon

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