I have recovered couch pillows before, but I really wanted mine this time to look more professional and have more of an "edge" to them. I wanted them to have fun and creative details that just cutting material to fit and sewing them together.
One idea I came up with was decorative pleats. So easy to do, but it gives the pillow a little kick! I did 1 pillow in straight up material, 2 pillows with matching pleats and I am not quite done with 2 that I am doing with applique birds on them!
The color-scheme I went with is my FAVORITE in the world: orange and lime green. My mom said that was the 1960's, but I do not think it is the same. The green is definitely more lime and the orange is more sophisticated than the orange of our past....well, not MY past because I am too young ;)
This is a fairly easy project and takes about an hour to do 2 pillows!
What you need for this project:
pins
iron
spray starch
sewing machine
1. Begin with at least a yard of material, much larger than you need to cover one standard sized pillow. Iron it out so all the wrinkles are out of it. Beginning about 8 inches from the top, pinch about an inch of material, fold it over then spray it with starch. This will make the fold stiffer and easier to work with (I just discovered this tip and it has been SO WONDERFUL since I did!)
2. Iron down the fold, then pin it all the way across.
3. Repeat until you have the desired number of pleats, pinning, spraying and ironing as you go. Now, use a very small stitch and sew it down at the very edge of every seam.
(Side note: It's hard to sew with a monkey on your back.....just so you know :)
4. When you are done doing as many pleats as you have chosen, sew the material as you would normally to cover your pillows!
Very, very nice! Yes, the green from the 60s was avacado. You have inspired me to do something for our tired couch.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...it signed me in as donnaraet this time instead of Earl! Good.
ReplyDeleteWonderful job! You are very talented.
ReplyDelete