The last of the blue touches. Some new cushion covers. The pretty patterned ones were made from vintage sari fabric with a linen lining,
The Scotty dog came from a vintage embroidered antimacassar. That cover is backed with blue and white ticking and the Scotty was given a checked blue ribbon bow!
It’s all come together quite nicely. The origami Paper hanging is reconfigured from last year’s Christmas tree.
I am partial to paisley patterns and energised by checks.
2 good reasons why I chose this rich vintage sari fabric to make a pair of new pillow covers for our Living Room last week.
We had guests coming round on the weekend, so I used this as an incentive deadline to get them made.
The third reason I chose this fabric, is because Emerald is the Pantone colour of the year, and I thought this came pretty close!
“Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious
Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green.”
How Could I resist? [And how grotesquely gorgeous is that monster leaf from my garden?]
Here some vintage tablecloths make pretty pillow covers, with no cutting and minimal sewing.
I have used these covers in my guest room as a decorative and useful way to store spare pillows.
If you would like to make one yourself, you will need:
Fold the table cloth neatly in half, right sides together.with the fold at the bottom and the edges at the top. Centre and mark the position of the pillow. [Measure the width of the tablecloth [82cm], and deduct the width of the pillow [70cm] . Divide this amount [12cm]in half. This will give you the measurement for placement of the side seams in from the edge of the tablecloth.] Mark this stitching line. Centre the zip on the top edge.
Mark the beginning and end of the zip. Place a pin at these points.
Stitch from the edge of the tablecloth to the pin. Back stitch to secure. cut off the thread.
Repeat of the other side, stitching from the pin to the edge. Pin the right side of the zipper to the right side side of the seam allowance for the zip.
Stitch all the way down the one side of the zip. Then turn around an begin stitching the second side of the zip.
On both sides of the zip, as you are stitching, you will have to stop just before you reach the zip head, lift the pressure foot, close or open the zip, to get the head out of the way, then continue stitching.
This is what the zip will look like once attached.
Turn the right sides out. Position the zip in the centre, if you want the pattern on the front centred,
or position the zip at the base. This is the way I may this cover. Now stitch the side seams on the right side. This will form an Oxford-type border.
Finish off neatly, and insert the pillow. The pillow cover will be a little smaller than the pillow, which will result in a nice firm fit.
The exciting point about this is that the table cloth is not damaged, and can be unpicked and restored to it’s former life. Enjoy!!! And let me know if you try it out!
Earlier this year, I walked in the Spar Woman’s Race.
I didn’t think I would land up wearing the official T-shirt again, so I made it up into a fun cushion instead!
It’s a bright, temporary, reminder of a fun event and it’s beautiful!
I made these cushion covers using Jesse Breytenbach’s Henri Kuikens’ Block Printed Red Scissors Tape and some genuine Da Gama 3 Leopards Shweshwe print with a vintage Frame print.
I recommend you browse both the above sites – for many delightful Henri Kuikens prints and to see the huge range of shweshwe fabrics created by Da Gama too.
Just Loving these on my white linen couch in my family room.
Available online here or at local markets!
I decided to take them to the Wondermarket at Umhlanga on Sunday, and now there is only 1 left!
 |
The other 2 will be winging there way to the UK in a suitcase!
It’s what I love about markets – the delightful people you meet – from all over the place!
Last 1 in the shop now – here
The embroidered beauties were created by Claire Norden and inspired by some exercise diagrams from a vintage Vogue book on health and beauty.
I am in the process of giving the cushions in my home a revamp. I am aiming for new covers and feather inners for all of them.
I made the latest pair from some plain, textured ‘found’ fabric. The fibres looked natural to me, but to be sure I did a burn test.
I took some of the fibres and held them over a flame. I am quite sure the fabric is not artificial, and think it is probably silk or cotton or a blend of the 2.
Whatever they are – it is working well with the lovely duck feather inners.
freshly found 
