Friday, April 19, 2013

My Sweet Little Space



I have been diligently working over the past month to prepare items to sell in a small rented space in a local resale store (When I say small I mean small, only 6 1/2 ft by 2 1/2 ft).  Forgive me if some of my future postings lack before pictures.  I am still struggling with remembering to take pictures of the items I purchase to resell.  Honestly I think I get a little too excited in the whole redo process and completely forget to take a before picture.


I have always been a huge Goodwill shopper and redone projects for my own home or family members.  My secret dream is to own my own little resale store someday.  So I see this as my first step to that dream.  I love all things to do with decorating!!!!  Like many of you, I haven't always had the funds to purchase the latest and greatest furniture items.  That is when I found many years ago my local Goodwill store.  Too my regret, now everyone else knows about my little secret!  I have gotten around this problem by shopping several stores on a consistent basis.  I am lucky enough to live whithin a short distance from a total of 5 Goodwill stores.  I make my little trek to each store looking for treasures.  Sometimes with no luck and other times with a cart full.  Maybe someday I will show a sneak peek of my Arizona Room (Sunroom) filled with future projects.  My family is probably a little worried I might have some slight hoarding problems.  Happily I have been able to contain it all in one room.

Sorry, I drifted there a little.  Back to the latest projects.  Some of the first items I will be selling are a bench (Which I forgot to take before pics of) some crystal lamps, a mirror and some small items.  Oh, and pillows.  Lots and lots of pillows!!  Because I am not yet satisfied with the results of the bench I am going to start with a few pillows I made.  The first one I made with a fabric remnant I bought at my local fabric remnant store SAS for $1.50.  The fringe I used was from my stock of past projects.  It just so happened that I also purchased it from SAS years ago.  All of the pillow forms you see me using are purchased from any local store I can get a good deal at.  I try not to spend anymore than $2 a pillow.  Like I said I'm a bargain shopper.

To start out with I measure my pillow form and add and extra inch the that measurement when cutting my fabric.  I am not a fan of huge seam allowances.  Especially when most of the time I am using remnants and don't have a lot of fabric to spare.  I then, place my fabric right side to right side and use my measuring mat and cutting wheel.  I know now picture!  I promise to include it next time.


You wil notice I am not a fan of pinning.  I usually only use a few pins while sewing.


Pin your fringe to the right side of your fabric.  Make sure to change your needle setting to the right so that when you sew the two pieces of fabric together you can hide the stitch you made to attach the fringe.



Although it is difficult to see in this picture, make sure to try and arrange the fringe in the corner so that you don't accidentally sew one of the ends of the fringe into your seam.


To finish of attaching the fringe, overlap the fringe and finish off your seam.



If you are a pinner.  Pin your two pieces of fabric, right sides together and sew.  Notice I moved my needle to the left.  This is what I was talking about earlier, when I said you would be able to hide the seam you did to attach the fringe.


Remember to leave a large enough opening to insert your pillow filling.



Here you see the pillow turned right side out.  At the bottom is the opening I left to insert the pillow filling


I myself prefer to use a little larger opening to insert my pillow.  That is totally up to you.  Just like the fact that I prefer pre-made pillow forms.



Once your pillow form is inserted use a few pins to keep the two sides together so that you can sew it.  Make sure that the seam you did to attach the fringe is hidden under your fabric so that it will be covered with your top seam.


Some may disagree with my choice of using the sewing machine to do a top stitch to close the pillow.  Others prefer to do this by hand.  I find that the pillow is much more durable when you use the sewing machine.  I know this may seam a little fancy for a pillow fight, but you never know!


This is what the top stitch looks like when finished.


TaDa!!!

Well, there is my first project.  Join me as I have many more to do.  Don't worry, for any of you who are not a fan of sewing.  Many of my projects will not include sewing.  I am a huge fan of the glue gun!  

Enjoy,

Mel



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