learning from my mistakes
I finished another project this week, and I have to admit, the results are not quite as good as I hoped. So I thought I’d share what I learned to help me remember not to make the same mistakes again, and maybe save someone else from the same errors.
I have some big, square feather pillows from Ikea that needed covering, so I had an idea to do some big appliqué flowers.
I used a heavy linen for the cover, and quilter’s cotton for the flowers. When I finished stitching up my cover, I put it on the pillow, and it was okay, but seemed a little stiff. I also think I could have made the flowers a little bigger. So I thought I’d try washing it, to soften it up a little, but it turns out the linen I used shrank more lengthwise than widthwise. So now my pillow is more of a rectangle. The flowers bunched up a little too. Petey, however, is indifferent to the pillow.
So, what I learned:
- Pre-wash all my fabric
- Try a little harder to keep the appliqué fabrics smooth, so they don’t get bunched up
- Make the flowers bigger in proportion to the pillow
Also, perhaps I should not write boring blog posts while still grumpy from allergies and while watching Raising the Bar which I Tivo’d last week. I can’t get past the bad haircut to decide if the show is any good. I don’t think I will be getting a season pass to this one.
That’s such a pretty pillow – and such a pretty room.
First, I love the pillow as it is. Second, you funny when you’re grumpy!
Well, you say it’s boring but I liked this post so much and I LOVE the pillow cover and also the appliqué!
Very nice work, really!
Oh, and I like the look of the room so much too!
It’s absolutely home-made perfect. I love the linen. I don’t notice any of your complaints. It’s truly lovely. Love your kitty too!
I really like the pillow. I think the use of the tan and pink are a great combination (kinda a lighter like take on the whole ‘brown and pink’ combo everyone is using these days). I envy your sewing abilities. I’ve had a sewing machine for 6 years… I’ve used it maybe 30 minutes?? total and it still takes me 45 minutes to re-educate myself on how to tread the darn thing. Grrr!
And great photographs, I might add. How do you always get such nice lighting?
I love that room! The bed is way cool- the colors are so soothing. The pillow case turned out really pretty I think. Yeah, I get all into making things and then remember about the time I am finished that there is some obvious little thing I should have done to start. It sucks, what can you do? I usually just keep plodding along beating myself up for being suck a dork -ha! I love the fabrics you chose for the pillow’s flowers. I am up to my eyeballs in helping my 9th grade son with honors Biology and looking at your post makes me want to play hooky today and just create things. It won’t happen though, I have a 6th grader to homeschool for the day and 3 nasty errands to do later. Ok- was it you who was grumpy or me? haha- sorry to be a drag!
I love the colors you used on the pillow. They match Petey so nicely.