stash report: daisy pillowcase

Pretty vintage pillowcase covered in daisies:

{Found at Dolly's Vintage, Durham, NC.}

sewing project: pillowcases

I've been on a pillowcase-making kick lately, so I whipped up a pair for my parents for Christmas to coordinate with their blue-and-white bedroom. Using some P&B fabrics I picked up from work, I made the pillowcases from Heather Ross's pattern in Weekend Sewing.

I love being able to customize my bedding, and I think this project is a great way to feature large pieces of favorite fabrics (my next set will be made from one of Lizzy House's Castle Peeps prints).

sewing project: handkerchief invitation pillow

A few months ago, a friend commissioned me to make a wedding gift for her friend, Annette. The gift was a pillow featuring Annette's wedding invitation, which had been brilliantly printed on a handkerchief.

Using fabrics that my friend had selected, I sewed together a button-back cover (this tutorial came in very handy) to fit over a fourteen-by-fourteen-inch pillow form. Since my machine is ancient, I borrowed a friend's machine to make the buttonholes.

I sewed the handkerchief to the pillowcase by hand, using embroidery floss that matched the yellow stitching around the edges of the handkerchief. I also embellished a few of the invitation's pink and purple flowers, using isolated chain stitches (my favorite part!).

It was fun doing a commissioned project, and after spending so much time with the invitation, I loved seeing pictures of the actual event--Annette's amazing-looking and craft-filled wedding (which can be seen here).

 

bend-the-rules sewing swap: what i received

If you recall, back in December I wrote about the pillowcases I made for my swap partner, Mary Ann, for the Bend-the-Rules Sewing Swap. Well in return for those cases, I received this beautifully made pair from Jennifer.

The pillowcases' colors (blues, greens, and khaki) match our house really well, and the machine stitching, which embellishes the flowered fabric, is really lovely.

Know who the fabric's designer is? Leave a comment; I'd love to know!