Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Vacation Week: Fat Quarter Pillow Covers


We FINALLY got ourselves a love seat. Can you believe it?
I can't.
We have been living in such simplicity with just a lonely old couch for so long.
It was about time we found something else to for people to sit on!
Both our couch and our new love seat were purchased via Craigslist.
I know some people are skeptical, but I honestly don't know what I'd do without that little website.
Actually, I do know. We'd be sitting on the floor in our living room, instead of on couches!

Our old couch is this strange eggplant-y color. 
When we bought it, we (at least I) thought it was going to be brown.
We got it home and realized it was purple. Interestingly enough, we kinda liked it.
The only thing we don't like is that it is so dang hard to match!
Luckily, I found this great light blue, almost sea foam green, love seat and it matches the eggplant couch perfectly! It is in practically new condition and is oh-so-cushy.
All that was left to do was make some fun, colorful pillows to adorn our new living room set.

I am ALWAYS looking for the cheapest way to do things, especially when it comes to crafting, so I simply used fat quarters to make some pillow cases. 
No designer fabrics for me (although I often dream about them)!
I picked out some bright, summery colors to liven up the room.
Each cover is removable/re-usable and they each have a different color/design on front and back.
I love the strange-ness of the color and pattern combinations that I chose!

Here is how I made them:

1. Fold the corner of one fat quarter up to match the side, making a triangle. Cut off the excess fabric. Now, you have a square piece of fabric. This will be the front of your pillow case.
 2. Take another fat quarter and cut it in half. This will be the back of your pillow case.
 3. Take the back 2 pieces of fabric that you just cut and hem one edge on each of them. I serged, ironed over once, and then top stitched to create my hem. Easy peasy.
 4. Lay your front piece of fabric out, right side facing up. Lay one back fabric piece on top, right side facing down. Make sure your hemmed edge is in the middle. Take your second back fabric piece and lay in on the other side, right side facing down. The middle, hemmed edges of the back fabric pieces should over lap. Pin all 4 edges and sew all the way around.
 5. Flip your pillow case right side out and iron.

  
Here is what the back side should look like.


  Slip your pillow forms inside the case, and you are finished! Such a quick, and cheap little way to spruce up your living room!



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