Red White & Bloom! Patriotic Pillow Tutorial

Here is the tutorial for the stunning Red, White & Bloom Pillow that I posted over at over at Shakin Together, just in case you missed it the first time around!

Today I have a super simple sewing project for you!

A patriotic pillow, perfect for your 4th of July party or to give as a hostess gift.

 Although it looks difficult it's easy enough for beginners, and with an end result that will make your guests wonder where you bought that awesome pillow!

To start you'll need:

Cut:

• (5) 41/2 in. blue squares
• (4) 2 1/2 in. blue squares
• (2) 2 1/2  x 10 1/2 in. red strips
• (1) 2 1/2  x 16 1/2 in. red strip
• (1) 2 1/2  x 10 1/2 in. white strip
• (1) 2 1/2 x 16 1/2 in. white strip
• (1) 10 1/2 X 16 1/2 rectangle for backing (I used white)

Plus: 9 white buttons,  stuffing, basic sewing supplies

Begin by folding your larger blue squares into an origami flower, 

(Check out our easy tutorial here for the folding technique!!)

Next arrange your folded flowers and smaller squares into 3 rows of 3, alternating the flowers and plain squares.

Sew each square in the row, then sew all three rows together as pictured below.

Press well between each step!

You've made a 9 patch!

Next sew your short strips together, alternating red and white.

Sew your 9 patch block to your red and white strips,

then add your longer white and red strips to the bottom.

Yay! You've made a flag!

Go ahead and open your flowers up and sew a button to the center of each one, also sew a button to the center of each plain square. Fold flower petals back down.

Sew your backing piece Right Sides Together with your flag, leaving an opening at the bottom for turning.

Trim your corners and turn your pillow right side out.

(Give it a good press - a proper press takes your project from "Home made" to "Wow! You made that?!")

Stuff it up and hand stitch the opening closed, don't forget to open all your petals out!

Now stand back and admire your awesome handy work, not bad for a quick afternoon project!

The origami flowers really up the wow factor on this pillow, but if you're not up for folding just substitute the (5) 4 1/2 inch blue squares with 2 1/2 inch squares, easy peasy!

 Thanks lovlies, have a wonderful 4th of July!

Don't forget to enter our Bow Pleat Bag Pattern Giveaway Here!

Doodle Duvet {a Pin-spired} Tutorial

Re-doing my 11 year old daughters bedroom has been quite a process, and I think the bedding has generated more tantrums (for both of us) than anything else so far. I've been dreaming of a quilt, made from Henry Glass Bubblegum  (which I already have the fabric and pattern for) and she want's something way cooler and more funky - and definitely not a quilt!

While browsing Pinterest I came across the perfect solution:

The Doodle Duvet

A duvet, made to look like a sheet of notebook paper, that you can scribble on with washable markers?
She wanted it immediately.
And, like many of you out there, I thought "hey, I can easily make that!"
I'll paint the lines on and sew 2 flat sheets together! Voila!
Have you ever been so thrilled about a project - I mean absolutely excited to get started - that you nearly wet your pants?
And about 5 minutes into it started wondering what on earth were you thinking?
Yup.

Painting this turned out to be a huge pain in the neck.

Literally.

After hours of painting on my hands and knees my neck is still killing me!

But look at the results - totally worth it

So, if you've stuck it out through my whining, and want to know how I pulled this off so you can make one to here's the run down!

Tutorial:

{For a Full-Sized Duvet}

Supplies:

2 Full size Flat sheets

Fabric Paint; red, blue & grey

Paint brushes

Duct tape

Sewing machine & supplies

Cut off 41/2 inches from the top (deep hem) of the first sheet and discard,
this cut edge will now be the bottom edge.

If you are going to paint your duvet tape it down (right side up) on a hard, nonporous surface.
I found duct tape kept it from shifting while I walked, sat, and moved around while painting.

I painted the first blue line 16 inches from the top, and every 8 inches below.
I painted the red vertical line 16 inches in from the left side.
It was easier than it sounds - the floor tiles are 16 inches, I cheated and just lined the sheet edge up with the tiles and followed the grout lines.
I just eyed where I wanted the circles to be for the "holes"
I wasn't trying for real "crisp" lines, so I just free handed everything

Take your second sheet, and cut it in half about 16 inches down from the top (the deep hem)
lay this small piece right sides together on your first sheet matching the top and sides, with the raw edge at the top. Pin.

Now take the larger part of the sheet and lay it right sides together on top of the first sheet, matching the raw edges at the bottoms and the side seams.

There will be an overlap of about 4 1/2 inches where the two top sheet sections meet
pin around all outer edges and sew.

Turn right side out and press well.
The wide hem should now be on the outside back of your duvet,
mark the center, and then every eight inches for button holes

Sew on buttons - I used size 45 covered buttons

Stuff your comforter into your duvet, button it up and throw it on the bed.
(Then grab yourself a couple of Tylenol and maybe a glass of wine for your aching back.)

All that's left is a package of washable markers to get the creativity flowing!

Tell us! What's the most "painful" project you've ever started?

Padded Head Board with Ribbon Trim Easy DIY!

I'm in the process of re-doing and organizing my daughters room. At 11 years old, she's not quite a 'teen - but she's beyond the little girl stage. She's a collector; drawings, photos, notes, you name it - they're everywhere. I'm not really hip with taping stuff to the walls, so I'm trying to come up with clutter and damage free wall solutions.

Enter the French Memo Board Head Board.

She thinks it looks cool, I didn't have to use any power tools.

I call that a win-win.

For a Full Sized head board I used

 4  22x28 artist canvases, 2 yards of  batting, 1 twin sheet and several spools of ribbon

 I know there are dozens of tutorials on how to make a memo board, and this is basically the same concept so I won't bore you with the step-by-step how to.

A few tips worth pointing out:

Start in the centers when stapling and work towards the corners to keep your fabric taut and smooth

Fold your corners like wrapping a present

Determine what pattern you want - remember you will have 4 boards to coordinate!

Use a quilters ruler to keep strips evenly spaced

Use tape to secure ribbon in place when your happy with the layout,

then you can flip the whole board over and staple the ribbon in place without worrying about any shifting!

Use Command Adhesive strips to attach to the wall -

they wont cause any damage - and they are repositionable, so if you don't get it right the first time you can tweak it!

For this size canvas, I used 4 each (a total of 16)

Start in one corner, making sure your board is level and add 1 memo board at a time working clockwise.

And Ta-Da! You are done! 

Instant headboard on the quick and cheap!

Kadence is really loving it, I have several more projects to get done in her room this week, but for now she's  happy just to have the headboard up!

She's already adding her "stuff" she's really pleased she can just loop her book over a ribbon and mark her place when she's done reading before bed!

Tell us! Have you ever used a sheet for a project instead of buying fabric?