Friday, May 29, 2015

Pillow Quilts


 

I have had an idea, and had to try it out. I have been using king size pillows on my queen size bed, plus one extra queen size pillow. I priced king size pillow cases and really don't like the price, knowing I have oodles of unused cottons that could cover them just as well. (that doesn't mean that I didn't have to have some new choices)
Add to this that I would love to have a REAL REASON to make some pieced quilts, but don't want to have to squeeze anymore into my closet, under bed storage, attic space, refrigerator...you get the picture. 
My idea is to make small pillow case size quilts, and have the one side for show and the back side for plain fabric, encasing my pillows. Not necessarily art quilts, if you get my drift. 
Also my dog Tony chews my pillow corners when I am not home, or out of the room or in the garden,or actually sleeping, so these can't be precious because they will get ruined in a short time. 
But I will get the fun of making them and they won't take up too much room when not in use. Rotating pillow quilts. Yay!

 I began with an array of fabrics, three inches ripped off one edge, resulting in uneven wedge-y strips, since most of these fabrics were cut at the store. I was thinking of the new paint color going on my bedroom walls. So pretty and cool. Thanks to the Wonderful Dave for doing the painting. Thank God that it is raining and he can't golf.


I was interested in replicating the IKEA pillow shams that came with my duvet. The envelope is open, yet covers that open end with a sewn on flap. Wha? This is the inside out view. The way it is sewn is to lay the quilt face down on the lining fabric with the longer lining edge folded over the bound edge of the quilt. I used the selvedge as the finished edge of the lining, which will be tucked inside the pillowcase. 
Sew the three sides. Turn right side out and it will all become clear. Make a sample if this is not understandable.


 And then I began to feel bad about making something nice that I knew would get chewed. Until I realized that I already had a pre-chewed quilt that I could cut up and make into a pillow quilt! Here is the first of three. It has some holes in the middle, and a nice stain to match.
And here is the chewing perpetrator. 
 I can get the other two pillows out of the remaining quilt. Here's the second one, complete with patches covering two holes.

Doncha love my concrete floor?

7 comments:

  1. Wanda has a good tutorial for making them

    http://exuberantcolor.blogspot.com/2009/12/flannel-pillowcase-tutorial.html

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  2. I just love reading your blog it is perky, unique, and lots of darn good ideas,
    I think I will need to make some pillow coverings for those naked pillows on
    my bed shoved against the wall. What a perfect excuse to make a quilt.

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  3. Mel, You're a GENIOUS!! What a great idea, and reusing an existing quilt makes it all the more special... although you'll have a ball making new ones as well. I agree the price of the European pillowcases (huge square ones) we have on our bed is ridiculous... they were about NZ$75 (US$100) each when I priced them last. Hence we have two sets, that get washed and alternated and are suitably neutral (read:boring) to match all our duvet covers. Can you guess what my next project will be?:-))

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  4. Brilliant! What a great idea to have quilts in use at all times - not hanging in the closet. I can totally see a few of these in my future for my bolster pillows. The chewing perp is too cute for his own good!

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  5. This pillow looks very nice and creative. I interesting in modern things, which can decorate my apartment and find your idea cool. I want to get pillows and visit down pillow reviews too. Comfortable and beautiful things are my weakness.

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    pillow covers

    ReplyDelete