GOOD OLD SUNBRELLA

My client got these cushions at Pottery Barn for a ridiculously low price.  The only problem was the color…it was bright green and not what she wanted.  Luckily, she knew the solution was to slipcover them.  Problem solved!

We ordered the fabric from Outdoor Fabrics, which has every conceivable Sunbrella made and at great prices.

I did these two chaises last year.

Then a few weeks ago, after attempting to wash these round cushions, my client realized new covers for the three of them were warranted.  

Fortunately, the fabric was still available.  Now, her patio is all dressed up and looking good!

A NOT-SO-SIMPLE PILLOW

Looks simple enough, but it wasn't.  Especially since I had never made a pillow like this.  First, I had to figure out how to do it.  So I googled 'double flanged pillow.'  I finally found an image, of a linen pillow, that made sense and I printed it, so I could continue to refer to it.

What made this more challenging was the fabrics--the main fabric is a wool and cashmere blend, not horribly heavy, but not as lightweight as linen; the pink tweed is also a heavier weight.  

The other challenge was the amount of fabric.  There was only exactly enough to make the pillow.  There were also 3 other pillows out of the wool/cashmere in a somewhat different style, what I call a fake flange.  The 'flange' was not a separate, mitered piece sewn to the body of the pillow.  It was just a larger than finished size that was then stitched 1 1/2" in from the outside edge, giving the illusion of a flange, when, in fact, it isn't a true flange.

Anyway, because I had never made a pillow like this, or even the other ones, it took far longer than it should have.  And though I do like the way it turned out, I won't mind if no one ever asks for this style again!

The designer has yet to see it, but I am sure she'll be happy.  

LARGE SILK PILLOWS

I made these Euro (26"x26") pillows for a client's daughter's master bedroom.  It is an embroidered silk.  The thing I've always noticed about these silk fabrics that have been embellished is how challenging they can be to work with.  Oh, they look beautiful in the store, but I think that whomever designed these fabrics has never had to sew on them.

Originally, my client wanted self-welting.  The problem with that on this particular fabric was the bulkiness that the bean-shaped, raised 'bumps' on the lines of embroidery presented.  Not only were they difficult to stitch through, they were not going to allow the welting to really work very well.  Since I cannot control where those bumps were, I needed an alternative.

I told my client this and asked if I could go to Home Fabrics and see if they had a brush fringe that would work.  She agreed, and off I went.  Luckily, they had one (on sale for $3/yard) that was perfect.  It brought out the variations of color in the embroidery thread and was a heck of a lot easier to deal with.  The pillows turned out lovely, and my client, and her daughter, loved the finished product, which made me happy.

SEASIDE COTTAGE STYLE

Seaside Cottage Style is my friend, Laura Petersen's, business.  You can see all the fabulous things she does on her site.  

I did these faux-wing chairs for her living room.

Buttons, of course, down the back.

The cool looking burlap lamp shade that is visible in all these pictures is one of Laura's creations.

This view is from the kitchen, looking towards the front of the house.

And the sofa is wearing a slipcover I did for her about 7 years ago!