Recycling Pillow Covers into a Cushion Cover

Helllluuuuu! :)

I recently scored at one of my local thrift shoppes and 

got this amazing vintage wicker patio set.

I was thrilled to say the least! 

It needs a bit of work and repair but I was pretty sure I could manage that :)

First order of business was to cover the old cushion!!

Here is a tutorial detailing how I put the new cushion cover together :)

****

#1 & #2 ---> Clay pots don't exactly convey the "granny chic" look I am going for ;)

#3 ---> I found these lovely large quilted pillow case covers at another

thrift store for a mere $3.00 and knew I was onto something.

#4 ---> I thought if I got rid of the green & white borders on the sides

 of cases these I could make it look like a small quilt cover instead.

#5 ---> I  folded the edges under to create a center front seam 

and I switched up the direction of the points to make it a bit more interesting.

Aaaaaand, also if my corners and seams didn't match up 

perfectly it wouldn't be so obvious. You know, creative license ;)

#6 ---> Pin the seam down carefully matching up edges and corners

#7 ---> Top-stitch the seam down with a long stitch length.

( I use a long stitch length for top-stitching as I think it looks nicer and neater.

Also, if you need to pick out a seam, you aren't picking away at a million

teeny tiny stitches. Nothing worse. Nothing!)

#8---> I pinned back the green and white border edges in the center

 front as well as the original pillow back openings.

I then slipped stitched these seams down quickly with

large stitches by hand. This keeps the edges in place, flat and tidy. 

#9---> You could use anything fairly sturdy for the bottom of your cushion. It should be washable

and durable. I had this piece from a  vintage chenille bedspread which I knew would

pull the pinks out of the pillow cases.

#10 ---> A center back zipper opening makes it easy to get the cushion in and out of the cover

for washing. 

#11 ---> I used two dress zippers bc I didn't have anything longer. This way you still

get a nice long opening so you don't have to cram the pillow into a tiny opening.

#12 ---> I marked in 3" from the edge for the zipper. No specific reason

for the large seal allowance, just a personal preference.

#13 ---> I stitched about 8" from the fabric edge down on the both 

ends to create the opening for the zipper.

#14 and #15---> Place the tops of both zippers at the center of your pillow back ( see arrow)

Pin the zippers in all the way around the edge. Turn the zipper tape ends under and back to keep

 the meeting of the zippers tidy. (see arrows)

#16 --->Stitch all the way around the zippers back stitching across each end to

reinforce and keep secure. Open the zips a tiny bit so you have an opening for later on.

#17 ---> Place the right side of the pillow case up with the cushion on top of it.

Then lay the back of the cover right side down on the cushion.

This way you can pin around the cushion and create a stitching line for yourself.

I trimmed the pink fabric back so I could see the front cushion edge to help

makes things less fussy and easier when sewing.

#18 ---> I pinned the ends of our new cushion cover together so that the pins are placed in 

the original seam line between the white and green borders of the original pillow case.

 This way the stitching line will be very straight and you will only see the original

white border and none of the green. I used my fingers to feel for the seam and checked

to see if the pins and original seam where matching on the back.

That is way the pins in the ends on up and down.

( BTW- this is only a concern bc I a using a quilted pillow case. If you

have to regular pillow cases without borders and edges to keep straight

I wouldn't matter at all. I like to make things more difficult ;)

#19 ---> Pin all the way around pulling the fabric snug around the cushion.

I also used my fingers to feel for the seam of the front pillow cases along the sides.

Again, I used these seams to help keep my stitching straight and not veering of course.

Remove the cushion from the cover ( this why it is good to have the zippers

opened a bit at this point. Makes getting the cushion out easier ;) I can't

tell you how many times I have forgotten to leave the zip

open a bit!!! ) Stitch all the way around your cover.

#20 ---> I used a pink bobbin thread so you can see my stitch line 

and how I tried to match it to the seam on the original pillow case.

#21 ---> I serged my corners but if you don't have a serged a quick zig zag around

 the edge will help keep things from fraying during the wash.

And, if you don't have a zig zag stitch...don't worry about it :)

#22 --->Clip your corners, turn it right side out. 

Place your cushion back in the cover...this is where the long

zipper opening comes in handy ;)

#23 ---> I put a little white ribbon tab in the seam at the back so I know

which is the front and which is the back for the best fit.

#24 --->Looking good!! My edges are nice and clean and straight w none of the

green fabric from the other side of the border showing thru. Hurrah!!

No matter how much sewing I do...straight clean seams still make me very happy.

Looks pretty good if I do say so myself!

I am very happy with it :)

Now, to learn how to repair the caning around the legs....stay tuned!

Hope you enjoyed the tutorial. if you have any questions please

feel free to ask :)

Chat soon!! Luv Weezi xo

My Day in Photos :)

helluuuuuuuu!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous summer so far.

I have to admit, I am having the best summer that I have had 

in a very long time! Having a backyard is amazing!!

I haven't been able to enjoy this much outdoors since

I lived at home with my Mum and Dad.

I am in heaven! Birds, flowers, lawn mowers....it is all so wonderful.

It's not that we lived in a cave before or anything but having the

ability to really spend a good chunk of time outside in your own space

 is very magical. I have to admit I had forgotten how incredible it is to

sit out and read, putter around in the garden, small the grass and listen

to all the sounds of summer.

I am a lucky gal  indeed!!

There is my day today in photos :)

Stella is also enjoying the garden!

Nothing says summer fun like a piglet with an ice cream cone sitting in the begonias ;)

Work has to be done of course, but why not outside???

 Back deck home office allows is the best of both worlds if you can manage it :)

( the crate was a great source of ventilation for my laptop )

The Rosie Project is my current summer read. 

It is a good, fast fun read. Perfect for lazy afternoons.

I would sum it up by saying "It's Sheldon in Love" :)

I am trying out a new bird bath idea with a recycled ceramic pie plate and wire basket.

No takers yet...stay tuned.

And, apparently the hydrangea plants that I thought were dead are not dead after all :)

My pink roses have finally opened and the yellow are on their 3rd go...Hurrah!

There is a giant strawberry in our garden taunting all the birds behind the protective mesh ;)

A truly delightful summer like this has been a long time coming.

I realize it is all a bit decadent to be hammering away on the laptop outside

 and sort of playing hooky from reality but life is too short not to enjoy the simple

things. You never know what tomorrow will bring so I figure

I might as well enjoy myself when I can :)

Have a great night!! Chat soon! Luv Weezi xo

Opps- My Poor Face

Helllu Everyone!!!

I have been bad. Yep! I slacked off, spent some time

in the sun ( as now I am a gardener ;) and in general goofed 

off in regards to my face care & now I am paying the price.

Big time.

 I had written a post about the 

Avene High Protection Tinted Compact SPF 50

which I still LUV and use religiously. I have been wearing that

everyday and reapplying in the afternoons but it wasn't enough

amongst other things.

I should have paid better attention to my body about 3 weeks ago when

 I started to feel bloaty & kinda "gross". I chalked it up

to the stress of the move, feeling out of sorts re: my biz

and just upheaval of a big move, different schedules etc.

I was silly for not paying better attention bc not

long after that bloaty-ness started  my face 

got angry with me. Very angry. It was super red, sore 

and very uncomfortable. I could literally feel it

getting hotter & hotter each day. I could feel small bumps

growing bigger. My face was very hot to the touch and

it was not only embarrassing but annoying & tres depressing.

*sigh*

The worst really, is that it was/is my own fault.

This is my face today and this is the best it has been in over a month.

I couldn't bare to take pictures prior to this.

Most of June and July were 10xs a bad as today.

Most days very sore and dry. That combo makes me crazy

bc I am never sure which to "treat" first. Try to reduce the red or does

the dryness cause the red??? You wonder why I drink?

this is why! ;)

Now, I KNOW there are gals out there w worse afflictions

and to some this may not be bad but for me this is bad enough.

A lot of the redness has dyed down this week and many of the little

acne bumps have dried up but it is still really sore and HOT.

I tried ice, cool compresses and cucumbers nothing helped.

I need to stay out of the sun!! I will have to accept that I

do most of my gardening in the evening. Period.

Anyhow, for those that are interested in triggers I think

(in hind sight)

that an increase in sugar is the biggee to blame as I have been making 

 loads of fruity punches to enjoy for a fun summer drink.

Everyday I was making something pretty w pink lemonade,

fruit juices and ginger ale. Deeelish!

Ummm. no. I have to stop bc I think it is sugar overload

and as a general rule, I eat that much sugar. Cheese? yes. But not sugar.

( will switch to making cold green tea drinks I think)

I have been eating a lot of fruit bc it is deelish and in season but....

I should know that my stomach doesn't agree

with fruit esp. strawberries & neither does my face :(

I have been drinking Chilean red wine & now I am switching 

over to Italian.  I KNOW what they say about wine but dammit life is short.

I am going to enjoy my wine, I just have to find the right country ;)

I can live with a red sore face but I can't live wout my red wine :)

So, long story long I haven't been taking my vitamins, I am slacking

about what I eat and I have been in the sun too much.

I also stopped washing with my homemade oil cleansing method

 bc the oil was getting a bit  heavy for the summer. I still really like it

and it certainly keeps the dryness at bay but I think I hit a plateau & my face

"got used" to the products I was using both natural & non natural.

It happens quite a lot and it does make me a bit crazy bc

you think you have found a treatment or regimen that works and

2 months later...nothing. It won't work anymore. Grrrr! 

For the last couple of months I was using just the Vitamin E cream

 in the morning bc I washed my face before bed. Then the sea algae cleanser

(which I LUV ) Vitamin E oil and zinc at night.

BTW- I stopped washing my face twice a day bc I felt it was too

much for my skin. I break out less when I wash less.

I wash well before night and in the morning just moisturize.

Maybe I will use lemon juice if there is still zinc left

on my face when I get up.

Now, at night I am using Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser with some lemon juice 

as a toner followed by the Vitamin E oil or Jojoba oil and zinc before bed.

Lastly I want to starting taking the low dose aspirin again to help reduce

redness. That I do think works as long as I stay out of the sun.

Also, back on the Vitamins! Do they work?

I can't say for sure but I need to try something and that seems

 as good a place as any...that & Italian wine ;)

Actually I DO think they work and I know I am deficient in a lot

of the basics do to being a vegetarian & sometimes ( ok often!)

 being lazy bc I always cook for one.

Anyhow...that is my sad little update.

Misery luvs company and this acne/rosacea battle is no fun but maybe

can be made less awful by sharing our stories & experiences.

If I can help make anyone feel a bit better or look into a produce that

will actually help, it was worth the post and the slightly

embarrassing photo.

Good luck to us all! I will keep you posted over the next couple of months.

Stay out of the sun and if you find a red wine that doesn't wreck

your face, let me know!! ;)

Chat soon!! Luv Weezi xo

Elastic in Pants Makes Me Happy

Hellllu Pussycats!

Pant shopping for a lot women can be a trying experience

of epic proportion. Many of us have to try on ooodles of pairs

to try and find just one or two that might look good.

*sigh*

There are loads of jeans out there but none of them seem to fit

well. The waist is too big and the thighs too skinny or the zipper

is SO short it barely covers my "whooo-haa" ;)

Heaven forbid if you are like me and want high waisted jeans.

(And by high waist, I mean that they go to or over my belly belly button...

not to my hip bone as one salesgirl at Guess tried to educate me.

Please! If the zipper is less than 7" it isn't high waist. sheesh!)

I have a few issues issues going against me that qualifies me

as "fit-challenged". I am very short, I have big thighs, a fairly 

substantial butt and combine that with a sway back, you have

a recipe for disaster and the overwhelming desire to wear things w elastic ;)

The people who design jeans do not take these things into account.

I swear that they do their fittings on the back end of a giraffe.

So frustrating.

Anyhow....I gave up trying to find jeans for a long time.

 If I was in the right mood I might try a few on at a thrift store

but that usually resulted in a case of low self esteem mixed w

anger and the need for some peanut butter cups.

Then one day I was in a children's shoppe and saw a pair 

of pants that had an elastic running along the inside

of the waistband so the pants could be adjusted on the child.

Talk about a light bulb moment!

Elastic!! Yes! This could be the answer to my waistband blues.

I could add elastic to the back of the jean to help pull in the waist

and give me a better fit. Why didn't I think of this sooner???

---> A quick side note about a sway back. It isn't a horrible affliction

like it sounds. It just means that my back has quite a curve to it above my 

tailbone. It sort of looks like like someone "scooped" out part 

of my waist at the back. My spine and back are perfectly OK.

It is just how I was built. It can have a great effect in a pencil skirt but

a huge annoyance to fit in todays jeans and pants.

***

So, let's just say this story has a happy ending! The elastic trick works

and I have been doing it for years. The only time I can't do it is if

the denim or material is too thick. Then it just puckers, pokes into 

me and is very uncomfortable. 

Elastic in the waist has gotten a bad wrap for years with its association

in polyester stretchy pants and the things that little old lady's like to wear.

But honestly, I am all in favour of  elastic at the waist. 

So comfortable and it makes so much sense. 

Besides, who am I trying to impress? The Queen?? I bet she has elastic in her pants too ;)

Ok, so let's get down to business.

Here is a quick tutorial about how I add the elastic to my pants :)

#1. These floral jeans actually had a very small gap in the back but it was enough

 to make the pant feel like it didn't fit. And! I hate feeling the breeze from the gap.
I am SO over the days where i suffer for fashion. Give me comfort ;)

#2. I usually go out about an inch to an inch and a half from the center

back on both sides. I marked it w pins.

#3. Cut open a small slit just slightly smaller than the width of your elastic.

Make sure you only cut open the inside of the waistband.

Don't cut thru both sides or you are in trouble! Feed the elastic thru. 

Your waistband now becomes a sort of casing in the back.

#4. Make sure you pin the one side down before you pull the elastic.

Sounds like an obvious thing, but you'd be surprised how many times I was in a hurry and didn't

*palm plant to the forehead*

#5. Create a small amount of gathering and sort of eye ball what might be enough.

I usually sew down the one side before my first try-on.

This way the elastic won't pull out on you if a pin slips out AND! there is one less 

pin to prick you during your fitting ;)

#6. I use a small amount of Fray Check on the elastic to prevent fraying.

Don't use too much b/c it can dried hard and be scratchy against your skin.

#7. After a quick try on, this was how much I needed to pull the elastic and have 

the jeans feel comfortable.

#8. I zig zagged over the raw edges of the slit and over the elastic to prevent fraying.

( I normally don't do this b/c I like to keep the stitching on the back to a minimum.
 However, b/c of the floral pattern and the jeans are white based

I decided that you couldn't really see the stitching so it was Ok)

And that is as they say...that. Done!

#10. This time I did something that I don't normally do and added a piece from

the hem that I cut off onto the back.

You will notice that sometimes when you add the elastic to the back this is a slight

downward curve in the waistband. The elastic can pull the waist in and down as well.

I tend to be a bit neurotic about these things, but I don't like the feelings of

the waist banding dipping down in the back. It feels like I always need to pull my 

pants up in the back to have them sit where it is comfortable.

So, I experimented this time and added the piece to the back to avoid

the feeling that the waist was "dipping" at the center back.

It worked! It wasn't too bulky and the pants were perfectly comfortable :)

#11. Looks a little odd but that is OK w me. 

They fit nicely now and that is all that matters.

If you have issues with your pants sticking out at the back

waist, I highly suggest you give it a try.

Just remember, not on bulky fabrics.

If you have any questions, I am happy to try and help.

Chat Soon! Ta for now,

Luv Weezi xo

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