Project 11 - Upcycled Pillow Case

758 Days Left
NOTE: I've already done a pillow case, but this pattern is different, so counts as a new project.

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free --I got this curtain to use in my windows, it didn't work for what I needed. Therefore, I'm not counting it towards my financial cost, since it's an upcycled product.
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Designed concept on my own)
Total Cost: $0.00

Project Rating
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoyability: Excellent
Time: Excellent - Start to finish took less than twenty minutes.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent

Materials: Curtain

Instructions: I have a body pillow that is so cozy and wonderful, but it's red. Not that I don't like red, but everything in my room is blue. This splash of red just wasn't good in my room. I had purchased curtains for all my windows, but this curtain panel had a long ribbon off it that I realized wouldn't be safe for the children. I couldn't use it as a curtain. I decided to use the curtain as a pillowcase for my body pillow.

• First I folded the curtain in two and sight measured it compared to my pillow.



• I cut the extra material off, leaving the other three sides. Since they were finished edges, I wouldn't have to hem them.



• With the curtain folded in two with right-sides together, sew around two sides, including the raw edge. Leave the top open in order to put the pillow inside.



• Surge or zigzag stitch the raw edge to prevent fraying.



• Turn and insert pillow.

Project 10 - Upcycled Ottoman Cover

758 Days Left

Upcycled Ottoman Cover

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free -- to me. The person acquired all the material at a thrift store for less than $20
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (Designed concept on my own)
Total Cost: $0.00

Project Rating
Difficulty: Moderate
Enjoyability: Good - I was panicky about ruining the coat, thus ruining the whole project.
Time: Excellent - Start to finish took less than two hours.
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent

Materials: A rectangular ottoman; an old leather coat, size 3XL

Instructions:

• Val, my friend for whom I did this project, started out by conditioning the leather of the coat to make it supple and workable once more. According to her, it was in terrible shape before she did this.


• Then we placed the coat over the ottoman to try to get a fit we liked.


• We cut off the extra coat, including the sleeves.


• Pin the corners of the ottoman.


• Sew down the edges where the corners are.


• Test for fit on ottoman. I found that my initial stitches were too big and needed to be taken in more.


• We repeated the last step until the coat was the right size for the ottoman. Then, we covered the ottoman up.


• I think Val then used a staple gun to tuck the extra material onto the bottom of the ottoman.

Project #4 - Pillow Case

950 Days LeftPillow Case

Cost Breakdown
Fabric: Free (My grandmother purchased all of these materials for me for my birthday back in September. Therefore, I do not remember how much each material cost.)
Thread: Free (from my stash)
Pattern: Free (There was no pattern for this project)
Total Cost: $0.00



Project Rating
Difficulty: Easy
Enjoyability: Excellent
Time: Excellent - from start to finish approximately 20 minutes
Final Product: Excellent
Overall Rating: Excellent




Materials:
Same as the materials used in Natalie's bedskirt. 1 yd of main color (pink), 1/4 yd contrast color (yellow), matching thread, scissors, pins. Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler are optional.
NOTE: The amount of material is approximate, since I just used remnants from my other projects.

Pattern:

I made this pattern up. I took measurements from another pillow case and modified it to the way I wanted my pillowcase to look.

Instructions:

NOTE: I made an error in my pillowcase that I'm not including in the directions. I accidently made my contrast color rectangle too small and needed to make two to correct the problem. Therefore, in some pictures there is an extra, unneccessary seam in the yellow.

Allow 1/2 inch seam throughout, except on the last step of the hem.

Cut a large rectangle from the main color 24" x 39". Cut a smaller rectangle 12" x 39" from the contrast color. (The extra yellow rectangle is due to my mistake)

With right sides together, sew the 39" edges of the contrast to the 39" edge of the main color.

Fold up contrast color edge 1/2". Iron.

Fold up the contrast color slightly past the stitched edge the main color. Do not fold up 1/2 inch past the stitched as is the usual seam allowance. (See picture, this is not a very good discription.) Iron.

"Stitch in the ditch" to complete the hem.

Fold pillowcase in half, right sides together. Stitch around raw edges.

Clip corners.

Turn right side out. Finished!

A picture to show how the pillow case accents the bed skirt:

Natalie with her new pillow: