This is a sign of spring!!
This crabapple tree always blooms first, there are 2 other crabapple trees, one on either side of this one and they don't bloom for a couple more weeks. I love this tree, I think it is beautiful.
So, my subject line read
"guess what my boys did"
They bought their mom an early Mother's Day present!! I have wanted a new patio set for years, this one was on sale yesterday and well, we brought it home. I said I did not want the umbrella because I'm going to place this inside the side porch which is screened in.
My son Chris and I assembled the table and chairs as soon as we got the set home. I was thrilled!! Chris cooked on the grill that night. Chris called some friends and had them come over and join us. He made burgers and brats on the grill. Rachel (son Steve's girl friend) made us spinach and artichoke dip!!! oh man was it delicious!!
At 8pm my Sunday night tv programs began, I love watching Masterpiece Theater on PBS. This season I'm watching Call the Midwife and Mr. Selfridge.
On Saturday I made 2 king size pillowcases for my bed, here is a picture:
Here are my measurements, now if you don't want the pillow case to be so long, just shorten the length by a couple of inches and the cuff won't hang over so far.
First: I measured my pillows length and width, do this for your pillows incase they are not full as mine are.
Accent strip: 2 1/2" x 41 1/2"
Cuff: 8 1/2" x 41 1/2"
take your actual pillow measurements, mine were 40" x 41 1/2"
Step 1:
Supplies, do you like my little pin cushion? My friend Susan and her mom make these, they have a patent on their pin cushions. So dang cute!!
Press the cuff and accent strips in half on the length (wrong sides together, right side out)
Step 2 Begin layering your pieces: Right side up and first is the cuff (open the cuff don't leave it in half), accent strip which is left folded in half, raw edge to raw edge of cuff. Next is the body of the pillowcase, right side down on accent strip and cuff.
See, easy easy, now pin
Take the body of the pillowcase fabric (mine is the black) and roll up onto the layers till you can see the cuff
Roll it up far enough so you can wrap the cuff to cover, match the edges and pin, all is incased in the roll
Now you sew, see, easy peasy!
Remove pins as you sew. I lock my stitches at beginning and end.
Once it is sewn, reach in and turn right sides out.
I give it a nice press, then I sew the accent strip down with a matching thread. If you don't do this, once the pillowcase is washed the accent strip will not lay flat.
This is the odd part, sewing a French seam. You place wrong sides together, yes you read that correctly, wrong sides together. I pin, then sew between a 1/8" and 1/4" seam. Just "eyeball" it but stay consistant!
Sew the 2 sides, now turn the pillowcase, wrong side out like you normally sew, push those seams out so that everything is flat. I use a butter knife to do this when I can find my little tool..which I could not find.... and sew a little larger than a 1/4" seam. This method incases the seam!!
See!!
I know I already posted this one
Do you see the quilt on the end of the bed? This is the back of the quilt, here is the front of the quilt, it is in Quilter's World magazine: Bouquets for Mom (spring 2013)
Have a wonderful day everyone!!
