Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Pillow Case Party...

they had a sale at lincraft
a week and a half ago,
30 percent off everything, they said,
who could resist this cute fabric, with it's flowers, bees and ladybirds?


my pillowcases
are old and shabby,
threadbare and boring!


i definitely need a new pile...
i thought my new style would be
colourful and crazy,
mismatched and interesting...to me.



so now i have made a pretty pale green one,
two pretty flower, lady bird and bee ones,
one jazzy orange one
and one little flowerprint one that would've been at home in the seventies!


they will be great for guests who sleep on the lounge...
or in the spare room,
or where ever!


i think i need new pillows next...
they're getting a bit flat
and you need about three for a good night's sleep!

if i get game
i'll show you my seventies one sometime...
didn't mean it to be that way
but it just evolved !  hehehe!

pillowtalking
is cool this tuesday...

naturally Carol  xox

ps...i hope it's sunny tomorrow 'cos i'll then i can show you pics of my new pink apron!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Purple Rain...

it rained
purple petals.


last night.










 pink flamingos are multiplying...
feasting on purple petals!




softly floating away
this monday...

naturally Carol xox

Saturday, November 6, 2010

To Canada With Love...

miss b's sweetheart is canadian.
she requested an apron for his mum.
i don't know whether this fits the bill
or not...

if it doesn't
i'll have another go!


aren't the cherries, ric rac and red and white polka dots
a cheerful combination?...
and very christmassy too!


it's a jungle out there...honestly...hehehe!


'if'....a multitude of possibilities...lovin' life.


this won't take much packin',
so we'll have to put our aussie thinkin' caps on...
maybe put a kangaroo in the pocket!
that'd make a hoppin' good chrissy present,
wouldn't it surprise those canadians?  hehehe...

i think there's a mischevious thought or two 
goin'  'round in my head!


if she doesn't like this one...
i have a little pink one in mind.
{i'll show you later!}

so miss b has plans,
to leave us.
time for her
to spread her wings...
{not literally, though she's pretty angelic....i think she'll be taking a 'plane!}

enough of such kookiness...
why not have a sundae today... on saturday???

enough, i said...

naturally Carol xox

Friday, November 5, 2010

Crazy Linen...

i loved sleeping on my fresh,newly made, orange pillowcase last night,
the cotton was soft and smooth.


this morning i was thinking
what fun it would be..
to have a crazy linen set
a bit like a crazy tea set!

where you gather what ever your mood dictates
to make up the linen for your bed...
put away {or spice up} those dull beiges
and put away those elegant but terribly correct creams!

oranges and lemons,
florals and spots,
reds and turquoises,
greens and blues...
all are welcome in my rooms!

leave those neutrals
for the walls
and the floors
and the ceilings
and add pillows of colour
to bring on the dreamin'...

karen sue who left a comment on my post yesterday
had a great idea...
when making a quilt
grab a couple of yards of your favourite fabric
to make new pillowcases.


i'm taking the liberty
of including the measurements of my pillowcase here:

topside...29 1/2 " x 21" or 75 cm x 53.5 cm

bottomside...35" x 21" or 90 cm x 53.5 cm

(this uses nearly all of 1 yard of 44" wide fabric)

i firstly hemmed the opening topside edge
fold over raw edge  1/4" hem, then fold over again stitching 1" hem.
topstitch near the edge.

hem the bottomside opening raw edge 1/4" and then fold again and stitch another 1/4" hem.

match up the top and bottom pieces of fabric,
fold and press the excess bottomside fabric to form a pouch for the pillow to sit into.
{so you can't see the bare pillow from the opening}

stitch wrong sides of fabric together along side seams {1/4" seam allowance}
turn so that right sides of fabric are together,
iron so that the side seams are neat.
stitch side seams again, making a french seam, just over 1/4" from edge,
{so that your first seams are encased in the fabric}.

make sure that you catch all 3 layers of fabric at the opening end when you sew the sides.

sew the bottom of the pillowcase closed.

turn the right way and press with an iron.

ps... if you want to decorate the top, i think it is best done
after you hem it and before the side seams are sewn.

i hope that makes sense to you...
otherwise there are lots of great tutorials on other blogs and utube.


by the way...
i took the multifocal glasses back to the optometrist,
{have spoken to others who say they never get used to them either..
one old man was told he'd get used to them in a couple of YEARS!!!}

he replaced them free of charge with ordinary lenses...
they are now great!


and...
mr t and sharrie
arrived in bendigo
at 11.30 pm on tuesday night.
it took them about about 24 hours driving
over 2 days to get there...{with a trailer on the back}.
i am one relieved mum!

wishing you all a creative weekend...

naturally Carol xox