High School Reunion Guest Artist: Amanda Reed

• posted by: Angela
• posted in: Uncategorized
• on: June 19, 2009

One of my best friends from high school and I have the internet to thank for never really losing touch, despite all our respective moves and the miles between us.  I follow her on Facebook and on her blog (http://giantplot.squarespace.com/) and I always love to see the gorgeous projects she sews for her family.  I never really thought about how we shared a crafty-arty side in high school (quite frankly, we were much more busy talking about boys and the latest high school gossip at the time).  As our 20 year (ack!) high school reunion looms this weekend, I thought I would have a mini-reunion with Amanda right here on our Fiskateer blog and ask her to use some Fiskars tools to inspire a tutorial for one of her fabulous home decor projects.  Isn’t this better and much less awkward than wearing name tags in a hotel conference room and pretending to remember someone from 10th grade English?  You’ll note that Amanda’s tutorial is very precise- just like her school work (and very unlike mine) back in high school =).  Leave a comment for Amanda about her project, your high school reunion or just tell Amanda and me that we don’t look like we’re a day over 17  by June 21st and I’ll send a set of Fiskars sewing tools to the author of one randomly drawn comment.  I’ll also send a prize to the first 10 Fiskateers who follow Amanda’s pattern and make a pillow and post it to the Fiskateer gallery- just email me when you have the pillow posted (angela@fiskateers.com).

Amanda:  Having spent many hours in search of the perfect decor for my home, I am well versed in the annoyance of not finding the item that fits “just right”.  So follows the joy of home sewing, where you can decide yourself exactly which fabrics and design you want.

Some of my favorite home sewing projects are throw pillows.   They are a fast and simple way to change up the look of a room, and when you create an envelope back pillow, as we will do here, you can remove the cover to wash or switch the look, and use the same pillow form.

Here we will be making a 20″ envelope style pillow cover.

Materials needed:
*1/4 to 1/2 yard of three different fabrics for front of pillow (this is dependent on your design, one yard of most fabrics will be about 36×44 inches, so plan your pattern first and buy your fabric accordingly).
*1 yard of fabric for back of pillow
*cutting mat
*rotary cutter or scissors
*quilter’s straight edge ruler
*coordinating thread
*freezer paper for pattern (available at grocery stores)
*iron
*sewing pins
*pen and paper
*calculator, if needed
*embellishments such as buttons or trim, if desired

1.  Draft your design.   You can use any combination of shapes and sizes you like, the trick is to account for seam allowances to ensure all 4 sides have the same finished length.  I happened to be planning two pillows here, so you can see both designs drawn out.

We will be using a 20″ pillow form.   However, I prefer my pillows to have an overstuffed look, so the finished dimensions of the pillow will be 19″x19″.   I use a 1/2″ seam allowance.     To the the right, you will see the dimensions of each piece of the front pattern.   Each side has seam allowances accounted for.   When you subtract each seam allowances, all 4 sides are 19″ finished length.

2.  Create your pattern.  After you have calculated your pattern piece dimensions draw and label them on the freezer paper.   Freezer paper is an excellent material for creating patterns, as we will see in a moment.   I use my cutting mat and ruler to obtain perfect lines and dimensions.   Be sure and label each piece so they don’t get mixed up!

3.  Iron your pattern pieces onto your fabric.  Hey! How cool is that?  Freezer paper irons right onto your fabric, and peels off leaving no residue after you have cut your fabric.  It is completely reusable too!    Be sure you square your pieces up with the grain of the fabric, or you may end up with wonky pillows!

4.  Using your rotary cutter, mat, and ruler as a cutting guide, cut out your pieces.  Remember, always cut away from you.   I have a lovely scarred groove on one of my cuticles from a cutting mishap.

5.  Lay your pieces out to check for accuracy, as well as to approve the final design.   If you are unhappy with a fabric, now is the time to cut another piece!

6.  Pin your first pieces.  Notice how I will sew the two smaller pieces together first, then stitch the larger piece onto the other two.

7.  Stitch pieces together using 1/2″ seam allowance.   After each seam, press the raw edges to the darker fabric, so they will not be seen.

I like to “stitch in the ditch”, or topstitch just outside my seams on the right side of the fabric, on top of where the raw edges have been pressed.  It adds a decorative finish, and holds the seam allowance down on the inside on the pillow.  I stitch mine approximately 1/8″ from the actual seam.

8.  Now is the time to add embellishments if you like.  I added some decorative buttons and stitching to my pillow front.

9.  Create the pattern for the back of the pillow.   My pattern is 20″x14.5″.  Cut two pieces with this pattern to create the envelope.  This pattern allows for a double-fold finished edge of 1″, as well as several inches overlap for the envelope.

10.  Cut both back pieces.

11.  Fold one raw edge of each back piece over 1″ and press.  Fold over 1″ again and press.

12.  Stitch folded over edge 1/8″ from edge of fold on wrong side of fabric.  I used linen here, which looks the same on both sides, but I stitch on the side that will be facing into the fold.

12.  Press both back pieces.

14.  With right sides together, lay first pillow back on top of pillow front.   The finished envelope edge should lay in the middle of the pillow, with the raw edges aligning with 3 sides of the pillow front.    Pin in place.

15.  Using 1/2″ seam allowance, stitch around perimeter of pillow back.  Overlap pillow back edges slightly, and backstitch for stability.

16.  Using cutting mat and ruler, square off sides.

17.  Lay second pillow back piece on opposite side, right sides together.  The middle of each back pieces will overlap by several inches.  Pin in place.

18.  Following stitching from first piece, stitch second back piece to the pillow front as with the first.

19.  Clip all 4 corners of your pillow.  This will make it easier to turn right side out.  Don’t clip into your stitching!

20.  Turn pillow inside out.  Use a chopstick or dull pencil to poke the corners out nicely.    Press seams flat.  I also like to add another decorative topstitch 1/8″ in around the perimeter of the pillow.  This is totally optional though.

21.  Insert pillow form, fluff and enjoy!

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