From Table to Sofa

These four pillows were made

 from a vintage 50's set of cotton 

napkins for a card party 

table set up.

To make them larger, I added

 two inches of mitered fabric on 

the fronts.  

There is also a black flat gimp

to attache both fabric elements

together.

 On the back I used a larger check

 just to keep it interesting.

Here is a closer look...

 They don't look old now,

 they look updated.

Nice and crisp.

(They are for sale right now

at The Brass Scale Antique shop

in West Palm Beach.)

Knock! Knock! It's the Mattress Tag Police!

I don't know if anyone has told you,

but there is NOT a police squad that

will arrest you if you remove your

tags from your soft goods.

Honest.

You might not think that it is important

to remove them from your pillow

inserts, but there is nothing

that I notice more than the feel of

that tag when you sit

with a pillow if it is still attached.

It's like the

 Princess and The Pea

story. 

 What the tag is made of

is not soft and will not get softer

even after washing or

the longer it is left on.

Some tickets even make

a "crinkle" sound.

But, just don't rip it off, 

take the time to cut it

carefully so the seam doesn't 

opens to let out your 

feathers.

So that's my public service

announcement on this

subject.

Don't get caught with your 

tags hanging out.

Have a great week.

Pillow Pic

Greta Garbo

Odd Fellow Pillow Collection

You can make a custom, one of a kind pillow
 from just about anything.  

It only takes a fragment...

At the turn of the century there was a 

fraternal organization called

The Oddfellows. 
I had never heard of them.

They are like the Shriners with

religious overtones and devotion 

to their community.
There are still chapters active today.
Check out their ceremonial garb...

(With all the crazy costumes and

swords and items that were incorporated

into their ceremonies these folks
in the farmlands were having
some fun too!)

I found a batch of these costumes in Indiana

years ago and thought all

the embellishments would make

great pillow details.
It became an obsession.

These costumes were usually trimmed in high

end French metallic bullion and

embroideries to die for.

  If you can find the real stuff today 

it prices out

at about $12 a yard!

You cannibalize each piece

and fit them together like a puzzle.

It's like my ex husband used to say...

"Parts is parts."

These costumes were in very good condition

 so they were easily cut and 

pieced to make

the overall design.

 

Every scrap counts.

Many times you have to use a

stabilizer to keep the fabric preserved

and give it strength, but any piece

is worth saving.

You just iron it on the back

of the fragment.

 This can be found at 

any fabric store.

This collection I even included furniture

pieces and I still live with one of

my favorites today.

Start looking at items in a different way

and you will see the world is

filled with embellishments for

one-of-a-kind pillows

 and other projects!