Pillows and decorating

I've been putting a bit of effort into our master bedroom lately, taking care of some things that have been on the to-do list for way too long. Clearing all the clutter out? Check. Hanging pictures? Check. (This is ordinarily an easy task, but made more procrastination-worthy when one's walls are made of concrete or some other similarly impenetrable material.) Replacing the inadequate and ugly tab curtains that were hung on our French door when we moved in? Check.

I'm still keeping a lookout through various channels for some needed items (most notably, two nightstands and a rug). After looking online for curtain rods and not finding what I need at cheaper stores and choking over the prices at nicer stores, I have decided to forgo curtains for now. We have very nice, new cellular blinds, so the curtains would really just be for effect (which is perhaps not needed in a Craftsman home, where windows are often bare). I can add fabric accents in other ways: throw blankets, bedskirt, and -- throw pillows!


I found this fabric at Fabric.com and immediately loved it! It's hard to convey colors accurately through a monitor, but the pinks are just the nicest muted vintage rose colors, my favorite. One thing I have learned through looking at decorating magazines is that I always LOVE pink floral. Not a bombardment of it, mind you, but a touch here and there is just the thing to make my heart go pitter-pat. I ran it by Douglas and his masculinity was not threatened by the idea of having pink floral throw pillows in our bedroom, so I placed my order.

The feather pillow forms I used are 20" square, so I cut my squares of fabric to be exactly 20", too. With a bit of extra fabric taken up in the seam allowances, this works quite well for filling out all the corners of the pillow covers. I am so glad I took the time to make self-fabric piping, too -- I think they look much nicer that way. This tutorial at Craftsy is very good, if you have never done that before.


On the topic of decorating, I have never shared my favorite decorating magazine with you -- The English Home. It's my only magazine subscription and I do enjoy it! When I can keep a good attitude, that is, as everything featured is way out of my price range. BUT -- I recently read some great older posts from Like Mother, Like Daughter that helped me feel a great deal more peace about my home. Check out Frugal for Beginners, particularly #3 and #5 -- YES, YES, YES!!! Also loved Decorating Books and Beauty and Pinterest -- so many of the same thoughts that have been swirling around in my head, when I'm doing dishes or whatever, but expressed in a much more coherent and entertaining way. :) Thanks, Margo, for introducing me to this great blog through your sidebar! (I feel like I'm the last to the party, but better late than never!)

Simplicity 2081, revisited

I recently finished up another version of vintage sewing pattern Simplicity 2081 for Douglas. Never mind that this was a promised garment for his birthday in 2014. Yes, it was a year late. You can see the first version (also a birthday present) here, if you like. What can I say, I like him in light blue!

I used a striped shirting from Colorado Fabrics (formerly Denver Fabrics), but I laid the pattern pieces crosswise so that the stripe would be horizontal instead of vertical. This time, I also followed the pattern's button layout and made the buttonholes horizontal, as instructed. Sometimes I feel like pattern-makers must know better, but usually when I'm uncertain about an instruction and I go with what the pattern says instead of my own gut instinct, I end up regretting it. The buttons don't go down far enough and it's just kind of weird to have horizontal buttonholes on a shirt! Oh well, we'll say it's authentic to the time period.

I actually painted and re-organized our spare room back in late January, and set up the most functional sewing area I've had in quite a while! So I've been getting a lot more sewing done(!!!). This is, of course, relative to how much sewing I was doing at this time last year, when Rosie was a newborn. Meaning, it's happening, as opposed to not. :) I'm good with that.

Happy Easter!

The kids helped me make hot cross buns on Good Friday. I halved the Pioneer Woman's recipe and that made a dozen for our little family. Edmund helped me frost them while the girls were taking their naps.


The next day, I found this curiously-consumed bun, which made me laugh. This is Lavinia's. What child doesn't want to eat the frosting? My funny little daughter!