One or Two Pumpkins.....

I have recently ran into several readers that wondered if I was still doing my blog....which was nice to be missed.  Answer.....Yes, just haven't been doing a good job with it.  It would be extremely encouraging to hear from some of you that enjoy these epistles.  You all know I have a "migraine life".....so really you don't want to hear from me, when I am not doing well.  That is part of my problem with writing, I can't be very authentic when I am barely functioning, so I struggle with that.  I don't do well at faking things, which is probably a good thing.  Any way it was nice to hear that some had missed my little corner of the world.  I will try and do better.  I think I have said that before....me bad!

I got rid of my Halloween decorations several years ago, divided it up between my girls.  They could enjoy all the stuff with all the grandkiddos.  So I have pumpkins and turkeys instead.  I really do like fall, just don't like what comes after.....SNOW & ICE.....ick!  I want to move to Arizona every winter.  :)  really!!!

Here is a cute pumpkin coaster I knitted....have a pair of them very cute and fast project.  One of my previous neighbors from La Porte City, wrote a darling book of knitted coasters.  I have been having a lot of fun doing some of them.

Milk glass pumpkin under glass.

I love old books.....here are a couple of them from my collection.

I love Mr. Scarecrow sitting on his bale of straw.....

My Grandma T. did beautiful ceramic work....this piece is darling.  I love the lit up faces!

This bale of straw came from the Thresher's Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa many years ago.  They had a small machine there that made these small bales.  I have used it to decorate for fall every year since.  So fun!
Do you want to see how they make these?  straw bale

A machine embroidered mini quilt.

By the back door

Oh those fall colors!

I found this little gem a few months ago at a sidewalk sale for 90% off.  I guess nobody thought it was worth the $2-3 I paid for it.....I thought it was gorgeous and have been carrying "my stuff" around in it.

This is my kind of pumpkin....no carving.  I never liked doing that....now they have all these tools for you to use, probably would be a lot easier.  But I still love this one,  just plug it in!  :)

I had these theme sweaters, that are out of style now, but I still hated to part with them....so I made some of them into pillows.  I just rough cut them apart and then mark them on the wrong side where I want to stitch and run them through the serger to get the right size and stabilize the edges.  Sew it all around with the sewing machine and I used the button closure to make my opening.  Oh, and I made it the same size as a pillow I already had.  So I can take it off easily to change them out.

Isn't she cute?

Valentine Pillowcases

An easy bedroom change-up is new pillowcases.  I like to do seasonal ones, but you can do a more decorative look just to update your room, or your kids rooms in about an hour.  It takes one yard for each pillow case.

When using one fabric fold 4 1/2" inches across the width of the fabric at one end.  Then open out the fold you just pressed out and fold again along the fabric's folded edge, only right sides together.  Then stitch across the opposite end from the creased fold and along the side.

Then on the remaining open end with the fold line......fold the fabric along the creased fold line to make the pillowcase hem.  Stitch the hem, sewing close to the hem edge.  Turn the pillowcase right side out and press.

Check out the link below for my complete tutorial on making pillowcases with a lot more details and photos. It tells how to add a contrasting band to your pillowcase.

http://4andfifteen.blogspot.com/2011/03/pillowcase-tutorial.html

Pillowcase Tutorial

I have been making pillowcases for people that I know that are going through serious health issues the last couple years.  They are so simple to make......here is my favorite method.  I use my 4 thread serger and can probably whip one out in 15 minutes.  But if you don't have a serger, your sewing machine will work fine using a straight stitch and a zig-zag stitch if you have it, or if you machine does not do a zig-zag stitch, then pink the edges with some pinking shears.

To make one pillow case you need 3/4 yard of one fabric and 1/4 yard of a coordinating fabric.  I always pre-wash my fabrics prior to using them as well.  I have my fabric trimmed so the cut edges are even and I laid both fabrics out as shown on top of one another because I need to trim the width of both pieces, they need to be identical.  When you add the band to the top of the case you will see this is very important.  I trim off the least amount of fabric to make it even usually cutting off most of the selvage edge.

Sew across one short side and one long side of the body of the pillowcase with right sides together.  Sew the band across the short side, also with right sides together.  If you are using a sewing machine, use 1/4" seam allowance and treat them as written above.  They are shown like it will be finished only wrong sides out.

Take the pillow case band fabric to the ironing board and press the seam to one side, then take it fold it half wrong sides together matching the raw edges together, this will make a circle.  Press the folded edge.

Place the folded band inside the pillowcase body right sides together and all the raw edges even.  You should have 3 layers of fabric.  Pin matching the seams and folds, it should fit perfectly if you trimmed both pieces to be the same width at the beginning.  :)  Sew this seam to attach the band.

I secure serger tails with fray check or tack them down in the seam allowance.  This shows the pillowcase all sewed together, take to the ironing board and press the seam allowance of the band toward the body of the pillowcase.  Then turn it right side out using a bodkin or point turner for the corners, do not use scissors.  Press the outside edges so it lays nice and flat.  It is ready to give away.

Folded and ready to mail.  I tied a matching ribbon around it too.

I  hope you enjoy making these.  They can also be made from flannel and polar fleece too, if you want cozy ones.  They make great gifts.