Making a Reversible Cottage Coverlet For Kris

I've been working my little fingers off for my buddy Kris, 

as you guys know, 

since you're silly enough to be following this story on my blog.

I told you about not being able to find the right colors for her master bedroom, 

no matter where we looked for bedding.

Sooooo.....

let me show you what I came up with for her coverlet.

I wanted something that could be turned back at the pillows and look different on the reverse side.

We found this Ralph Lauren fabric.....

As you can see, it looks good on both sides.

We thought we would want the wrong side to be the right side, but it turned out to be wrong.....

The right side actually looked righter!!!!!

Is your head hurting yet?????

The wrong side had knotted threads showing where the weaving joined.

We didn't like that.

Then we realized that the right side was brighter looking and added lightness to the room, which was full of dark colors.

So Kris in her infinite wisdom said

"Use the right side."

and I said....

"Whatever you want!!!!!"

I always give her what she wants.....

unless she's wrong.

Then I don't.

'Cuz I know everything, and she doesn't.....

Because the coverlet would be turned back at the top, it had to look finished on both sides.

I couldn't have an unfinished seam on the back..... 

because sometimes the back would be the front.....

(Ow, hurting head here.....)

SOOOOOO.....

I turned to Google and did some research on seams.

I tell you.....

my life is really exciting!!!!!

I found two types of seams

Flat fell hems and French Seams.

I combined the two and created my own detail.

I'M SURE THAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.....

AND MY INVENTION IS NOT MINE.....

BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT AND I MADE THIS UP MYSELF!!!!!

If you figure out something by yourself, that others have figured out before you,

 does it count?????

I think so, and I'm taking credit for this!!!!!

I needed to cut the fabric so that the horizontal repeat of the red lines would be the same across the coverlet.

Ralph didn't make it easy on me, and the two selvage edges were different by 1/2".

I needed a larger seam allowance than normal, since I was doing a more complicated joining.

Soooooo.....

MATH WAS INVOLVED!!!!

First I sewed the two pieces together with a 1/4" seam.

Then I ironed the two sides together along the seam.

Then I stitched a second row of stitches, 1/2" in from the edge, using the thickness of my pressure foot to help keep the line straight.

Then I changed to my blind hem pressure foot.

It has a little tab that sticks down in the middle that works really well as a guide to keep your stitches straight,

I ran the tab along the seam edge and stitched another line along the edge, around 1/4" in.

So, it looked like this on the lighter side of the fabric.

I flipped the coverlet over, and stitched the back the same way, adding the line 1/4" in from the seam edge.

This is how it looks on the back.

And... 

this is how it ended up looking on the front.

Both sides have a finished seam, and I feel very  smahrt.

Now, I just have to hem all the edges.

So,

I took it back over to Kris's house, so we could figure out just how long and wide we wanted it.

I spread it out on the bed..... 

and pinned it up to what we wanted it to be.

Kris decided she would like the red line to be the edging on the side.

It's a little longer than what I would usually do, but the red edge will be a nice finishing touch.

The bed still needs to have the dust ruffle made, but we're waiting for Kris's new mattress and boxspring.

Now all I need is some uninterrupted time to sew the dam thing!!!!

My family wont't leave me alone!!!!!

People always say.....

you'll be lonely if you don't get married.

How can I get lonely if my family is around all the time?????

Please.....

just one day where I can sit at my sewing machine or my computer without the phone or doorbell ringing.

Actually.....

I better be careful about complaining, because I really love it and the fates may look down on me and give me what I'm whining about.

Next post I'll show you the shams I made that almost did me in.

I keep thinking I can sew these things in a couple of hours, and they take me three days.

Oy.....

On that note,

Latah, Gatah