Adding a Decorative Edge to a Coverlet

Soooooooooo.........

I left off on Friday showing you guys how far I've come on Kris's coverlet.

I had gotten to this point.....

Kris had informed me that she would like the stripe to be the edge of the bedspread.

Sooooooo.....

Friday night I was sitting relaxing in my TV chair, having my evening bottle glass of wine.....

thinking about how long the spread would be.....

and how I didn't like it so long......

It was going to throw off the proportion of the bed shirt.....

When I realized!!!!!

I could cut off a stripe and sew it where I wanted it!!!!!!!

Soooooo.....

I called Kris is my wine induced glow, and shared my pearl of wisdom with her.

Sooooooo.......

that's what I did, 

and I will now show you how I did it!!!!!

I thought I would have to go back over to Kris's and pin the fabric where I wanted the edge to be.....

but then I realized!!!!!

I have a queen size bed in my home too!!!!!

So, I could use it to figure out the width and length of the coverlet.

I am so smahrt!

So, 

I pinned it and then cut both sides to the dimension needed. 

Then it was time to make the trim for the edge out of the stripe.

I used my transparent ruler to line up where I wanted to cut it.

I love this tool.

I just made sure that it followed the stripe, 

then I used my rotary cutter to cut the fabric.

I cut both sides, what a pain in the @$$.

One of you guys wanted to see what my blind hem foot looked like, so I took a couple of pictures.

This is a great pressure foot for sewing a straight line along the edge of a piece.

Here's a shot of the bottom, the flange that sticks down is what follows the edge of the fabric.

I folded the fabric under and using the blind hem pressure foot, sewed along the folded edge.

I did this for both sides of the tape I made.

See how I was able to sew right along the line?????

Then I folded the tape I had made over the cut edge of the coverlet, making sure the red stripe was showing on the front.

The back of the coverlet would just have the plain yellow stripes showing,

I pinned the whole edge, just to be on the safe side.

Then, using the regular pressure foot, I sewed the tape to the main fabric following the red line.

This is how it looked on the back.

Remember, I wanted both sides to look good, as I was folding this coverlet over, and the back would show too.

Then I put the blind pressure foot back on, and sewed along the edge of the folded under tape along the back of the coverlet.

This would hold the back edge down, and make a cleaner look.

This is how the back turned out, before I ironed it.

Then I sewed along the edge of the front of the tape.

So, this is how it looked finished!!!!!

Here it is in the room.

Kris loves it, 

as well she should!!!!!

Once the bed skirt is on, it will be bangin'!!

Now we just need to get a night table for the left side of the bed, a lamp, a rug and artwork, 

oh, yeah,

and a toss pillow in front of the shams.

And the dust ruffle.

Of course the other side of the room needs a #$% load of work too.....

But I love decoratin'!

and I find this fun.

On that note,

Latah, Gatah

Read More

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

Read More

Artwork for a Cottage Bedroom

Well Kampers!!!!!

Kris and I are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!

Her guest room is really coming along.

As you can see.....

the chair I painted and reupholstered for her has found its new home.

I just need to make a patterned toss pillow for it.....

Maybe a needlepoint?????

hummmmm......

So now that the chair was in the room, it was time to hang the rest of the artwork on the walls.

First I attacked the space over the bureau.

We needed to choose the lamp that would sit on top, 

so I pulled some things from our inventory.

I tried a carved alabaster one that I absolutely adore.......

It was sort of lost.

Too delicate.

Sooooo.....

We decided that the floral one would be better.

I had been afraid that it would blend too much into the wallpaper, but once the artwork was hung.....

 it made a wonderful backdrop for the lamp.

I didn't have a lampshade for it.....

but Kris had been holding one from our bidness that we bought eons ago!!!!!

We bought it from Linens and Things, that is now out of business. That's how long we hold on to stuff.

Forever!!!!!

I used to love that store, it had more fun stuff than Bed Bath and Beyond.

We had been waiting for the chair to come back to the room before

 we hung the portrait of the little girl in the pink dress.

Remember her?????

She's been very patient, just hanging around till we were ready for her.

This is an absolutely delightful portrait, and she's in the prefect color dress!!!!!

The pink matches the pink in the room!!!!!

The artist was known for his portraits, Kris looked him up.....

She's a reference librarian, after all.....

His name was W. Sherwood.

She's what greets the guest when he or she comes to stay.

This is the view from the hall doorway.

Kris calls this room her guestroom....

I call it the recovery room.

Her husband is an anesthesiologist, and if I ever need another operation, I'm going to have him be my doctor.

This is the room I plan on staying in the first couple of nights after my surgery.

I figure, he will make sure that 

I AM IN NO PAIN!!!!!

I realize that I can be a pain.....

But that doesn't mean that I want to feel any!!!!!

On that note....

Latah, Gatah

Read More

Creating Custom Bedding for a Cottage Look

Now that I've finished the chair for Kris's guest room, it's time to work on the beds.

This is where we left off.....

I wanted creamy looking sheets and coverlets to go with the tones of the room.

I also wanted cream sheets for Kris's master bedroom.

The creams of the rooms were two slightly different shades, and being the obsessive color freak that I am, I wanted them to actually go with the tones of each room.

Sooooo.....

we went where we figured we would have a lot of choices.

I hate to admit it, but we went to Bloomingdale's.....

My first job out of design school was as the assistant in the Bloomingdale's design department.

I really learned to hate that job.

Being the mature young woman that I was at the time.....

I used to sit at my desk, 

staring at the cinderblock wall....

and mutter under my breathe.....

"I hate this job, I hate this job..."

really good for the department morale.

I wasn't a favorite.

OY.

Where was I?????

Oh, yeah, sheets.

SOOOOO.....

Kris and I went to Bloomingdale's.

As soon as we walked into the sheet department, a saleswoman came up to help us.

I told her we wanted cream colored sheets and she took us right away to a section that had them.

I was thinking.....

not a bad shopping experience!!!!!

Maybe my memories of this store are outdated!!!!!

And then I looked at the prices!!!!!

She had taken us to the most expensive sheets in the damn store.

I mean.....we only wanted basic cream!!!!!

If we bought the ones she brought us to, we would have spent over $800.00 for a set of twin size sheets.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????

I read a few years ago in Consumer Reports Magazine that anything over 200 thread count was unnecessary.

I don't know if that's true, but I am perfectly happy with a 200 thread count sheet.

Sooooooo.....

we let the sales lady know that we wanted something much more reasonably priced, and she left us to our own devices.

jeesh.....

great service.

We were able to find the sheets we wanted and for the twin beds we found matelasse  coverlets and shams from Ralph Lauren.

But we were't able to find duvet covers we liked for the guest room or coverlets and shams for the master bedroom.

We went to Pottery Barn, Bed Bath and Beyond, and looked on the internet.

No luck.

So we then went to Calico Corners for fabric, and I'm making the rest myself.

For the guest room we chose a beautiful green fabric that also has a matelasse look.

Kris was worried it was going to be too much matelasse, but when it's all done, I think it will be fine and dandy.

I also want a patterned pillow to lean against the bed pillows for a little pop of color. 

In the picture below I used one Kris had to show what I mean.

I know it doesn't go, but it was good for figuring what we needed.

Here's a closeup of the matelasse coverlet.

I got to hand it to Ralphy baby,

 it's a really pretty pattern.

I like to wash new matelasse in hot water and then dry it on regular.

This way it shrinks a little and the quilting details puff up more.

I need to get Kris to wash these new ones, and I'll show you how it really adds more depth of pattern.

The green fabric will be made into duvet covers.

I plan on going to Joanne's and finding some pretty buttons for the closures.

We still have to figure out what we want for the patterned pillows.....

So much decorating.....

So little time.....

When the dust ruffles are made and installed, we will have even more pattern on each bed.

They are going to be the same fabric as the draperies.

Kris just got the new boxspring for the second twin bed.

If you have two different beds and are making a mismatched pair, like we did, 

it's important that the two beds end up having mattresses that are the same height off the floor.

The way to do this is to have the boxsprings made with different thicknesses.

This way the top of the boxspring is the same for both beds, so the dust ruffles will look the same.

We had custom mattresses made.

Surprisingly enough, custom mattresses and boxsprings aren't any more expensive than standard sizes.

So now that the boxsprings are here, we can have the dust ruffles made!!!!!

If you want to know what the green fabric is.....

I took a picture of it's tag.

For Kris's Master bedroom we found some more Ralph Lauren fabric that worked with her color scheme.

Here's a shot of her bedroom when we last saw it.....

We (Kris) found a fabric that we liked.

The large stripe fabric actually looked better on the wrong side.

I am making a coverlet out of it, and plan on folding it back so the other side also shows.

Unfortunately, the wrong side has the knotted threads showing, so I don't know if Kris will like that.

She gets back from vacation today, so we'll see.

In my next post I'll show the painful process of making the coverlet so it looks good with finished seams on both sides.

The pillow shams are going to be made out of the smaller stripe.

We still need to find something for the duvet cover.....

OY.

On that note,

Latah, Gatah

Read More