Auld Lang Syne

This is a king-size t-shirt quilt I made for a police officer who travelled from Tennessee to New York City after the tragedy on 9-11. He collected t-shirts that memorialized the heroes from that day as well as t-shirts from his career as a police officer.  

Close-up of king-size quilt

Happy New Year! I thought it fitting to show a few t-shirt quilts as we close 2011. The meaning of Auld Lang Syne is "for the sake of old times". That's one of the main reasons I love making t-shirt quilts. They are a comfy "scrapbook" to remember good times, lifetime accomplishments, and memories of loved ones. I love seeing what people pick out for their quilts and listening to what they tell me about the t-shirts. Stories and memories, like photographs, that are sewn into something that can be treasured and passed on to the next generation. I guess I'm just nostalgic and sentimental like that. As much as I like sewing home decor, I love seeing clients' reactions at the final quilt.

Baby quilt: dad is a hunter (thus the camo back) and the plaid flannel squares are from a grandfather who passed before the baby was born. The camo square and Screaming Eagle patch are from the other grandfather.

Memorial quilt made for a mother who lost a beloved son too soon. These are some of his favorite t-shirts and some that reminds the family so much of him. His sister said it even smelled like him.   

A different kind of memorial quilt. This was for an auction at a school fundraiser. Each child in the pre-k class made handprint animals for the squares. The theme was Noah's Ark. The quilt sold for over $2000.  

Mix-n-Match

This is how it began, 20-something yards of cording that I covered in oversized-check material.

Here is one 10 yard package of cording covered. I think I did 2-3 packages. 

I used all of that cording for the throw pillows and window seat cushion.

Here is the finished window!

Close-up of the cushion and pillows.

Rod pocket valance using a flat 3 inch metal rod, a very clean tailored look. I designed the valance myself!

Cover and Re-cover





Making slipcovers for your outdoor cushions will save you a lot of money if your foam is still in good shape. Foam is petroleum-based and pretty expensive, even in bulk. Take 2 rectangular pieces of fabric and square off the top and bottom when you have both pieces sewn together around 3 sides. The bottom is where I attached velcro to close it.   

 



Matching window seat cushion, covering 1" foam. The homeowner already had the throw pillows. 



Matching table cloth

Make It Work!

Sometimes a challenge is just what I need to prove my mettle! Whether it's fabric or food, I don't believe in backing down from a challenge! I usually go by just a photo to sew something or make my own pattern. Maybe it's my confidence (naivete) or I'm too stubborn to think I could fail. Yes, this is the person who decided to "wing it" when my daughter told her teacher I could make a Greek meal. BTW, I made some mean stuffed grape leaves and baklava (I don't pick a salad to get off easy!) for my first try at Greek food. They loved it!
I think my daughter is a "chip off the old block". She has decided to make an evening gown for her first-ever sewing project! This will be for part of her mid-term art grade (fiber art, I suppose). Go big or go home!
By now you're thinking "what do these photos have to do with Greek food or evening gowns", right?! All challenges.
These are some drapery panels made from a beige linen/burlap textured type fabric with wooden rings sewn at the top. The smaller window is 1 panel, 97" long. The double window has 2 panels about 125" long with all panels having about 20 wooden rings sewn at the top. I was doing a reconstruction job. I added another 1/2 width to each panel to make the curtains fuller, disconnected the lining from the bottom (it's not supposed to be sewn together at the bottom), and sewed the rings (by hand) to the top. They were originally clip-on rings but the curtains were so heavy they would pop off every time the home owner touched them. I hope you can see them ok. The sun was shining in the windows that morning so my photos turned out a little dark. They're beautiful!      

Take Two and Call Me in the Morning

Dr's office waiting room

Waiting room valance



Close-up of the exam room valance fabric and trim







Exam room valance



I would fake a cough to spend the morning in this doctor's waiting room! Not your typical sterile-looking doctor's office! I designed and made the valances for the waiting room and exam rooms. The waiting room valances are a linen-like coral/umber material with a woven lattice-effect in khaki. The exam room valances were done in a chenille, embossed to look like burlap, in the same coral/umber. I trimmed those with a cute ball fringe in cream and chocolate. I made 2 ultra-suede pillows in coral for her office chairs in a custom size, 12"x18". 

I install zippers in an un-conventional way I suppose. I sew each half to the edge of the material face-down (see below left photo) then flip the piece of material and make the top-stitch (see below right photo). It was definitely a challenge sewing with ultra-suede. It's very sticky! I need to break down and get a walking foot for my machine. I hate to spend the money! They're not very cheap!  



The finished products!



All in a Day's Work

So... I wondered about a lemon yellow window treatment in a formal dining room. The walls are a rich golden yellow. The drapery panels are simple rod pocket panels. They have a swirly floral design with shades of turquoise, a Carribean blue (or Tiffany blue), cobalt, chartreuse, and the same golden yellow as the walls.  They turned out pretty! Here's a close-up of the fabric.

The Wow Factor

Here is the fabric for the pillows, drapes, and piano bench. The stripe is the drapery material. I wasn't sure how it would all look together and, to be honest, I thought it was going in a bedroom. This is a great color palette for a bedroom! Chocolate brown, ice blue, and a muted gold, very relaxing but sophisticated colors. I went to help install the drapes and everything looked very sophisticated! What do you think? 



The finished room showing the throw pillows and drapes.  



Tis the Season

Ha! I know what you're thinking...get your mind out of the "let's get a head start on the Christmas shopping and advertising and skip right over Halloween and Thanksgiving" gutter. What I MEANT  was... it's getting chilly out there, autumn is here, bonfire weather. My favorite season is autumn. I love the smell of pumpkins, apples (well, apples don't smell much but apple pie sure does!), bonfires (and roasting marshmallows). I love all the colors, deep crimson, golden yellow, rich browns and dark oranges. The trees are beautiful!


So you're asking, what's your point, Jackie, on a sewing (mostly) blog? My t-shirt quilts are very snuggly and toasty warm! That's the point! I have a couple of time slots still open before Christmas if you or one of your lucky loved ones would like to find one under the tree this year. Not that it has to be a Christmas gift! I wouldn't want you to freeze this winter! ;) Here are a couple I've made. There are more pics and info on my t-shirt quilt page. There are lots on my facebook page: "T-shirt quilts by Jackie". Original name, huh?   

Holey Window Treatments Batman! They've Got Grommets!

Grommet-top curtains are the trend right now whether you're looking for indoor window treatments, outdoor window treatments, or shower curtains. The grommets work with casual as well as formal fabrics. They come in a variety of finishes and, even though they're plastic, the metallic finishes really do look like metal. These are weather-resistant which makes for great outdoor application. There are black, silver, nickel, bronze, gold, etc (I could go on) metal finishes. They also come in lots of bright colors such as red, white, purple, turquiose. Those would be perfect for a teen's room! Below are some I've made for indoor and outdoor rooms.     



Dining room grommet-top curtain panels, Ikat fabric, brushed nickel grommets



Close-up of brushed nickel grommets





<><>

<>

<><>

Outdoor curtains, Sunbrella fabric with matte black grommets  



Mama's Got a Brand New Bag

"Waste not, want not", isn't that the saying? Well, my scraps keep accumulating. Denim, t-shirts, fleece, old jeans. I decided to make some bags from scraps. Hobo bags, messenger bags, tote bags. You name it, I'll try to make it. Orders are now being taken if you want one. Email me. I have different colored t-shirts to "upcycle" into bags. Let me know if you want a certain school or team. I also have some numbers (from team jerseys) if you have a favorite number you want to request!   

Sew What!

Maybe it's kind of random, maybe it's the chilly mornings. I've been saving scraps from my t-shirt quilts and trying to think of ways to use them. I look on Martha Stewart.com and Pinterest and kind of spin off from there. As I may or may not have stated (apologies, I'm still learning. I didn't link correctly but my heart was in the right place!), I'm not tech savvy. I didn't think to make note of the link where I got the instructions for the knotted scarf. It's on Martha Stewart.com. I had to bribe my daughter, Cassidy, to model the scarves last night for me. She already has a fleece boa but now she wants a knotted scarf.     

Pillows, Pillows, Pillows

I made 5 throw pillows this week. The blue on the left is a silk; golden brown cheetah print in a soft chenille; golden brown/ ice blue tweed. On the right is a silk stripe, ice blue with variegated brown that I'll be making some drapery panels with rings at the top. 



The front pillow is the tweed with cording I made from the cheetah fabric.