Love Americana? Let's Make a Flag Pillow

Several years ago, when my husband and I used to do craft shows, our style was a soft country primitive, and I find myself leaning toward that warm and comforting style again.  It's the soothing, restful look popularized in Country Sampler magazine rather than the coarser look of folk art.

My stitcheries have always been country primitive, and late last week I started an Americana themed batch - stitcheries were a great way to create quietly as my husband slept while recovering from surgery.

Today I'm going to sew a flag pillow and thought perhaps you'd like to see how it's done and maybe create one for yourself.  This is really a simple and fun little project, and the pillow is perfect for any country primitive decor.  Let me show you.

The finished project will measure about 7" high and 17" long.

All you will need to complete this pillow are dark red and navy blue checked homespun fabric, unbleached muslin, a rotary cutter and mat or scissors, a quilter's ruler or long straightedge, a water soluble pencil, gold embroidery thread, a bag of polyester fiberfill to stuff your pillow. and a sewing machine.

 First, you will want to cut 2" wide strips of the red checked homespun and the muslin into 14" lengths.  To make yours like mine, you'll need 3 - 14" pieces of the red homespun and 2 - 14" pieces of the muslin.

Press the strips well to remove any wrinkles or creases.  Sew a red strip to each side of the muslin strips, right sides together, with a 1/4" seam.  In this photo, I've already sewn one red strip to one side of the first muslin strip, and am sewing a red strip to the top side of the same red strip:

After sewing all the strips together, you will have something that looks like this:

Now, I'll cut the navy blue homespun for the star field - mine is 6" wide by the exact length of the sewn strips:

Pin right sides together and sew with a 1/4" seam.  Press the seam open and you'll have a pillow front that looks like this:

Using your quilter's ruler or straight edge and water soluble marking pencil, draw a primitive star on the blue homespun like this:

I'm using all six strands of DMC color 781 - Very Dark Topaz - to backstitch the star:

At this point, you could also add something on one of the muslin strips, such as God Bless America, I Pledge Allegiance, Sweet Land of Liberty, or some other short phrase of your choice.  Just use simple, primitive lettering and go for it!  Don't worry if your stitches or letters aren't perfect or even - in Country Primitive or Primitive styles they're not supposed to be.

Stitching is done - now just rinse off the water soluble pencil marks, wait for your pillow top to dry and then press well.

Using your flag pillow front as a guide, cut a pillow back the same size from the muslin and press well.

Sew the front to the back, right sides together, with a 1/4" seam.  Leave about a 6" opening on the bottom side so you can turn right side out and stuff.  Turn right side out and press again.

Almost done - just stuff with fiberfill and hand stitch the opening closed.  Place your Americana Flag Pillow on a chair, couch, deacon's bench, or any other favorite location and enjoy your masterpiece!

If you would like to make a taller pillow, when cutting strips just continue to add red homespun and muslin strips till your pillow is as tall as you want it to be.  to make it longer, just cut your strips longer.  Remember to cut your navy blue homespun accordingly.  You can also stuff your pillow more firmly than I did to give it a "rounder" look.  It really is that easy!

Of course, if you want me to create one for you, just let me know.  Message me here, on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GypsyWindDesigns or at TalktotheGypsy@gmail.com and I will be glad to make one for you.

Happy Stitching!

Supply List

Dark Red and Navy Blue Homespun - I used the 1/8" check on tan background

Unbleached Muslin

Rotary Cutter and Mat or Scissors

Quilter's Ruler or long straight edge

Water Soluble Marking Pencil

Gold Embroidery Thread - I used DMC color 781

Polyester Fiberfill - I used Poly-Fil

Sewing Machine and Thread

New Year's Resolutions

On this first day of the new year, I'm acting on one of my resolutions.

My blogging has been nonexistent for many months...wonder if anyone remembers my (so clever) comments from last year?  No matter - my husband says I talk a lot, therefore surely I can find something to write about.

I usually have awesome ideas when I'm in the middle of cooking something labor intensive, or when awaking from a sound sleep at 3:20 AM, but those ideas are lost after several heartbeats.  There is now a small pad of paper and a pen on my night stand - writing by the Droid light should prove interesting.  My best beloved will have to take notes when I'm cooking.

Today is a "nonworking" day - spent the morning working on a new Facebook cover that will debut tomorrow on Gypsy Wind Designs.  I love it and can't wait to share with you and would love to read your comments.  Then, I created this:

Love the quote - Rosamunde Pilcher, The Shell Seekers - and have always loved shabby chic.

Shabby Chic designs will figure more into Gypsy Wind Designs this year - working on lacy, delicately colored floral, oh-so-feminine handbag and apron designs for when my my poor poor Janome comes back home.

Have a wonderful day my friends and, if you feel so inclined, tell me what you think of  my Shabby Chic ideas.

Chocolate!

Somedays I am just hungry for chocolate.  Chocolate something...anything...I'm craving the food of the gods today.

Maybe Godiva truffles...

Or maybe a REALLY LOT of Ghirardelli ...

Since it's still morning, maybe chocolate chip pancakes or waffles would be a good place to start.  But then again, that doesn't seem to be quite what I'm wanting.  But who turns down chocolate chip pancakes?  Except maybe for chocolate filled crepes.  Hmmmm.

Is it too early for mousse?  I think not.  Probably never too early for mousse topped with whipped cream.  No one is counting calories on a Chocolate Day.  Besides how many calories could there possibly be in something so light and frothy?  Maybe only 5 or 10 - it's the whipped cream that will be on my hips tomorrow.

My lovely daughter gave me a this cookbook for my birthday - best present ever:

My darling daughter knows me well!

What an awesome book this is - chock full of only chocolate recipes.  No such thing as chocolate overload at my house!  I've made the chocolate buttermilk tea bread - chocolate + coffee = 2 of my favorite things - and the chocolate muffins - so rich and decadent - and several other recipes that were sinfully delightful.

And, it's still early.  I've got time to make the chocolate silk pie for dessert this evening.  Oh happy day!!!

By tonight I'll be sitting in the rocking chair, stitchery in hand, in a euphoric state of chocolate bliss.

Thank you, Lord, for this day and for chocolate!

The Making of Angelita's Purse(s)

A good friend asked that I make her a purse in time for Christmas, and quickly amended her order to two identical purses - one for her and one as a gift for her sister.  She knew just the style of purse she wanted, so that part was easy.  Her only other request was that the purses be washable.

The color story she chose - gray, black and cream, with a kiss of khaki - was nothing short of awesome!  If shabby chic could be in those colors, this is how it would look.  So beautiful!

The top fabric with the lovely, lacy, swirly print of roses, medallions and butterflies will be the body of the purse.  The gray with black polka dot fabric on the bottom will be the top bands and the pockets, while the complementary black on black print will be the lining. 

When cutting fabric, I use (really) sharp shears and a rotary cutter, so the process is fairly quick.

With the fabric cut, it's time to choose the stabilizer or interfacing.  The correct stabilizer or interfacing is of the utmost importance for body and structure, and makes the difference between a homemade look or a crisp and professional look.  In this case, Angelita wanted a softer bag, so the choice was a polyester fusible fleece.

Lining pieces laying on the interfacing ready to be pinned and carefully cut out.Then the next step is ironing on - bonding - the fusible interfacing to the wrong sides of the fabric.

Here are all the purse pieces all bonded.  Now I can begin sewing!  YEA!!!

I usually begin with making the pockets and attaching my label.  Always press well after each step - the fleece will respond well to heat and steam, and you will be able to smooth and shape if necessary as you go along.  Also, be sure to clip the corners of the pockets before turning them right side out to get that nice, pointy corner!

Once the pockets are all finished, they can be attached to the lining by stitching close to the edges.  These purses will have divided pockets front and back.  Four pockets give lots of room for organization, and this is how they look:

Next, I made the handles.  A favorite way is to fold the handle pieces in half, then bring each side into the middle, pressing again and pinning.  Pins are your friend here - don't be afraid to use lots - but don't sew over them!  At the minimum you will bend the pin, but you could break your needle or worse.

The next step is to edge stitch each handle, a really easy step with my beloved Janome.  Thickness is generally not an issue for my mighty machine - it goes through the layers like a warm knife through soft butter:

Next I made the pleats in the body fronts and backs, and it's now time to attached the handles, right sides together and stitch close to the top edge.  This is stay stitching and it will take the place of pinning to make construction much easier:

Now the top bands will be pinned, right sides together and stitched - being careful over the handles - it gets a little thick:

Press and edge stitch 1/4" from the seam to finish the edge.  I pin carefully, removing them as the needle approaches so there is absolutely no slippage!

Sew both sides of the front together to make the outside of the purse, trim the seams to reduce bulk so the seam will lay nicely and press well.  Then, I sew the top bands to the lining pieces, and sew the front and back together, leaving an opening at the bottom to turn right side out ... that is a really fun part ...trim the seams and press well.

Almost done now and the magic begins!  Turn the outside of the purse right side out and leave the lining inside out.  Put the outside of the purse inside the lining, right sides together and pin carefully, matching up the side seams and being careful that the handles are pulled down out of the way.  Stitch around the top of the band, attaching the inside to the outside.

Pull the outside of the purse out of the opening in the lining - slowly and carefully.  This is what I see:

Now all I have to do is hand stitch the opening in the lining closed, push the lining down inside the body of the purse and edge stitch around the top of the band:

All that's left to do is a thorough pressing and shaping, and the purses are finished:

Angelita was very pleased and happy with her purse and sent the second one down to her sister for Christmas.  I love how they came out as well, and was extremely happy that I was able to make her precisely the purse she had in mind.

A very big thank you to Angelita for allowing me to share the process of sewing her purses with you!  I know I've said this before, but creating handmade items that are beautiful and functional is truly a joy, but sharing them with you is a blessing.

Happy New Year everyone!

Last Beach Day This Year?

The best way to work off multiple Thanksgiving feasts is a very long walk on a favorite beach.  At least in my opinion it is.

My husband had business in Jacksonville on Monday and promised if I came along we could have a whole day at the beach.  Quickly checking the Weather Channel, I found the forecast was for sunny days and pleasantly warm temperatures, so I was upstairs packing in a heartbeat.  Oh yes, best thing ever!

So, Saturday after Thanksgiving we drove down and started our Sunday with a fabulous brunch at First Watch in Jacksonville Beach.  If you've never experienced a breakfast or lunch at First Watch, I highly recommend it.  We learned about this restaurant chain when we lived in Overland Park, KS and will stop at one whenever we have the opportunity.  So good.

Then, it was straight to the beach...the ocean really was calling me.

Almost there!

 I have loved being at the water all my life.  Whether a creek, river, lake or ocean, I have always been called to the water's edge.  Some of my earliest memories involve being either at or on one of the Great Lakes or at Bishop Park in Wyandotte, Michigan hoping to see a big freighter going by.  No freighters at Jacksonville Beach of course, but we did see a couple of cruise ships passing way out in the water - not quite the same but still fun to watch.

                                                                    Hello Ocean!

It was a perfectly beautiful day to walk the beach and maybe find a perfect shell or two or even 4,845 shells.  The unmistakable scent of sea water in the air and the sound of rolling waves drew us and kept us willing captives for the entire day.

                                                                    Lazy, rolling waves

The beach was fairly empty - not a lot of children running about, a few couples either shelling or just walking, and only a sprinkling of umbrellas.  If I lived nearby, I know I'd be right here for hours every day.

Later in the afternoon a few young men arrived with their surf boards and had what looked like a lot of fun riding the waves.  There seems to be a sand bar just about 100 feet out from shore, and the waves break nicely over it.

                                                             Looks like fun, doesn't it?  

Later in the afternoon, the wind picked up some and the waves grew larger.  maybe the currents were to strong out further, and the surfers all came in.  The stronger waves sure brought in more pretty shells to add to the rather large collection I had already created from the high tide line, and increased the number of people gathering shells as well.  I had an inspiration of what to do with some of these shells...I'll let you know if that works out.

                                                             The majesty of the ocean                                          


About 4:00 these three squawking gulls landed and just stood at the water's edge, looking around and not really moving about.

                                                                   
Soon, a very large flock of their friends landed literally all around the first three and did the same.

Turns out they were patiently waiting for dinner.  The waves brought in maybe tiny fish or some other type of tiny sea creatures.  Florida seagulls are different than Michigan seagulls.  Up in Michigan they just dive for their food, or scrounge for leftovers from forgotten or discarded picnics.

We decided to take one more walk down the beach - by this I mean a mile or two down to the boardwalk and back again - to see if we missed anything we really needed to see before it started getting dark and this awesome day came to and end.

We walked for a ways and I found the biggest piece of driftwood ever:

                                                             Probably 8 feet of a tree

Had to leave it there.  Too bad - it would have made a great focal point in next year's backyard landscaping.

The sea oats are looking a little ragged - they have lost that lush summer look.

 These sand fences make a pretty picture:

In a sunny , well protected spot we found the last of the beautiful little beach flowers.  Last time we were here they were everywhere.  Guess winter can't be far away, even at the beach.

With evening coming on, it was time to leave.  Shoes full of sand, a bag full of seashells, and the memories of another glorious day to keep forever, we had to say goodbye to the ocean for a little while.  But, like the endless waves breaking on the shore, I will be back.

                                                                   Goodbye, ocean