Sweater Pillow {Tutorial}

Do you have a pile of sweaters that you love, but just don't wear anymore? Or maybe they have a small hole in an arm, or are getting too fuzzy...

Make them into pillow covers!

This tutorial is super fast, and let's you get a little more mileage out of those soft and beloved sweaters.

Materials:

Pillow or Pillow form

Sweater

Sewing Things

Lay your pillow on your sweater to make sure it will fit. You don't want the sweater to be too stretched over the top or it will get distorted.

Cut off the neck and sleeves. Then sew across the top, and down the sides to close the armholes. (I trimmed mine to a rectangle after taking this photo)

Insert your pillow and slip stitch the bottom closed, or use your sewing machine. If you want it to be more washable, you could even install a zipper or buttons, but I wasn't in the mood for that!

Soft, fuzzy, and beautiful.

Another Crocheted Pillow

After making this crocheted pillow I knew I wanted to make another. One to go on our living room couch so I could snuggle with it.

I have totally fallen in love with the basketweave stitch.

I found this yarn at Michaels, and of course I forgot to save the wrap to remember the color, but I think it was red heart brand. I'll look the next time I go.

I crocheted both sides of the pillow this time, and inserted a pillow form, then crocheted the cover closed. It's actually a pretty big pillow on my couch.

I love it so much that I feel the need to make 2 more to match. We have a large sectional, and you can never have too many pillows right?

If the kids ever give me some quiet time, crocheting is the perfect "quiet time" activity to do while watching TV or relaxing before bed. The other two will get done one day, but until then I will snuggle with and enjoy this one.

Guest Post: Kathy Joe from Yorkshire Linens

A lot of my time lately has been devoted to making our home more cozy and modern. I am excited today to have a guest from "across the pond" who is going to share with you some AWESOME ideas on revamping your bedroom with sweet and cozy linens. Ya'll know I love a good quilt or crocheted pillow, so these ideas are definitely on my to-add list to my bedroom. Kathy Joe writes a blog for Yorkshire Linen sharing lots of ways to pretty-up your rooms for everyday and for the changing seasons.

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Hi My name is Kathy Joe and today I am so glad to be here. I am a crafts person from head to toe. I love exploring unique crafts and designs. I would be flattered if you visited my blog here. 

10 Modish Ways to Feel Cosy with Bed Throws
As a budget-conscious decorator (as most of us are these days!) throws play a big part in my planning and implementation of colour schemes and décor themes. Throws go easily with any type of interior and can often enhance and harmonise the look and feel of a room.

Everywhere in the Home
Throws are not just to be kept in the bedroom as a practical, spare blanket. They can be put to great effect, draped artfully over the end of the sofa or folded invitingly on a comfy chair in the conservatory – perfect for cuddling up with a good book, or simply to while away half an hour watching the birds in the garden. Match the throw to your curtains for a wonderfully polished effect.

 Texture the Room
Choose a variety of deeply textured throws to add layers and interest to the décor in your room. Smooth, plain fabrics can be attractive, but the addition of intricate texture, in the form of a throw or two, can really infuse the room with a cosy depth and warmth.

 Knit Up a Storm
Add true home-made cosiness to your rooms by making your own knitted or crocheted throws. You can tailor each throw to the room’s décor and the mere fact that you have made them by yourself will give you an immense ego boost each time someone compliments you. If the thought of making an entire blanket seems too daunting, break it down into component squares and set a time for each square to be completed. It may take a while, especially if you are a novice knitter or crocheter, but you will be surprised at the sense of satisfaction you feel seeing a completed throw just waiting for someone to snuggle up in it!

 Lace (or lace effect)
Fine and delicate, lace throws look amazing, adding instant femininity and charm to any room’s décor. If they are made from the correct thread and fabric they are surprisingly sturdy too, despite looking as though they have been woven from spiders’ silk by fairies!

 Bed Throws: Shabby Chic
A wonderful way to fill a room with cosy appeal is to add elements of shabby chic. Shabby chic throws can be sweetly floral, chunky warm knit or charming, old-fashioned patchwork, meaning that you can find the perfect throw to add shabby chic to any room, no matter the current colour scheme or décor theme.

 

 Smooth and Elegant

If you are something of a perfectionist, wanting everything in the room to look immaculate and precise, choose a smooth and elegant set of throws. Tweed throws, with perhaps a tasselled edging look marvellous, adding a very rich air to the bed or sofa, and they are sturdy and durable, sure to last many years.

Sensual Faux Fur

For decadent tactile luxury, opt for a sensuous faux fur throw, preferably on your bed, so that you can roll yourself up in it and enjoy the wonderful sensation of being caressed by the fabric. You can choose from quirky vibrant colours, or opt for more natural and neutral shades, or even invest in animal print faux fur throws for a more authentic experience.

Size Does Matter!

Invest in generously sized throws to add extra cosiness to the decor, being able to fold, swathe and drape your throws gives the décor a comforting invitation that is hard to resist. Smaller throws that just cover the knees seem skimpy and mean which can make the room seem sparsely furnished and unwelcoming.

Matching Cushions
Cushions go with throws like Ant goes with Dec! Buying matching cushions and throws, especially if they pick up and enhance the décor’s accent colour, can really finalise and polish the rooms overall look and feel, making it inviting and warm.

Splash of Colour

One of the best uses for a throw in décor is to add a splash of colour to the room, brightening and enlivening the décor. Opt for cheerful, clear colours that harmonise and accent the other colours in the room to infuse a cheerful note into the home.

Throws are a wonderfully cheap way of making small, subtle, but noticeable changes to your décor, making them the perfect tool for someone who is constantly tweaking and updating their home. Buy a good range of throws in many different colours to enable you make the most of your home.

Thanks so much Kathy Joe!! Now, go pretty up your rooms just in time for Valentine's Day! It will give you something warm and cozy to do while we're thawing out from this snow!

A Crocheted Pillow

I've seen a few projects on Pinterest lately using a basket weave stitch...and they're beautiful!! It looks so fluffy and cozy, and I just had to try it out. I found THIS video on YouTube which clearly explains the stitch. I have never worked with "posts" while crocheting before so this was new to me, but simple enough, and the result was fantastic.

 

I had this yarn in my stash. It's Hometown USA by Lion Brand, and the color is Cambridge Tweed.

 

Although it's soft and fluffy and the color is completely gorgeous, I thought it was a little thick for this stitch. Next time I'll use a less bulky yarn. That being said...look at this texture!

 

Oh so pretty. I ran out of yarn so I didn't get to make a back, so I just slip-stitched this front panel to a pillow cover that I sewed up. It's just a chair pillow anyways, so doesn't need to be completely functional.

 

 

 

The color, the texture, is perfect. And looks so much more complicated than it is, That's the best kind of project right??

 

Maybe I'll dust off my crochet hooks more often. It's a nice "quiet time" activity, which may be why I haven't crocheted in a few years. My babies certainly keep me busy!

Bedroom Redo

It has been a loooong time since Hubby and I had a new "style". I painted our bedroom after we got married, in our wedding colors, and now we're tired of it. Don't get me wrong, sage green and brown are beautiful colors, and beautiful together, but after 5 1/2 years it started looking a little country.

I don't have "before" pictures of the room, because I was too excited to get started painting to think about it.

The new room is soothing, spa-like, and most importantly... more modern.

Ahhhhhh. Perfect.

We kept things simple with a few personal touches to make it "ours".

I took the back out of an old picture frame, and added a vinyl monogram to the glass. It really makes a statement in the room without being overpowering.

I hate lots of pillows on the bed. It's just more to pick up every morning and remove every night. I did make this little gem though. Of course...another monogram. Lucky for me, Hubby likes personalized things!

Just three pillows stand between me and my comfy sheets!

I wanted white curtains this time. Hubby thought I was nuts because we have a black cat, but so far they have stayed white with no extra effort from the vacuum.

Even better....they're made from inexpensive bed sheets!

We put out a few of our favorite frames with pictures and sentimental gifts.

Remember the Walk With Me Daddy tutorial?

When I walk into this room now it's peaceful. No more green, brown, dark curtains, blah blah blah.

Just a happy place.

In case you're interested, the bedding is Peyton by Pottery Barn Teen and the wall color (LOVE the gray!) is "Mountaintop"  by Olympic.

Cheerful Ornament Pillows

One of the quickest ways to add new personality to a piece of furniture, especially a couch or chair, is with a new pillow. But pillows can be SUPER expensive. Solution...pillow covers!! I've made lots of pillow covers in the past to give an instant facelift to our existing pillows. Then when we're ready for change, we take them off and try a new one. The covers fold neatly (and flat!) for easy storage, so no bulky pillows lying around. 

After giving new life to our front porch pillows , I wanted to make sure they didn't feel left out during the holidays. I wanted a Christmas pillow to join them. I found an old, unused pillow in a closet and decided it would be the "chosen one" to get the new pillow cover.

Continuing the obsession with my new embroidery machine, I used it to make these sweet little ornaments! The machine makes it easy to get clean and precise stitching on applique borders, but you could easily make this on your sewing machine! Cut out the ornament shapes you want, and use a zig zag stitch to attach them to your pillow cover fabric. Once the ornaments were sewn, I added some sparkly gold ric rac, and tied little red bows to finish off the look.

It's festive and sweet for this holiday season, and looks great nestled between my two new suede pillows. 

It doesn't take much time, or a lot of $$$ to make unique holiday decor.

If you have an embroidery machine and are wanting to make this exact pattern, I got the applique file from Applique Market.

Pillow Revamp

We're in the process of updating some of our "spaces" and trying to develop a new style. After lots of evaluation, we decided that our current color scheme and taste was a little "country". Not that there's anything wrong with that...it was just time for a change.

 

We have this sweet little couch that I LOVE to sit on and relax. It came with these pillows, that are kind of blah. The color is fine, the paisley is fine, but they're just not in keeping with the new color scheme.

 

Since we can't easily change the color of this couch, I thought we could do a quick pillow makeover.

 

 

MUCH BETTER

(It's amazing how the sun coming out affects the color of that couch! Yikes!)

 

 

I used my Brother PE770 Embroidery Machine to add an SC Palmetto and Moon, as well as our name to the pillows. I had lots of this buttery suede leftover from making Gray's Jacket a couple of years ago, and decided it was time to use some of it up.

 

These pillows are so much more personal and aren't as much of an eye-sore as the paisley pillows.

I love a quick and easy facelift!