Nautical Bedroom Update- Chair Cover

Part of my spring cleaning was clearing out the clothes that no longer fit the kids. 

That led me to this sweater... my son loved it when he was in his pirate phase.

At first I thought I'd make another throw pillow- 

I started by turning it inside out and stitching with some gray thread...

That's when I realized it was going to be an odd shape, or would have some weird detailing at the corners.

So, I rounded the top and then cut off the excess material...

and turned it right-side out.

I decided to make it into a chair cover for the desk chair!

Who knows... it still may become a pillow someday... we'll see!

Pillow from Placemats!

While getting some spring cleaning done, I came up with a few projects to update the kids' bedrooms...

The first was for our oldest son's nautical theme bedroom.  I found these placemats on clearance at The Christmas Tree Shop (for 88 cents each!) I thought they would make a cute throw pillow.

I found a tan colored thread and sewed down the edges by hand.

The sewing machine would have been quicker, but I'm still a bit intimidated by it!

One side sewn...

After sewing three sides together, I stuffed it with batting and closed up the fourth side.

I also picked up a set of similar placemats with a crab on them that I may also make into a pillow.

AFTER

BEFORE

I have another super quick sewing project to share tomorrow, 

and later in the week a small project for the airplane room!

Cushions for the yard

A few weeks ago, the boys got me a sewing machine for my birthday!
I am so excited to try all those sewing projects I pinned- but a little intimidated...


For my first project, I decided to make cushion covers for some of the outside wicker furniture- a love seat & chair that my mom picked up at a yard sale last year.  We thought it would make a cute little conversation area somewhere in the yard, but I wasn't crazy about the '80s floral print on the cushions.

Here's the before:

And here's the after:

The material has a think canvas-y feel.  It was only $3/yard at Walmart.
I like the tan, cranberry, salmon, black & green stripes- they kind of go with the colors of the house (without being too matchy-matchy)

I even did a little Velcro along the back, so I can remove & wash as needed.

I made the black pillow with some extra material I had laying around & added a little embellishments (a flower made from the scrap material from the cushion covers & some ribbon).
Mike thought our son made it... so maybe it isn't as cute as I thought! Ha Ha!

They're definitely not perfect, but not too bad for my first try at sewing!