Every season I find myself in the same crisis of conscience. I'm standing in Target's holiday festivities aisle, drooling over the whimsical and the pricey, coaching myself out of a debit card workout tanking up on quick decorations. Holiday pillows are the biggest of conflict! I love to put a few pillows out on the front porch rocker but at $15-$30 a pop- that can get pricey FAST!
Even if I decide to go for it, once the cart is full ,the crafter in me starts the internal lecture! "Oh LOOK at those seams! They don't match up!" Or the ever popular, "Good night I reckon!!! Could China spare the measley amount of stuffing!!?"
Then I spy the placemats and my crafty side gets giddy!!
$14.99 for the crappy and smaller pillow or $2.99 for the larger placemat with the same graphic? It's a no-brainer!! I buy 2 placemats and thumb my nose at the limp pillows.
Sitting in front of the Notre Dame football game, I get to work transforming the placemeats to pillows.
1. Pin placemat face down to Burlap
2. Cut around pillow, machine stitch
3. Leave fist sized opening for turning
4. Turn rightside out, stuff with rags
5. hand stitch opening closed and ENJOY!
I was done with 2 Halloween pillows before Notre Dame sealed the deal defeating Miami!
Does this make me design savvy? Or does it just mean I'm cheap? I like to think it's my way of skirting the big box retailer and saving more pennies to buy handmade in the USA!
LOVE & PRETTY PILLOWS!!
Wait till these placemats hit the clearance table after Halloween! I might have to make matching curtains!
Posted by: Hand of Bela Peck | 10/16/2012 at 06:42 AM
You're not cheap, you are crafty and oh, so talented! Good on you for looking outside the 'er, placemat to make your fabulous pillows. Deb (apologies if this posts twice, Google is not playing nice with Typepad!)
Posted by: Deb Paxton Valley Folk Art | 10/15/2012 at 11:51 PM
Cheap?? ha ha NO! You are just smarter than most and know how to do it girllll! Nice tea towels also make great pillows :)
Posted by: Account Deleted | 10/15/2012 at 03:21 PM
Cheap? Heck no! You're a scintillating artist with taste, talent, heart and conscience.
Posted by: A Facebook User | 10/15/2012 at 11:05 AM