Sewing expert Linda Lee of the Sewing Workshop in San Francisco explains how she made beautiful heirloom pillows from her grandmother's vintage linens. Antique tablecloths, tea towels and table runners may be used to cover pillows, and often they can be used just the way they are, without being cut, so later they can be used again as originally intended. To turn a table runner into a pillow cover, fold one end of the runner about two-thirds of the way up (figure A), sew the side seams, and tuck a pillow form into the sewn pocket. Fold the top of the runner over the end of the pillow as a flap. If the runner has an embroidered end, use it to make an especially pretty flap (figure B). To cover a small bolster, fit a small tablecloth around it, and gather the ends (figure C). Thread seam tape through a big tapestry needle, and lace it through the ends as a gathering thread, or make your own customized cording. Use a tool called a spinster to twist favorite thread colors together into customized cording to add a special touch to draw up the end of a pillow (figure D). To cover a pillow with a tablecloth, lay the tablecloth out flat in a diamond shape, and lay the pillow squarely on it. Bring the four corners of the tablecloth to the middle of the pillow, and tack in place by hand (figure E). Cover the middle with a vintage button, or embellish it with a pretty ribbon rosette. A ribbon rosette may be made with wire-edged ribbon. Pull the wire to gather the edge of the ribbon, and form it into a circle. Wrap the gathered ribbon around two or three times, hand-stitch together, and add a button at the middle (figure F ).
RESOURCES :
Linda Lee, Sewing Expert
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
