The Adventures of Pam & Frank |
| Posted: 08 May 2009 03:03 PM PDT This isn't really a tutorial, but I wanted to invite you into my sewing studio to show you how I made a new cover for my dad's lumbar cushion. He uses this in his car and the old cover was falling apart. He couldn't find a replacement to buy, so I offered to make him a new cover. (I'd never made anything like this before but figured I could copy the old one.) Anyway, here's a step by step to show you what I did - maybe you can use this inspiration to turn a much-loved beat-up item into an ego-boosting craft project. (Nothing like a successful first attempt to boost the ol' self confidence...)  Supplies, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Supplies:  The old cover was methodically disassembled, originally uploaded by passitonplates. The old cover was methodically disassembled. Anal retentive planning: If I didn't number the old pieces as I separated them, I would have ended up with a two-headed giraffe instead of a lumbar seat cushion.  Making the new pattern, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Making the new pattern: Each numbered piece was traced onto the grocery bag, then cut out.  Laying out the pattern pieces, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Laying out the pattern pieces.  Everything needs to be pinned, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Everything needs to be pinned.
Ready to cut. This is the pin cushion my mom used when I was a little kid. She sewed all my clothes when I was in kindergarten and first grade, made all of my many Halloween costumes, taught me how to sew, and helps me figure things out when I get in a jam. She's the one who came up with the first bonnet-style PlateWrap prototype. Before the round cover with the elastic band, I was working on a quilt-like square thing that wrapped up the plate like it was a baby bunting. It was labor intensive, used a ton of fabric, and would have been priced way beyond reason. Mom's bonnet style cut way down on fabric and labor. Plus they're a lot easier to slip on the plate. My mom is smart.  I wrote notes to myself on the pattern pieces, originally uploaded by passitonplates. I wrote notes to myself on the pattern pieces.
When I pulled the serger out, I realized it was threaded with white and beige threads. Better switch the white for black. (I had a limited supply of colors at the moment.) I know this doesn't have anything to do with the cushioin cover, but since it was part of this particular project, I wanted to show you what I needed to do. To switch the threads, I snipped the white thread and tied it to the black thread...  Draw the threads through the eyes, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Slowly and carefully the threads were pulled though the eyes until they reached the eyes in the upper and lower arms ...  Green green, blue blue, darnit. Where are the tweezers?, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Green green, blue blue, darnit. Where are the tweezers? I now have 14 grey hairs because of this step ...  Thread's pulled through. Hope it works!, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Thread's pulled through. Hope it works!  Whew - it chains!, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Whew - it chains! Once I started sewing, I decided it needed some kind of embellishment. Since this cushion is my dad's he wouldn't like anything too frou-frou, so I went with a subtle stencilled monogram. Clean and masculine. Without any special stencilling supplies, I was able to get a nice image from some heavy paper and craft paint. I just dug into my paper drawer... (Yes, I have a paper drawer. It's full.)  Use heavy paper for a stencil, originally uploaded by passitonplates. You're going to love how easy it was to make this stencil. 1. I opened up a Word document and found a font I liked. I wanted to make sure it was heavy without a lot of fine detail so it would be easy to cut. 2. After typing the letter I wanted to stencil, I enlarged the font to the size I wanted to use, then test printed it on regular paper. 3. When I had the size just right, I put a sheet of card stock in my printer and printed the letter on it. 4. I couldn't find my exacto knife, so I put the paper on a kitchen cutting board, grabbed a sharp paring knife from the kitchen and traced over the letter outline with the point of the blade. (Is that cheating?)  Testing the colors and technique, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Now it's time to testing the colors and technique. I used the cut out N on a fabric scrap to make sure everything will turn out the way I see it in my head.  Subtle. That's perfect., originally uploaded by passitonplates. Subtle. That's perfect.  Align the stencil and start dabbing and painting, originally uploaded by passitonplates. Next I aligned the stencil and started dabbing and painting. This is just on the front piece. I didn't attach it to the back yet because it needed to lay flat while I painted it.  Stencilled "N", originally uploaded by passitonplates. Here's the stencilled N. Next, I sewed the back to the front, turned it right side out, fought to cram the cushion into the cover (quite a snug fit, which is what I wanted) and call dad to let him know it's ready. The tan stitching shows on all the seams, which looks tacky in the photo. When you look at it in person, the stitching actually adds to the charm and makes it look a little more rugged. Dad loved it.      |
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