my ongoing pillow project: the search for fabric
I intend to recover my throw pillows sometime this year. I know a year is a very large window, but I don’t like to stress myself out with deadlines. It’s not the actual sewing I’m concerned with; I’m a decent sewer, and if I dig my sewing machine out from the hall closet, the recovering will really take no time at all. The large window of time is to accommodate my search for the perfect fabric for the project. I love this zip code pillow from CB2, and while I’m not fully ready to commit, I think it has inspired me to find skyline fabric for my pillows. A quick search uncovered this colorful cityscape fabric. What do you think? –Erica P.
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vintage fixing: re-webbing a patio chair
I’m a huge fan of traditional webbed patio chairs, but they can be hard to find these days. The only stores I’ve seen them regularly in person are True Value Hardware stores, where I’ve also spotted re-webbing materials (Frost King seems to have the market cornered on those). I’ve also seen them at the DoItBest site. But here’s the rub: the new chairs are usually webbed in boring colors like brown or forest green. That’s why, for the past few years, I’ve found my own webbing online (searching for “chair webbing” or “re-web kit” on Google or eBay) and used it to re-web vintage or discarded webbed chairs I’ve found at yard sales or on the street. Re-webbing is easy — believe me, I wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t — though, like any DIY, it can be a little tedious. Click the link for the webbing how-to’s — I’ll keep things as simple as possible. –Mary T. (more…)
kinda genius: reusable sandwich wrappers
If you like to make sandwiches, you can make yourself a sandwich wrapper — Betz White has a tutorial on making a washable wrapper that will keep your BLT separate from your Cheetos. It looks nice and simple, but if you’d prefer that someone else does the work for you, check out these very cute versions by chez sucre schez. For $8.75 you can get a buttoning wrapper made of translucent oilcloth or hip faux bois. Just one more way to add a little green to your lunch. –Mary T.
a portable city: build your own chicago
You don’t have to be a Rockefeller to build a city. Build Your Own Chicago flat-packs paper versions of Chicago icons, $1.50 or 25 for $36. These mini streetscapes are perfect for artful arrangements on bare mantles or bookshelves and could come in handy for those servants of the Second City particularly prone to homesickness. I’ll be ordering a mini Wrigley Field to slip into my carry-on for long trips. If you’re unsure of your paper-building skills, there are a few free models online for practice. –Katie D.
stitch wars: star wars gets crafty
Like your Wookiees extra fuzzy? Think Princess Leia’s weird hairdo would be enhanced with bunny ears? Then check out Stitch Wars, the handmade tribute to Star Wars at Lauderhill, Florida’s Bear and Bird Gallery. With work by artists like Yummy Candy, John Lacko, and Pinkypunk, Stitch Wars is full of fun interpretations of Star Wars characters. Many of the works have been sold, but you can still buy from quite a selection at the Bear and Bird site (I kind of like this pillow — though OMG they misspelled “Wookiee”). You can also view the entire exhibition on Flickr. And as the gallery owners themselves say, may the farce be with you. –Mary T.
