Sequin Pillows

 When I was up at SewExpo this year, I found some of this sequin-flip fabric and I knew it would make my re-made quilt project shine. Perfect accessory for my son and his girlfriend.

What? You don't know about this sequin-flip fabric? I've been seeing it around in my IG feed and it's super fun to play with. Go ahead, write your stuff. With a flip of your hand, you can erase. The sequins are attached with a bigger circle punch to allow them to flip. This fabric is directional.

Once in my sewing room, I remembered my hobnail bedspread that I had meant to finish making more pillows from and I had even cut them out as 25" squares.

I decided to make them two of these pillows as well.

Well, actually, I was dithering on the sequin flip pillows. Should I do some big-ass piping around the perimeter? Should I piece the back with gingham to match the quilt? (big-ass brain)

Making the hobnail ones first allowed my over-active brain to calm it down and decide on simple zippered pillows.

I had to make the hobnail ones zippered as they are huge at 24". This size fits most modern day pillow cushy couches. I made one plain - hob nail on both sides so I could figure out the zipper (invisible). The second one has fringe and an invisible zipper as well.

The hobnail/chenille ones will be a decorating neutral with the smaller 20" sequin ones as the focus.

 You can see how the sequin ones go with the quilt backing.

For the sequin pillows I sewed the zippers at top. They aren't invisible but they are brown so they merge quite well. The bonus of keeping a large stash. Frankly, I didn't need to make zippered pillows as they aren't washable. You have to dry-clean those sequins. The flannel on the reverse will attract doggy hair. I could have just sewn them shut. But I had found the zippers in stash and I was on a zipper sewing spree.

I also sewed the sequin fabric to some cotton/poly fabric (stash) to help stabilize the slight stretch of the sequin fabric.

I used the rest of my red flannel quilt backing for the pillow backs. I had to piece the backs to get to 20" square. 
I could have made them elongated/rectangular but 20" and 24" pillow forms are much easier to find (and afford) than irregular sizes.

Even though I had these pillow forms in my stash, I plan to take just the covers when I visit in a few weeks. I plan to order the forms through Joann's or Hobby Lobby and have them ship them to the new house. Usually, I can find free shipping as well as a sale on pillow forms.

Easter Egg Puzzle Balls

I saw this craft on facebook and needed to do it. Let me caution you right now, its a messy, three-day craft that takes up space.

This is a stiff ball made of yarn. Inside is trapped a chocolate candy (or 2 or 3). How did the candy get inside?

Use up your odds & ends of yarn, dipped in glue mixture, wrap yarn  around water balloons filled with candy, let dry and then pop the balloon ---what could be easier?






For every balloon I managed to squiggle a candy into, another was torn.
The egg with three candies? I now  declare it the Golden Egg!

The yarn soaks up the glue & water mixture (equal parts) and as you wrap it around the egg, it drips glue everywhere. Not to mention the sodden mess of yarn that wants to glom up into a celtic knot. So you should put down a thousand layers of newspaper to soak up the puddles--haha,  cant give away all the tips.




Some tricks to get those candies into the balloon.
Blow up the water balloon first to stretch it out.  Pull the sides out to make it squeal as the air escapes for the delightment of the dog.
Pull the neck apart and 'roll' the balloon over the Hershey's Chocolate Egg. Rolo's also worked fairly easily. Hershey's Chocolate Kisses, good luck! not so well.
Once candy is seated, you need to blow air into the balloon to partially blow it back up.
Squeeze what you blew up and the candy will drop into the bottom of the balloon.

If you want more than one candy inside, you'll need to repeat this.








Let dry for ThreeDays!!!.
 Until stiff.

Pop the balloon and carefully extract the balloon rubbage which has a disconcerting way of wrapping around the candy and not letting go.




One for each of my co-workers and assorted nephews & nieces.