Make Pillow Shams from Vintage Linens
"A stitch in time…."
A stitch back in time.
Picture this...a young girl carefully chooses the colored floss from her carpet bag. Shades of purple, yellow and green. She threads the needle, pulling and making a knot. Picks up her embroidery ring and begins her next masterpiece. A small dresser scarf measuring only 11 x 15, dotted with dainty flowers on white linen.
It doesn't take her long as she is skilled, having learned to work a needle from her grandmother. Once completed she proudly spreads the cloth on her dresser, on it it places her perfume atomizer, steps back and smiles.
Somehow this small work of art survives the ravages of time and ends up in your hands. What ya' gonna do with it?
(you aren't going to leave it in your stash are you?)
You are going to make a easy sham pillow & I am going to show you how!
So go dig into your stash of vintage linens and come right back.
If you don't have any on hand, they are easy enough to come by at flea markets or estate sales. I'll wait...
Yours will be a no zipper, 3 piece sham pillow. The insert will tuck between the overlapping back pieces…so easy!
MATERIALS:
- a vintage linen piece
- fabric for the back
- optional trim
- thread & pins
- iron
- pillow insert (1 to 2 inches bigger then your fabric pieces)
STEPS:
- chose your vintage piece to fit the size of your pillow insert or cut a piece to size
- cut the fabric for the back the same height as the vintage piece, but 6 inches wider
- fold the back piece in half the short way & iron
- cut the back piece along the iron crease
- on the cut edge of each turn under .25 inch & iron, then do the same again ~ so there is a nice hem on each
- layer fabric with right sides facing and edges aligned
- pin vintage piece to over lapping back pieces
- sew all the way around
- if using trim make sure the trim is sandwiched between the front & back before sewing
- turn pillow right side out
- tuck in the insert
Someone else stepped back & smiled today when I placed this pillow on her bed...
You guessed it, Lara! This is the first of several vintage toss pillows I plan to make for her 'new' room.
Pin this to share the instructions on how to make pillow shams if you wouldn't mind.
I'd like to have a part in getting vintage handmade linens out of stashes, bins & boxes and once again making someone smile...
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Pillows are a bit of an obsession for us at Decorating Tips & Tricks ~ the podcast. Click the little arrow below to listen or find us on itunes & subscribe!
** Kelly **