Saturday, March 31, 2012

PLAID ON PARADE

It's a fun week at the following blogs:  The PolohouseVignette Design,  Upstairs Downstairs, and Hyacinths for the Soul.         They are having a Tartan Day celebration to give us a chance to show off our plaids.  Be sure to stop by these wonderful blogs for a visit.  

A year or so ago, I did a post on my infatuation with plaid over the years -- you may view it by clicking here.

 When I go junk hunting, I look for wool plaid skirts in good condition which I can make into pillows. Most new Pendleton wools sell for about $40 per yard, but I have found skirts for under $10 that contain almost two yards of fabric.  My latest find was an authentic Royal Stewart Tartan according to the tag from Pendleton.
My method of operation is to completely deconstruct the skirt which sometimes takes longer than to actually make the pillow, which is O.K. as I have more time than money!  Once I have it in pieces of fabric, I wash them in Woolite, hang to dry, then steam out the wrinkles and/or pleat marks.
I was able to get two 12"x22" pillows from this skirt.  There wasn't enough fabric, however, to make a cording.  So I just made some using black twill, which frames the pillow well.
When out and about I also look for wool plaid travel blankets, but they are getting hard to find at a decent price.
Here are three more of the pillows I have made.  This is a pillow out of a piece of embroidery and a green plaid pleated Pendleton skirt.
Not a plaid, but a great check pillow made out of a Ralph Lauren wool skirt.
This red plaid was from a Ralph Lauren pleated skirt that had these great leather fasteners on it.
I enjoy making these pillows as it is sometimes a challenge to figure out how to match the plaids and make the size pillow I want from a finite piece of fabric.  Besides that quality wool just feels SO good!

19 comments:

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Sally...

What a talented lady you are, my friend! I love all of your pretty plaid pillows! I think the pillow with the embroidered piece about the "mountains" with the green plaid...is soo pretty! I know that a good wool plaid fabric is pretty pricey...so finding a piece of clothing is a great idea! Thanks for sharing your pretty plaids with us today!

How are you doing, my friend? I hope that you and your family are all doing well. Are you enjoying our nice spring weather? It's supposed to reach 83 at our place today...too hot for so early in the season. Hehe!

Love ya,
Chari

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Oh Sally your sewing is impeccable girl..I love it all..your too cleaver my friend..Hope you have a GREAT weekend..Hugs and smiles Gloria

Linda (More Fun Less Laundry) said...

Sally, you are so clever! What a great idea! Come to think of it, I have two travel blankets in tartan from when my kids were babies and they needed to be kept warm in their strollers! I wonder where I have tucked them? Now I am on a search for plaids at the thrift shops. Linda

Maggie said...

I love all your pillows, how creative you are and what a great post for the Tartan Parade!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful that you can make your own beautiful pillows. Happy Tartan Day! & Tartan Parade.
Pat

Sarah said...

I admire your talent! I've thought of doing the same, but never have followed through. Do you take special orders? ;-) These pillows are little treasures. I like the way you added the special accents to some of them.
Thanks for sharing this post in the Tartan Parade. I'm off to visit your other post. ~ Sarah

vignette design said...

What a great idea to make pillows out of tartan. You're so talented. I'm off to the flea market today in hopes of finding old travel blankets. Now I know what to do with them! Thanks for linking up to our Tartan Parade! ~Delores

Lynn said...

I love your pillows! I started buying clothes at yard sales and the Salvation Army to use as fabric a few years ago too, I just find the newer fabrics to be so cheaply made. Great idea:@)

Alison @ The Polohouse said...

These are amazing, Sally!
I wish you would sell these pillows... I would be a faithful customer for sure!

We had Christmas stockings made from vintage shirts, skirts, robes, etc. found at our local Goodwill a few years ago. There is GREAT plaid to be found in resale shops for sure!

Thanks for joining the parade. Love your post!

xox
A

Alycia Nichols said...

I think I may have owned that very style of Pendleton skirt back in the early 90s!!! I LOVED it! It really got a good work out over the years until I got too hefty to wear it. Wow...that really brings back wonderful memories! You have quite a talent, and the pillows look fabulous!!!

Stitchfork said...

What a brilliant idea Sally to make pillows from old skirts! Love the one with the leather fasteners!
xo Cathy

The French Hutch said...

I am wild for the pillow made from the skirt. Love the buckle. I have that skirt, or a similar one by RL hanging in my closet. One I just couldn't part with. Now I know what to do with it. I love your clever ideas for pillows, beautiful.

~Emily
The FrenchHutch

Marlis said...

Love your pillows!! I took my old kilt and made slippers.. although they have gone lost in the last move.. I am going to be looking for kilts and wool from now on.. thanks for the inspiration.. xo marlis

Debbie@Mountain Breaths said...

If I had tomorrow off, I would be driving around looking for old kilts and wool in the second hand stores! The pillow with the straps is wonderful!

bj said...

What a great idea...I don't know why I;ve not thought of this....but you can bet I will start looking. :))

Love your pillows.

Babs said...

LOVE, LOVE your pillows. You are so talented! I found a tartan skirt,(from Edinburgh),at GW and ripped it apart,but just used the larger part for a table topper. I like your idea of making pillows MUCH better. Thanks for sharing your great ideas. Happy Tartan Day!
Babs

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

Well, you are just too smart! How pretty those plaid pillows are. I love the buckles on that last one. Were they part of the skirt? laurie

Sue said...

Hi Sally...love the Ralph Lauren pillow...tempted to try that with my kilt that I posted on my blog...this is a fun linkie party....I love seeing all the plaids and I thought I had alot.....you will remember the dreaded mother of the bride dress....it's making an appearance tonight!

Elaine said...

I love plaid. Your pillows are fantastic! I especially love the green plaid from the Pendleton skirt. I remember my Mom had many plaid skirts from Pendleton.