Sewing with mom... and Hopalong Jack

      Mom has been staying with me for a few weeks. She is 87 years old and still sews a mean stitch.

We pulled out 2 sewing machines, one which James had purchased for $15 from a Goodwill .(He searches second-hand stores for speakers, I don't know why he wants so many speakers...) When he brought home this little Singer, I wondered what he was thinking as I was quite fond of my old Kenmore I'd had for 30 years, and did not have a use for 2 machines.But this week, mom and I were able to put them both to use.

 Dueling Sewing Machines

I wanted to make cushion covers for my outside porch wicker chairs using fabric from "Hopalong Jack and the Blue Bunnies", my first book. There have been 3 things I always wanted to see my artwork applied to: Good quality fabric, nice puzzles and Tea SETS. I have the fabric and puzzles, but no tea sets as yet.

.

I've been saving this fabric for years knowing that one day I would find just the right project for it.

At the time of the fabric's release, I acquired a bolt of each pattern. It is quilt material made by Northcott and is very soft and beautiful.

The fabrics came from the pages of my book.

Choosing which patterns to coordinate and use, is going to be fun. I am excited about sewing with my own fabric for the first time.

 I am constantly on the lookout for floral cushions which DO NOT feature tropical flowers (which is all I ever find for outdoor furniture). I want COTTAGE garden flowers on my cushions.

This is my favorite pattern and we'll use it for 2 seat-covers. It has Foxgloves, Dianthus, Daisies and Coneflowers, all old-fashioned cottage garden flowers.

The Morning Glories pattern will be perfect, too.

The basket weave came in four different colors. We used the green and the  pink for the ruffles.

  

And we made the slipcovers reversible so that I could have several options to mix and match.

 

.

 How lovely these will be when I am able to put them out in the Springtime. Fresh new slipcovers for the porch.

 Since the sewing machines were already out, and I had an OLD ripped quilt that had seen better days, we decided to recycle it as cushion covers for the porch's wicker couch.

This was one of those inexpensive Wallmart quilts (king size) that has given me many years of service. I don't feel guilty about snipping into it. I would never cut up an antique quilt or a  hand-made artist quilt.

We got 7 slipcovers out of this king size quilt! Sewing with my mom was  lovely. I learned to sew when I was quite young, on her 1955 singer. I loved that little machine.I used to make many of my clothes in high-school because we couldn't afford department store clothing.  Hmmm, maybe we should make some summer blouses while we're  at it. NAH! Give mom a break. Thanks mom!

Wishing all of you a remarkable NEW YEAR!
 2014