Yesterday I showed you my favorite homemade Fall pillows that have been going strong for the third year now. But truth be told. I wanted something new too.
New pillows. So I stopped the procrastination and got on with it.
You see I had this stack of sweaters lying around in my craft room for at least a year.
I knew that I wanted to turn them into new pillows. I just hadn’t done it yet.
For a year…….
Three out of four were bought thrifting. Two out of four were even bought with the intention of turning them into pillows. Good intentions that stayed good intentions for over a year.
This rather ‘post-modern’ vest I bought with the idea that it would look good and quirky on me. When I got home I realized that even my homemade dress form couldn’t pull it off. So it was put on the pile of “to be repurposed”.
And that is where it stayed for a whole 12 months.
Yesterday I felt the wind of 31 Days of Getting Things Done! behind me, so I set out to start sewing.
I took a deep breath, reminded myself that I was just cutting up some old sweaters someone else threw away, and got on with it….
I took the pillow inserts into the dressing room and gave their new outfit a trial run.
Almost perfect fit. Just add a zipper in the side seam and sew things up.
Nice. Not perfect. But nice….
For the white pillow I lined the back with some fabric because the knit was so loose that it would have stretched all over the place. Then I attached that back to a front piece, sewed in a zipper and hand stitched that quirky wool fabric to the front.
It was a bit of a challenge this one. It was also the most fun to make. Isn’t that always the truth.
It turned out like a fun pillow. Nothing spectacular, just fun.
I think these two have become friends….
To be honest I didn’t even bother with a zipper on that big brown one. I just stitched it closed by hand. The fabric is so dark and forgiving that I could get away with real big stitches anyway.
Would I win a sewing contest with these? Definitely not.
Is this the most original project out there? Nope
But I am happy with finishing this project and I do like how the colors on my ‘new’ pillow are not the same, but kind of echo the colors on my old pillows.
Are these pillows perfect? No.
Do I care about that? NO!
Does it feel good to have finished this? YES!
While working on this project I realized it was my strive for perfection that had stopped me all this time.
The feeling I had to come up with something truly great and blogworthy kept me from simply turning these sweaters into the pillows they were destined to become.
I had let my wish to be original stop me from simply doing something creative.
It wasn’t until I let go of all those hyped up expectations that it actually felt good to sit behind my sewing machine and simply create something for my home.
Just because it is fun to do!
~~~~~~~~
Of course now I have a bunch of sweater scraps that are begging to be repurposed……
Katie says
Love the texture and patterns on these sweater pillows! Great idea!
cindy the cottage chick says
First of all the pillows are G.O.R.G.
Truly yummy and inviting! Secondly, I soooo hear you on feeling like it has to be absolutely original and absolutely perfect to be blog-worthy. I'm such a procrastinator too…for much the same reason.
Good on ya for saying out loud what you were feeling…I'm sure so many feel the same!
Alana in Canada says
They look absolutely wonderful–and even better–you got over being intimidated by the BLOGS. Isn't it awful? You know–I've never actually seen this done before–maybe, maybe I could do it too. (Someday. I've a backlog of my own to take care of at the moment!) Thanks for the inspiration to just GET ON WITH IT!
Sandi @ The Primitive Skate says
Wow! Love those pillows. What an awesome idea! Thanks for sharing!
Petite Michelle Louise says
i love the way they came out! such a pretty assortment! I made a few last year and need to tackle more now that i've seen yours! they look so cozy on a sofa or bed during the cold winter months.
Joyce - Quilted Nest says
I'm not sure that I strive for perfection – but I must think everything I do might get 'graded' by someone. 'something' keeps me from getting to the project list. I applaud you for 'just doing it'. You've inspired me.
♥ Sonny ♥ says
They are lovely and just looking at them will make winter warmer for you.
good job~!
Alaina says
I think your pillows look great. Funny thing, I was out last week and picked up a handful of shirts and sweaters to make into pillows too. Happy fall.
Sue says
Marianne, Your pillows turned out fantabulous! I really like the creamy colored one created out of that vest. For most of my life, I have been someone who believed that everything I did had to be 'perfection.' I've changed a little over the past year and have let things go. Why hold myself to standards that will drive me nuts?! LOL Glad you are happy with your works of art! 🙂 Sue
Angie @ The Country Chic Cottage says
Too cute as always Marianne!! 🙂
Jessica says
umm. i really don't know what you're talking about when you say "nothing spectacular" because that is basically the opposite of the truth. the crocheted-looking pillow is absolutely spectacular!! it looks like a super expensive high end pottery barn pillow. i'm really not kidding here. i will seriously pay you to make me one. that is how much i adore this pillow. i want like, 8 of them. you're crazy. you did an absolutely perfect, wonderful, beautiful job.
i am so jealous of this pillow! i need one like it…! : )
Marianne says
Mooi en apart. Zo'n kussen heeft niemand.
Ben benieuwd naar de kast. Zit hij ook in deze serie? Grijs is op dit moment erg in, wellicht een leuk idee voor de binnenkant (?)
Anonymous says
I found your blog through Centsational Girl. Thank you so much for entitling it, "Letting Go of Perfection." You are an inspiration to me!! I am also a perfectionist who is putting off a lot of projects that are *supposed* to be fun, but I keep on thinking that I'm going to fail, or that it won't be *perfect,* so they just sit around. Ugh. Thank you so much for showing your pillows! I especially love the crocheted/thrift store vest pillow. It's beautiful!
Tattered & Timeless says
They look so cozy..now you just need a cup of hot chocolate and a good chick flick and snuggle down in them and have a nice evening.
tammy
Tattered & Timeless says
They look so cozy..now you just need a cup of hot chocolate and a good chick flick and snuggle down in them and have a nice evening.
tammy
Tattered & Timeless says
They look so cozy..now you just need a cup of hot chocolate and a good chick flick and snuggle down in them and have a nice evening.
tammy
Tattered & Timeless says
They look so cozy..now you just need a cup of hot chocolate and a good chick flick and snuggle down in them and have a nice evening.
tammy
The Nester says
such a fantastic post on so many levels, perfection can stop us even before we can begin–I can so relate to that too!