At Home with Papertrey...

 

 

Can you keep a secret?

Because this post is full of holiday-sensitive information.

A certain 7 year old girl can't hear boo about this.  Got it?

This certain 7 year old has been wanting to re-do her room in a bad way.  While I'm still loving the pink and green toile wallpaper with scenes of adorable little bunnies playing see-saw and having picnics, she says she hates (light) green and pink.  And the bunnies are creepy.  Hello.  Creepy?  humph.

I suppose...it's time for mama to admit that she's outgrowing it a bit and it's probably time for something a little more grown up.  She wants...and I quote..."rainbow colors and polka dots." 

So... for Christmas she's getting new bedding...

 

some of these...

 (photo courtesy of Pottery Barn)

Some new shelving and a desk area...

 (photo courtesy of The Container Store)

Oh, and the bunnies will be torn down and replaced with...something.  Not sure what yet.  Possibly a bright pink like the picture above.  Maybe white.  We're still thinking. 

So, I thought it would be fun to create some throw pillows and accessories for her new room.  She loves cute pillows, and she's also been bugging me to make a banner for her room.  I decided to put some of my Papertrey dies to work and I created this little ensemble of three pillows and a banner.  First I'll show you the goodies, and then I'll give you some how-tos to tips for using fabric with your dies.

(Notice the cute wall paper in the background?  I know....I still think it's cute.  I picked it out before we even knew we were having a girl.  sniff.  Bye-bye bunnies.)

Rainbow colors? 

Check! 

Polka dots? 

Check!

This first pillow is covered in a rainbow of felt scallops that I cut using Papertrey's felt and their Large Scallop Border die.  I'll show you some step-by-steps a little later in the post... 

 

This next pillow was made using the new Bloom Builders #1 die.  It's just fun and happy, kind of like a certain 7 year old I know.

 

I cut the flowers from all different polka dot fabrics.  I tacked the centers by hand first, then used my sewing machine to stitch each petal into place with a few back and forth stitches.

 

I also created a fun fabric rick-rack edging using the Jumbo Rick-rack Border die.

 

And this last pillow doesn't use any of the Papertrey dies, but I thought I'd show you anyway!  I cut the peace sign with my Cricut (designed with my Gypsy using plain old circles and rectangles!).

 

And lastly, I created a banner.  I diecut the banners using Papertrey's Basic Banners die.  More about that in a bit!

 

Now for some tips for creating your own fabirc projects using die cuts.  The two main types of backings/stabilizers I use are Ultra Heat n' Bond by Therm-o-web, and Craft Fuse by Pellon.

If you want to be able to iron your diecut onto another surface, use Heat n' Bond...it acts as a sort of adhesive.  It's also what you want to use if you're going to cut fabric with your Cricut.  It's the only thing I've found that gives the fabric enough stability for the blade on the Cricut to cut properly. 

If you don't need to adhere/iron your diecut onto another fabric, but you just need some added stability, you will want to use the Craft Fuse.  It's basically just an interfacing that gives the fabric some stiffness and body.

To prepare my fabrics for cutting the flowers and banner shapes, I cut 5" wide strips of fabric and 5" strips of Craft Fuse.  I ironed the Craft Fuse to the backs of the fabrics so I had a whole stack of different fabrics to diecut from.

 

For my banner, I just diecut the banner shapes from the fabrics prepared with Craft Fuse and stitched them all together across the tops, feeding them through my machine one right after the other so it's like a big, long chain.  That way when we put up her banner, we can easily snip it apart if she wants to use it in a few places throughout her room instead of in one big long piece.

 
The blooms for the Bloom Builder pillow were also cut with the Craft Fused fabrics.  They are nice and crisp and should hold up pretty well.  The rick-rack trim was also made using the Craft Fuse.

 
 

Now for a step-by-step on the scallop pillow.  This pillow uses felt, which of course requires no backing because it is nice and firm and won't fray.  I started off by cutting a 9" square of white fabrice and 12 scallop borders (2 of each of 6 different colors).

 

Then, starting at the bottom of my fabric square, leaving about 1/2" of white fabric showing along the bottom edge, I started stitching my felt strips, one on top of the other.

 

I continues stitching until all of my strips were used up.

Then I went back and trimmed it down to an 8 x 8" square, leaving just a bit of excess below my last strip so I would have something to stitch onto without catching the scallops in the seam.

 

Then I stitched 4" strips to the top and bottom edges.

...and some 4" strips to the sides... 

 

And that's the front for my pillow!  I stitched it to some soft minky fabric for the backing using my favorite slip-cover method and stuffed it with a pillow form.  Here is a great tutorial for how to make a slip cover pillow.

I have had so much fun creating these fun, colorful projects...I've got lots of fabric leftover, so I'm thinking my other daughter is going to be getting some pillows too!  Looks like I'd better get busy if I'm going to have them finished before Christmas!  I hope you're enjoying this holiday season.  I'm hoping to pop in next week with a fun miscellaneous crafting post...you'd be surprised at the things you can create with basic crafty stuff.  hee!  See you soon.

Comments

[Debbie Olson]

Oh, Betsy, you're amazing. . . . Good thing my ten year old doesn't know you--he'd want to trade me in! ;-D

[Kate aka stinkydudette]

Awesome!! I would want her room too!! Lots of color!!

[Ashley Cannon Newell]

This is absolutely fabulous, Betsy! I love everything about this project from the colors to the design concept, it is truly amazing!

[Sarah Martina]

Oh my goodness this is gorgeous! You definitely get the coolest mom award this Christmas! ;) I need to show my DD this... then again, if I do, it'll be all she talks about! Love it! TFS!

[Eveline van Heijst]

Did somebody ever told you that you're brilliant? If not, I'm telling you now. These pillows are wonderful and thanks for showing the how-to.
Keep a little bit of the wall paper when you start taking it of the walls and keep it for old times sake.
Eveline.

[Sabrina]

Wow! She's just going to love her room and what you've all done. Those pillows! Fantastic! You did a great job on them and she's going to love that you made them for her. A most wonderful Christmas gift.

[Angy]

Betsy, that is fabulous and I promise not to tell. She is going to squeal in amazement and give you big hugs and kisses for sure! I bet she would love the pink wall behind her shelves! What a treat! You are a sweet momma...

[Sandra K.]

The pillows and banner are gorgeous! I'm still decorating my girls room. The base is still pink (lucky me) but want the rainbowcolors too. They are 6 and 7 and just got there new loft beds. They have lots of teaparties in their bedroom so a banner is a great idea!
Thank you for showing the how-to.

Sandra

[Gemma Corner]

Ok, I'm 29 and sort of hoping you'll surprise me with a room makeover?.....No, I'm not kidding and never growing up lol

[Melissa Ladd]

Wow! All of the pillows and banners are gorgeous!!! What a lucky little girl!

[Robbie]

Oh my gosh!!! How adorable is this??? Can I be your "big" daughter!!!! I want exactly what she does...

[Charlene]

Fabulous...can you come and do my room?

[ValerieC]

AWESOME!!!!!! Seriously awesome! I love it and so will she!

[Donna]

Looks wonderful...she'll love it!

[freckleface]

I love the colours and I love the projects... Lucky little girl indeed! I definitely need more time in my life!

[Sue Ann]

She is going to be smiling from ear to ear when she sees all the goodies you created. It should be Paper Scissors and SuperMOM!!!!

[Jane]

speechless!!!!!!!!!!

[Wendy]

OMG!! She is going to love it. I have a 7 year old granddaughter and they have similar taste. The peace sign pillow is the bomb.

[Martha S.]

GET OUT! These pillows are DARLING!!!

[Lisette Gibbons]

How inspiring is this. Wow! Martha Stewart watch your back, you have some serious competition. Amazing! I'm sure Potterybarn would love to sell these by the bunch.

[~amy~]

c-r-a-z-y--c-u-t-e!!!!

[Morag]

You rock in the mother department!! Beautiful and FUN projects... should see her to at least 15 ;-)

[LuAnn]

this is absolutely wonderful! and very inspiring!

[Kelly Schirmer]

Oh my Mom could sew and gave me a total room makeover for my 12th birthday (also in December!. Your post made me smile...I chose a pink and purple theme at the time!!Your projects are stunning, this room is going to be so awesome! That flower pillow, WOW oh WOW! I am afraid when the Pottery Barn sunflowers I chose for my girls' nursery will be replaced by ICarly or Hannah Montana or something. For now, I just try to steer them out of the bedding aisles in the stores!!!

[Lennie]

This is the cutest stuff I have seen in a long time. You rock! I would love to see a picture of your 7 yr. old's face when she sees her new room!