Embroidered Pillow

I finished two pillows for our new couch this weekend!  I wanted to try some embroidery, so I thought a pillow would be a simple first project.  I searched for a pattern with a bible verse and birds.  I found the perfect one at Elefantz.  I plan on making at least one more matching pillow, and I think I'd like to crochet or knit another one.  I saw one at Pottery Barn that was beautiful.

I did notice one mistake I made...  I spelled Jeremiah wrong!  Too late to fix it now, so it will have to just be a quark that my family laughs about...  (I checked the original pattern, it's correct on there, I have no idea how I messed it up).

The white fabric used for the embroidery was actually an old shirt!  The other fabric I found at JoAnn's.  I found some pink piping (from 1979!) at the thrift store for 50 cents, which covered with my own blue fabric.  I also found the small pillow form at a thrift store, and the larger pillow form came from one in my bedroom that I wasn't really using anymore.  So in total, I should be able to make 4 pillows for $13!  I should have taken more pictures and put a tutorial together for you on how to make a pillow slipcover, and how to recover piping...  I'll try to when I make my next one!

I really love this bird fabric I found!  I'm trying to slowly redo my living room, adding in birds and the color blue!  I also found a nice sign to hang on the wall at the same thrift store!  I've been blessed lately with good deals!

Quick and Simple Clothes Alterations

Rebekah has been growing!  She put this shirt on the other day and it was so low cut I had to make her take it off.  She was very mad at me, but I was able to quickly fix it by adding a small piece of black knit fabric.  I just hemmed a small rectangle on one side, then pinned and sewed it into the shirt following the seam that was already there (to hold the lace on).  I cut off the excess on the inside (knit fabric won't fray when you cut it!).  Quick and simple fix for a too-low shirt!

She is so slender that this skirt wouldn't stay on her hips!  I added two darts in the back to help it stay on.  I wish it would have been one of those with the adjustable elastic waistband in it!  Did you notice that this skirt is a 4T and the shirt was a 6T???  The sizes of kids clothes sure do frustrate me!  I think the skirt should have been a 6T instead, and the shirt a 4T!

It is such a blessing to be able to make these simple alterations to clothes, especially for the kids stuff that they outgrow so quickly!  I know I've been able to save quite a bit by not having to buy new things all the time!  Do you have any tips to share?  I'd love to hear them!