A couple of knock-offs. . .

I really like long weekends!  Even though this one was very busy with the holiday and out-of-town family in visiting, I still managed to get a couple of projects done. 

A friend asked if I would make an apron for her little girl for a Christmas present.  She sent me a picture of an apron she liked and asked if I could make something similar.   Here is my version.  I think it turned out super cute!

And, I came across this skirt on Pinterest and thought it would be perfect for Allie for pictures.  I love everything about it. . .the color. . .the ruched waistband. . .the bow. . .the fact that it is made out of simple cotton fabric.  I bought 3 yards of gray quilting cotton and pulled out my Sew What Skirts book to draft the top part of the pattern.  Here it is, modelled by Allie's duct tape dress form from a few years ago, which is a few sizes too small.

I've never used a narrow hem foot since I don't have one, but as I hemmed the skirt and the bow, I found myself wishing for one.

I'm going to do the girls' pictures in gray, teal, and black outfits.  I can't wait!

The finished slipcover!

I finished this last night and love it.  My couch looks so much better!

And a pillow with the leftovers!

How hard can it be, right?

When it comes to all things crafty or diy, my general philosophy is "How hard can it be?"  If I can't find instructions or a tutorial for how to do it, I tend to think that I can figure it out.  So, I jumped into this project with both feet. . .as usual.

I've been seeing slipcovers made out of painter's canvas drop cloths all over the internet, and I was intrigued by the idea.  Our couch and one of the chairs in our living room was handed down to us by one of Bubba's aunts before we got married.  That was almost 10 years ago, and she had had them for awhile before then, so they have seen better days!  Structurally, they are actually in very good shape (no sagging or anything), but their upholstery has taken a beating over the years. 

So, I decided to go for it.  I bought 2 9'X15' drop cloths and ran them through the washer and dryer before getting started.  I haven't finished yet because I ran out of piping cording, so I will have to do the cushions when I get more.  But here are some pictures of the work in progress (without the cushions)!

My sister came over last night to help.  We pinned the drop cloth directly to the couch, smoothing it out as we went and adding an approximate (because I didn't measure) 5/8" SA to all edges that would be sewn to another piece. 



I took advantage of the existing hems and added piping.  It isn't perfect, but it is good for our first attempt!

With a pleat in the center front of the skirt.  (The looser fitting part that you see here is completely covered by the seat cushions.)

I will post finished pictures once I get the cushions done!