A Case in the Mail
This past Tuesday, I found the cutest fabric at Ben Franklin. It's International Harvester and Farmall tractor fabric. I've seen generic tractor fabric and John Deere, but not IH and Farmall.
My father-in-law is a big tractor buff. He owned a red Farmall that would be vintage, if not a true antique. He and Byron like to go to tractor pulls whenever they get a chance.
I started scheming about what I needed to buy to make a quilt top of the prints. After pulling down several bolts and make a general mess of their small fabric department, I realized a new quilt would be adding to my already-too-long backlogged project list. Pillowcases! That was doable.
I bought a couple of yards of one print with six-inch squares with big tractors in each square. My favorite print was only available in FQ's. I bought all they had: two...
Two fat quarters were enough to make the top of the pillowcases. I bought some red hour glass fabric from the Jim Shore line for a decorative trim. The pattern mix was kind of busy. But I knew he would like them, especially the writing part.
When I got home, I did something totally uncharacteristic. I immediately started on the project! An hour later, I had two pillowcases all done! I mailed them first thing on Wednesday morning. He received them on Friday. In the note I included, I said, " I really wanted to make a quilt for you from this, but you know how big projects sometimes go. As you are enjoying these pillowcases, know that in my heart, they are a quilt!"
I used Robin Gallagher's tutorial to make the pillowcases. It's a great method that is fun and well-sewn. (FYI, there is a .PDF instruction sheet at her webite, as well as some other handy tutorials.)
FYI, Ben Franklin often sells quality fabric in flat folds for $3-4 a yard. I've bought fabric that I still see in the quilt shops for $9-11 per yard. Check it out!
This past Tuesday, I found the cutest fabric at Ben Franklin. It's International Harvester and Farmall tractor fabric. I've seen generic tractor fabric and John Deere, but not IH and Farmall.
My father-in-law is a big tractor buff. He owned a red Farmall that would be vintage, if not a true antique. He and Byron like to go to tractor pulls whenever they get a chance.
I started scheming about what I needed to buy to make a quilt top of the prints. After pulling down several bolts and make a general mess of their small fabric department, I realized a new quilt would be adding to my already-too-long backlogged project list. Pillowcases! That was doable.
I bought a couple of yards of one print with six-inch squares with big tractors in each square. My favorite print was only available in FQ's. I bought all they had: two...
Two fat quarters were enough to make the top of the pillowcases. I bought some red hour glass fabric from the Jim Shore line for a decorative trim. The pattern mix was kind of busy. But I knew he would like them, especially the writing part.
I used Robin Gallagher's tutorial to make the pillowcases. It's a great method that is fun and well-sewn. (FYI, there is a .PDF instruction sheet at her webite, as well as some other handy tutorials.)
FYI, Ben Franklin often sells quality fabric in flat folds for $3-4 a yard. I've bought fabric that I still see in the quilt shops for $9-11 per yard. Check it out!
Ohhhhh your lucky father-in-law. I am sure he is thrilled to have these handcrafted pillowcases!
ReplyDeleteLovely!
and bonks, of course