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Making pillowcases out of decorative fabrics is actually quite easy. You will find that this is a great project for beginners, as well as someone that has been sewing for quite a while. You will need a yard of fabric per pillowcase, and you if you want, when you are having your fabric measured and cut to purchase, you can ask them to cut the yardage in one yard increments. This will save you work when you get home, and most fabric stores are happy to do this for you. You will also need a serger, sewing machine, and thread that matches the fabric that you purchased. These instructions will make a pillowcase that will fit a queen or king size pillow. If you are wanting to make a pillowcase for a smaller pillow, you will need to cut your fabric accordingly.

1. Press Your Fabric

When you sew, you must press your fabric. This means dragging out the ironing board, and pressing your decorative fabric. Be careful not to stretch the fabric out of shape, and make sure that you are pressing and not ironing the fabric. Also, set your iron to the correct temp for the fabric that you purchased. You will not want to burn or scorch your fabric.

2. Cut Your Fabric

The next step for your pillowcases is to cut your decorative fabric. You will need a yard of fabric per pillowcase, if you had your fabric precut at the fabric store, you can skip this step, otherwise, you will need to measure out a yard, and cut it.

3. Fold Your Fabric

Next, you will want to fold your decorative fabric for your pillowcases in half. Selvage edge to selvage edge is the way that you should fold, and make sure the wrong side of the fabric is facing you. There is not any need to cut off the selvage edges, you can just chop them off with your serger as you sew that side together. But once you have folded your fabric in half, you might want to use a few pins. fabric is rather slippery, and you will find that you have more control over it if you pin it together. Make sure that you pin close to where you will want to serge, but not in the serging area. This will prevent you running over any pins and breaking your needle while you are sewing.

4. Serge the Selvage Edges of Your Fabric

Now you are ready to serge together the decorative fabric for your pillowcases. You will do this so that your serger will cut off the selvage edges, and your pins should guide you as where you will want to sew. Be sure that you sew straight so that you will not have a crooked pillowcase in the end.

5. Pin the Bottom

Next you will want to pin the bottom of the pillowcase together, so that you can serge the bottom of it closed. There are no selvage ends here to cut off while you sew, so you can determine where you would like to sew your line. Usually an inch from the raw edge is good.

6. Serge the Bottom Closed

Now you will go and serge the bottom of the fabric pillowcase closed. Be careful not to sew over pins as this will break your needle. Try to sew as straight as possible, and you will find that your pillowcase is coming together quite nicely.

7. Serge the Top

Now you will want to serge the raw edge at the top. Of course, you will not pin it closed, because you will need this end open to insert your pillow. Just take the fabric pillowcase to the serger, and serge the raw edges so that they will not unravel anymore.

8. Press A Cuff

Next you are going to take your pillowcase to the ironing board and press the top down so that you can sew a cuff onto it. This will look like a purchased fabric pillowcase once you are done, with a nice folded cuff and all. Usually about three inches is a good cuff length for a pillowcase. You will want to pin it down, so that the press will stay in, and you will know where you want to sew the cuff down at.

9. Sew the Cuff Down

Next you are ready to thread your sewing machine with the thread that matches your decorative fabrics. This stitch will be seen on the outside of the pillowcase, so you want to be sure that the thread matches or blends nicely. Carefully sew the cuff down on your machine, and try to sew as straight as possible. You will find that this seam is seen from the right side, and you want to make sure it looks nice.

10. Turn Right Side Out

Next you can turn your pillowcases right side out and insert a pillow because you are done. Be sure that you poke out the corners from the inside, and you will find that your pillow will fit inside of the case quite nicely.

Making pillowcases out of decorative fabrics is a lot of fun. If you love to sew, you should make a pillowcase or two for yourself or someone else. You will find that these make great wedding gifts, and you can give them to anyone for any special occasion. If you are giving them as a wedding gift, you can use white fabric, and embroider the names of the bride and groom as well as the date that they are getting married. Anyone that receives one as a gift will love it and cherish it for years to come.

If you’re looking for alternatives to pricey goodie bags, here are a few ideas that will make your guests–and wallet–happy.

Any Fun Party:

Take Polaroid photos of each guest with the birthday child, and decorate cardboard picture frames, or make frames with popsicle sticks.

Hawaiian Party:

Decorate inexpensive plastic sunglasses with artificial flowers. String together more artificial flowers for one-of- a-kind leis.

Royal Party:

Decorate paper crowns and make scepters from wooden dowels and plastic jewels.

Sleepover Party:

Decorate plastic light switch covers with stickers. Allow your young guests to embellish white pillowcases with fabric paints for a take-home sleepy surprise.

Spring or Garden Party:

Paint flower pots and include a pack of flower seeds for children to grow at home.

Survivor Party:

Send the children on a scavenger hunt equipped with compasses and trail mixes that they can make before the hunt. The compass will become a new favorite gadget, and the trail mix is a lot healthier that candy treats.

Tea Party:

Let the girls decorate straw hats with artificial flowers, which they can wear for the party, and later take home. Complete the party with candy necklaces.

Have fun!

There are many reasons why people love to crochet.

For one, crocheting is therapeutic. Because of its calming, rhythmic movements, many studies have shown positive results for people suffering from chronic depression, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and schizophrenia. Crocheting is also for common ordinary people who simply enjoy the feeling of accomplishing something with their after-work, idle time. Crocheting relieves stress and muscle tensions after a hard day at the office as crocheting easily takes your mind off from work and draws you deeper into a solitary hobby where you can collect your thoughts as you let your fingers and the crochet hook do their work.

Yarn colors also have positive effects on the eyes too. Colors in soft, fuzzy materials provide a diversion to the cold, hard and glaring screens of your office computers that you have been staring at for the whole day.

Aside from the psychological and emotional benefits of crocheting, it also provides material benefits. I have known three housewives who have gone into crocheting, first as a hobby, and then into business, making sweatshirts, shawls and pillowcases in different designs and different colors. Of course, the income may not be as high as when you sell hotdogs during baseball season but it does add a considerable amount of cash into the household income, not to mention the personal satisfaction of having been able to consign and sell your own handiwork in small, local shops. Other items that can be made by crocheting are cellular phone cases, fashion bag parts, tablecloth, and coasters.

Crocheting can also bond people. It provides a healthy venue for women and even young girls to come together to share thoughts and exchange views while exchanging crocheting patterns. It is both a social as well as a solitary hobby. While some people like to meet friends through this common interest, some people are also more comfortable working independently on their crochet and their work comes out just as fine.

Most of all, people who are into crocheting simply enjoys the fact that crocheting tools are small and handy and can be easily kept in purses to take out when a good crocheting diversion is called for.

Use creams or lotions for preventing eye wrinkles. Use of creams or lotions containing AHAs or alpha-hydroxy acids which are derived from sugar cane, fruit or milk can assist by sweeping away dead skin cells from the skins surface. These effective products stimulate the growth of collagen, which will plump up and fill the wrinkles. Collagen counteracts free radicals which are rogue oxygen molecules residing in your system that can potentially cause damage to your skin.

While AHAs will occasionally cause some irritation, do a skin test by applying a small amount of the cream on a little area of skin. If the skin has not become red andirritated the next day, the lotion should be safe for your use! Exfoliating your skin twice a week aids in the elimination of dry, dead skin cells, allowing healthy new cells to replace them. Freshly exfoliated, smooth skin will absorb the moisturizing cream with ease, leaving the skin properly hydrated. Properly hydrated skin helps in preventing eye wrinkles.

Drink plenty of water. Water consumption is key in keeping the skin hydrated. You should drink enough water so that your urine is very pale. Drinking an adequate amount of water will make your skin more moist.

Sleeping on your back will help in preventing eye wrinkles. When you bury your face in your pillow, the wrinkles seem to be ironed onto your face while you sleep. It may sound ridiculous, but to me it makes sense. If you simply are unable to force yourself to sleep on your back, take luxurious measures! Treat yourself to a silk or satin pillowcase. They look and feel wonderful and will reduce the stress on your skin while you are sleeping. You may even notice a difference in the condition of your hair if you convert to satin or silk pillowcases. The standard cotton pillowcases can pull moisture from your hair and skin. The use of silk or satin pillowcases to preserve damaged or fragile hair has been a common practice for many years. Who would have thought such a simple technique would help in preventing eye wrinkles.

Limit your exposure to natural sunlight. Sun exposure damages your skin cells and quickly deteriorates the elastin fibres and collagen. Collagen and elastin supports the skin. It keeps it resilient and bouncy. When the elastin fibres become stiff, the skin will droop and then crease into a wrinkle. Avoid sunbathing!

Aging is a natural human progression. It need not be negative. Plan for it, prepare for it, and enjoy it. There is no stopping it. Eat right and live well. Taking care of yourself can greatly reduce the outward signs of aging. It is possible to maintain healthy skin so that the wrinkles that develop are very subtle.

Some simple lifestyle changes and use of quality products can help in your quest for preventing eye wrinkles. There are many natural ingredients that can be made into very effective skin treatments. There are certain foods that can be eaten to slow the process. Slowing down the deterioration of your skin and preventing eye wrinkles is not only possible, but simple as well.

“Our women’s ministry group is holding a craft fair in the fellowship hall on Sunday afternoon,” my sister said. It was just one week before Christmas and although I had finished my shopping, the event sounded like fun.

Walking slowly into the crowded room, I attempted to follow the left aisle. Scanning crafts, prices, and people, I saw an open path and immediately walked toward the opposite side of the room.

Crocheted dish towels, cookbooks, customized pillowcases and baked goods are just a few of the items I saw that day. After scanning the entire room, I returned to my three favorite exhibits.

The first exhibit was a home baked persimmon pudding. I’ve been told this dessert is either loved or not. Since it’s only available in the fall season of the year, I knew this was my opportunity to taste a dessert I loved, one my mom had baked when I was a child. Purchase one completed.

The second exhibit was handcrafted pillow cases. Colors exploded and the custom designs temporarily mesmerized me. When my eyes landed on the purple and green set of pillowcases, it felt like I had found a tangible moment of tranquility. Purchase two completed.

The third exhibit was a combination of baked goods and miniature containers. Glancing at the display, I saw two miniature plastic bags inside a coffee mug, one contained a dry chocolate powder and the second contained a dry white powder. Directions to mix the contents in the cup were listed on the label affixed to the mug. It was something I hadn’t seen before and yet it reminded me of the miniature bake ovens popular with kids several years ago but this was an adult sized coffee mug. Purchase three completed.

Creativity of the exhibitors amazed me. In that simple Sunday afternoon event I had the opportunity to remember the love of my mom and dad, as well as explore new ideas that taught me ways to prepare things I hadn’t even considered.

When I looked at the calendar yesterday morning, an italicized quotation caught my eye. “Our minds are like parachutes; they work best when open.”

A crazy quilt is a quilt that is made from scraps of fabric. The scraps come from different types and colours of left over fabrics from old clothing or other sewing projects. Usually there is no pattern or design to the quilt, giving it a very abstract look. A wide variety of stitches are used, which also contributes to the abstract look. The scraps are sewn onto a larger single piece of fabric, which will form the backing of the quilt. Unlike most other quilts, crazy quilts usually don’t have any batting in the middle.

To start making your crazy quilt, first select some muslin fabric, which will be used for the backing. The muslin will be cut into blocks of the same size. The blocks can be any size you wish, such as 12 inches by 12 inches, or larger. Complete one block at a time, until you have finished as many blocks as you need to form a quilt that will be the size you desire. Once all the blocks have been completed, you will attach them together to form the finished quilt.

Next, gather all your left over scraps of fabric together. Sort the fabric scraps into three separate piles or containers by size – small, medium and large. Smaller scraps are best suited for smaller pieces, such as pillow cases, or to be used as embellishments. Larger scraps are preferable for large quilts.

Since we are making a large quilt, bring the container with the large scraps close to you. Choose the pieces at random to attach to the muslin fabric, using the “sew and flip” method. Begin by choosing the first scrap and place it right side up anywhere on the muslin. Next, select a second fabric scrap and place it over top of the first scrap, wrong side up, so that at least one edge lines up.

Now either hand or machine sew along the edge and through all three pieces of fabric, so that they will be attached together. Then flip the top piece over, so that it is right side facing up. Select a third piece of scrap fabric. Again, place it wrong side up over one of the other scraps so that the edges line up. Sew it in place and then flip it over. Repeat this process of selecting one scrap of fabric at a time, sewing it in place and flipping the top piece over.

Once the block has been covered with scraps of fabric, it is time to have some fun by adding embroidery to the quilt. Go over each seam in the quilt and place a fancy embroidery stitch over the seam. Each seam can have a different stitch, so this is the time to learn and practice new stitches. Some common stitches that you can use are the chain stitch, the feather stitch, fern, herringbone, the chevron stitch and many more. As well, feel free to change the colour of the thread every time you do a different stitch. Don’t worry about being perfect, that’s part of the charm of a crazy quilt.

Now that you have finished your blocks, it is time to attach them together. Line them up and arrange them in an order that you find pleasing to the eye. Sew the blocks together, one row at a time. Once you have finished two rows, you can sew them together. Once you have sewn all the blocks together, the front of the quilt is finished.

The last step is to sew the front to the back. The back can be a single piece of fabric, or several large pieces sewn together, depending on the size of the finished quilt. You don’t need to add batting to a crazy quilt. To attach the front and back, simply baste the edges together before permanently binding them. Once you have finished binding, simply remove any excess threads and you are done.

Take a step back and admire your work. Show if off with pride and remember to congratulate yourself on a job well done!