Homemade Pillowcases

I made some very special pillowcases a few weeks ago for a friend at work. My friend's mom has been battling bone cancer. She just found out that the battle will now include leukemia.

When I heard this diagnosis, I was so sad for my friend. It was about that time that I saw some beautiful pillowcases on Pinterest. I was in the midst of a crochet phase and decided to drag out the sewing machine and see if I could do it. I decided that I would make them for my friend's mom because if you have to be sick, you should get to lay your head on something pretty and cheery.

I had a great time making these and my friend was so touched when I brought them in for her to give to her Mom. It sure made my heart feel good to give them away and to know that they might bring my friend's mom just a little bit of comfort.

I thought this green and pink flowered fabric was about the cheeriest fabric I could find. I love it!

This is the first "tester" pillowcase I made. It turned out great but I wanted a finer yarn for the edging so that you could really see the detail of the crochet scallops:

I found a smaller yarn at Hobby Lobby for my second set of pillowcases (the green/pink ones). This green edging is not made with the fine, string type thread that you make doilies out of, but is an all cotton "crochet thread". I liked using it much better than the black stuff although the black yarn that I used does have a more homespun feel to it, which I liked.

You can really see the stitching in this picture. Gorgeous, huh?

The tutorial comes from a great blog called You Go Girl. This is a great tutorial and the only thing I needed a little help with was the blanket stitch. I just found a you tube for the blanket stitch to refresh my memory about how to start these stitches and I was on my way.

These pillowcases sew up fast! They have a special little pocket that your pillow fits into so that you don't see your pillow inside the pillowcase. Even if you don't want to crochet the edging, these are great pillowcases. Great for special gifts or for brightening up your bedding.

I think you could also repurpose vintage sheets, skirts, or any other cool fabrics you stumble across.

Here all of the steps (separate posts) of the tutorial at You Go Girl:

Step 1 - Ready to Rumble - week 1
Step 2 - Posh Pillowcase - week 2
Step 3 - Firm Foundation - week 3
Step 4 - Crochet like Crazy - week 4

I can't wait to make more of these. Between the Casserole Carriers and these Homemade Pillowcases, the gifts I am giving just got a lot more meaningful and a lot more exciting, not to mention a little bit frugal for me!

I've been really trying to MAKE some of the great stuff that I PIN on Pinterest. So far, I have a great start and I have some great stuff to show for it!

Let me know how you like them and if they work well for you.

Easy Peasy Parmesan Chicken in the Crockpot (Only 5 ingredients!)

Do you need a super easy, "dump and go" crockpot meal that is super delicious and tastes like you are eating out? I have a good one for you today! RECIPES AT THE TOP - CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM Here's how I now make Crockpot Parmesan Chicken AT HOME MY WAY. Dump & Go Crockpot Parmesan Chicken *only FIVE ingredients plus the pasta* (Print the Recipe HERE) 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts/tenders (frozen or thawed) 1 1/2 cups (app.) of seasoned canned bread crumbs 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese (I use the green can.) 1 or 2 jars (24 oz each) of prepared spaghetti sauce (Prego, Ragu, etc.) (Classico is my favorite lately.) Mozzarella (shredded) (Serve with cooked pasta. We use penne.) Instructions : Place chicken pieces in the crockpot (as much as your family needs). (I use frozen because my crockpot cooks super fast.) Sprinkle the chicken heavily with bread crumbs and then with the parmesan cheese, like this: Dump on the jarred spaghetti...

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW I DO IT

Best Dill Pickles EVER! (Just like Claussen) (Easy - no canning!)

Do you want to make the best, easiest homemade dill pickles in the world? I found a recipe for dill pickles that tastes JUST LIKE Claussen refrigerator pickles. Those are the best anyway, right? That crunch, the dill and the garlic... and oh yea , the crunch! This recipe is super easy because you don't have to process these pickles which means there is no canning needed. You just fill a gallon jar (we use an old pickle jar) with fresh cucumbers and dill heads, and then pour over the cooled liquids/seasonings. Let it sit on the counter for three days, and then refrigerate. After that, the pickle eating begins. They are supposed to keep for one year like that in the fridge, without canning. (We let them sit for the 3 days, then refrigerated them overnight before opening the jar for the much anticipated first taste. Did they taste like Claussen? YOU BET YOUR PRETTY PICKLE THEY DID! We were all SO ex...

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW I DO IT

Buttermilk Biscuits - Just like Cracker Barrel!

RECIPES AT THE TOP - CHIT CHAT AT THE BOTTOM! Here's how we make Buttermilk Biscuits AT HOME MY WAY: Buttermilk Biscuits (just like Cracker Barrel) (Makes about 8 biscuits.) PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE Ingredients: 2 cups SELF RISING flour (self rising flour gives the perfect taste to homemade biscuits) 1/3 cup shortening (cold real butter also works here) 1 1/4 cup buttermilk* *NOTE: (If using regular milk combined with lemon juice vinegar referenced below, you only need 1 cup of milk because thinner regular milk uses less by volume than the thick real buttermilk.) Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. (Make sure your flour is "fluffed" not straight from the bag; Dump it in a larger container and stir using up and down motion to fluff it up a little bit-THEN measure out 2 cups). Measure 2 cups SELF RISING flour into a mixing bowl. Add shortening and cut it until small and crumbly. A fork works fine for this purpose ...

CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW I DO IT

At Home My Way

Search This Blog