gathered pillows!!!

we desperately needed a new fitted sheet for our bed.  our other sheet was ripped and didn't fit our bed.  every morning we had to put the sheet back on.  annoying.  so finally, we purchased one through amazon, which actually came from target.  we chose a set that was gray jersey and included fitted and flat sheets and 2 king sized pillow cases.  we don't ever use the flat sheet, so i was excited to make stuff with it.  i have made many, many things so far.  here is the first project of many made from the king sized flat sheet.  gathered pillows!!! yay!!

i am so not big on measuring.  i don't know why it frustrates me. but it does.  i put my pillow that was getting new clothes over my straightened sheet and cut to around the right size.  i doubled the length for the gathering, and the back is not gathered.  the back also opens in the middle, and for that i used the finished sides of the sheet, one less step i had to do!!

 i sewed along the top and bottom of my cut sheet with a wide stitch, then pulled one thread at the end and gathered it as much as i needed.

 my stitch broke though, i pulled too hard, hence the pins, once gathered, sew along the same line with a smaller stitch, the pins helped out a lot.  the gathering was running away from me!!  i don't have a picture of the back, but it is so simple, once everything is gathered and set, sew on the two pieces for the back, slightly overlapping the opening, right sides together.  turn inside out and put those clothes on those pillas!!! done and done.  super easy. i made two and still had tons of sheet left over for more stuff to make.  yay!!!  here is the finished product:

hopefully after the new year i will make a quilt.  i have one in mind, but need um, money and lots of time, neither of which i have at this time, and i don't have the material for that project laying around.  surprising. 
i'm almost done with our costumes and will put them up as soon as i am. (hopefully by tomorrow 'cause we have somewhere to be in them!!)
some more good reads for halloween season that are easy and quick reads:  the soul screamers series by rachel vincent.  i've only read the first one so far, but have high hopes.  since it is ya, it is really quick, which i like.  another one is called bones of faerie by janni lee simner, i'm not sure if it is a series or not, but hope so. also, wicked by gregory maguire. it was good and not what i expected but this one is NOT a quick read!!  but good.  happy sewing and reading!!
                                                                   cherisse