Tutorial – Old Things New

How to Create an Ever-Changing Flower Arrangement

August 23, 2017 by Patti 20 Comments

NOTE: This is your regularly scheduled Tuesday post, which I finished and walked away from yesterday, neglecting to hit the PUBLISH button. So now it’s Wednesday’s post. 🙂

Did you ever have a toothache when you were a kid and your mother told you to put an aspirin on your tooth to numb the pain? Did you do it? If so, just how long were you able to hold the aspirin in your mouth before spitting it out and declaring that the toothache was more tolerable than that nasty aspirin?

I called my-daughter-the-dentist today to ask her about this practice of her late grandma’s and she informed me that she has actually had patients come in with burns on their gums from trying this. I knew it! And this is exactly why I never made my kids do the same thing.

“What,” you say, “does this have to do with creating an Ever-Changing Flower Arrangement?” You MUST know by now that I always get to the point eventually.

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Building a Gate With Architectural Salvage

July 10, 2017 by Patti 41 Comments

“What do you want to do today honey buns?” Mr. OTN asked as we sat on the screened porch enjoying our morning coffee.

Okay . . . so he didn’t really call me “honey buns,” because we don’t talk to each other that way. Not insinuating that it’s a bad way to talk if that’s how you choose to show affection for your sweetie. Our endearments are a little less mushy and generic, like a simple “honey” or “sweetie” or “darling”.

Darling: That’s his name for me when he’s feeling particularly fond of me.

Anyhoo, it was a beautiful Spring day that was meant for a drive in the mountains. So we set off on an adventure, and in no time at all we came across a REAL gold mine!

…

French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers – Part 2

August 26, 2016 by Patti 13 Comments

Hey y’all! I’m back with Part 2 of French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers. In Part 1 (HERE) I shared instructions for sewing an Envelope Pillow . . . the easiest pillow in the world! In Part 2 I will show you, step-by-step, how I sewed the Ruffled Slipcovers for my patio chairs.

These tutorials are a result of your requests after my post about creating a French Courtyard Look on my backyard deck. You can view that post right HERE.

So here it is, for your sewing pleasure 🙂

These instructions are based on the particular type of patio chair I have but with a little ingenuity adjustments can be made to fit a different style. I made my slipcovers with ruffles on three sides of the chair (you can do all four if you prefer) and added extra fabric across the back to tuck under the chair seat. This, along with ties, helps to keep the slipcover in place.

Step 1: Remove your chair seat from the chair and make a pattern by laying it on a piece of lightweight cardboard and tracing around it.

Step 2: Cut out the cardboard pattern, lay it on top of your fabric of choice (I used painter’s drop cloth fabric) and trace around it with a pencil . . . then STOP . . .read the next part carefully!

. . . Don’t cut your fabric on that line! On the front and two sides of your chair cover make your cut approximately 5/8″ away from the pencil line. On the back side of the chair cover make your cut approximately 3″ away from the pencil line (or long enough to tuck under the back of your particular type of chair seat).

Step 3: Hem back edge of chair cover by turning edge under 1/4″, then turning under another 1/4″ and hemming it on the sewing machine. Do this step before moving on to the ruffle.

Step 4: Measure the distance from the back right corner of your chair seat, all the way around the front and to the back left corner. Double this number. This is the measurement you will use for the length of your ruffle.

Step 5: Cut a 6-8″ wide piece of fabric (depending on how wide you want your ruffle to be) the length of the doubled measurement in Step 4 above.

Step 6: Sew two rows of basting stitch 1/4″ apart, along one long edge of the ruffle piece. Knot one end and gently pull threads to gather.

Step 6: Adjust gathers to fit your ruffle to the three sides of the chair top, and pin in place.

Step 7: Sew ruffle to chair top and remove basting stitches.

Step 8: Top stitch along the edge, close to the ruffle for a finished look. Hem the raw edge of your ruffle by turning under 1/4″ then turning under 1/4″ again and hemming on the sewing machine.

Moving right along to chair ties:

Step 9: Cut four ties for each chair. Mine were 16″ long x 2″ wide. Fold the short ends of the ties under 1/4″ and press in place, then fold the two long edges inward (in the same direction as the short turns) until the raw edges touch.

Fold the entire length in half again and stitch the folded edges closed on the sewing machine.

Step 10: At this point, if you have a buttonholer, make button holes approximately 2″ from the hemmed back edge of the seat cover and in the correct position for the ties to wrap around an anchor (chair frame or slat) on the back seat of your chair (every chair will be unique). Slide the ends of the ties through the open button holes and stitch them in place on the sewing machine.

Tie your ties into a bow onto the back of the chair and tuck the excess fabric under the back of the chair seat. Note: I actually couldn’t find my buttonholer so I cut a slit, slipped my ties through it, used fray check on the raw edges, and sewed the ties in place on the machine.

Voila’! There you have it.

Another request from my original post was for a tutorial for the Burlap Table Runner. That will be an upcoming post later in the Fall.

Thank you SO much for taking an interest in the things I create here at Old Things New and for being so kind as to ask for more. I am one lucky girl to have readers as sweet as you.

Blessings to you my friends,

If you like this please PIN and SHARE!

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries, The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses, SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse, CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story, IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart, MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson, MyRepurposedLife , ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

FrenchCountryCottage, TheCharmOfHome, RootedInThyme, TheDedicatedHouseAnythingBlueFriday, ShabbyliciousFriday, Sweet Inspiration, Faith’nFriends, Missional Women Faith Filled Fridays, Dance With Jesus

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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French Pillows & Ruffled Slipcovers – Part 1

August 22, 2016 by Patti 19 Comments

On Saturday morning Mr. OTN and I sat on the back porch drinking coffee and planning our day. It wasn’t long before our talk turned to more serious life matters and, as the discussion became hard Mr. OTN said,

“Let’s get in the car and go exploring. Let’s go somewhere we’ve never been.”

My first reaction was to remind him of all of the things we needed to take care of at home, unfinished projects, finances, yard work, etc., . . . and the more I talked about all that we needed to do the more I too, wanted to escape.

So we did. With a promise that Monday would be an all day work fest here at home!

We drove up to Talulah Falls in the Georgia mountains where we hiked a little and enjoyed some spectacular scenery.

Then we drove down into Lakemont, Georgia and came across a small artist’s village where we had lunch on the front porch of Annie’s at Attic Annie’s.

As much as I love being at home, sometimes getting out of my own environment is what I need to hit my refresh button.

My senses were filled right here, sitting on the front porch of the diner. And the overwhelming sense of contentment I caught in this place stayed with me the rest of the weekend.

Summer breezes blowing round me, watching people come and go, a Reuban’s delicious aroma, the sweet-tart tingle of lime Perrier on my tongue, the sound of mountain birds behind the chatter of other diners. Being together here, was a beautiful place to be.

Now it’s Monday and I’m ready to seize the day, beginning by sharing this tutorial and some photos of our very own favorite place to share a cup of coffee.

Earlier this summer I wrote a post on how I gave a French Courtyard Feeling to my backyard deck. We have thoroughly enjoyed this space this summer and when I look at these earlier pictures I can really see how much our plants have grown!

I do believe our flowers like it here in South Carolina.

From that post I received requests for tutorials on the French Pillows and Ruffled Slipcovers I made for my patio chairs. So before the summer is over, here is Part 1 where I’ll share with you how to sew an envelope pillow. These are just the EASIEST pillows ever as there is no hand hemming or adding of zippers or other closures.

I HEART envelope pillows!

For both the pillows and the slipcovers I used one of my very favorite fabrics for projects, painter’s drop cloth fabric of course! I washed it first in hot water and dried it on the highest heat setting to be sure there would be no shrinkage after sewing. Let’s get started:

Envelope Pillow Instructions:

Step one: Measure your pillow form and add 1″ for seam allowance.

Step two: Cut your first piece of fabric to that measurement. (my 14″ x 14″ pillow insert needed a 15″ x 15″ piece of fabric). This will be your pillow front.

Step three: Cut a second piece of fabric the same width but add 6″ to the height (for a 14″ x 14″ pillow insert mine was 15″ x 20″).

Step four: Cut your second piece of fabric in half horizontally (this gave me two pieces 15″ wide x 10″ high). These pieces will be the back of your pillow.

Step five: On each of the two back pieces make a 1/4″ fold on the edges that you just cut in half. Press with an iron. Fold this same edge over a second time making a 1″ fold and press again. Stitch hem in place on sewing machine.

Step six: Lay your front piece of fabric face up. Lay your two back pieces of fabric over the front piece face down, matching the raw edges of the fabric. Your hemmed edges will be overlapping. Use straight pins to pin front and backs together.

Step seven: Sew the pinned pieces together in a 1/2″ seam all around the four sides.

Step eight: Make a diagonal cut across each of the four corners of the pillow cover,

. . . turn right side out, and use a pencil eraser or other non-sharp object to push out the corners of the pillow cover.

Insert your pillow form into the back opening and you’re done!

For my French Courtyard look I used French lettering stencils and acrylic craft paint from Michael’s. I also embellished them with rosettes made from strips of drop cloth fabric. You can find a tutorial for making Rosettes right HERE.

That’s the end of Part 1. I’ll be back with Part 2, Ruffled Slipcovers next time.

Sew Easy French Envelope Pillow from OldThingsNewBlog

Don’t forget to PIN me!

Now, tell me. Do you have a favorite way to hit the “refresh” button in your life? What does that look like for you? Is it always something “spiritual” that you find renewal in or can it be something like my Saturday getaway? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings friends,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome,RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

IShouldBeMoppingTheFloor, TheDedicatedHouse, Dwellings, ProjectInspired, InspireMeMonday, BetweenNapsOnThePorch, CelebrateYourStoryMaking Your Home Sing Mondays, The Beauty in His Grip What Joy is Mine/Monday Musings, Darling Downs Diaries,The Art of Homemaking,SmallWonder, LifeGivingLinkup, MomentsOfHope, Glimpses,SittingAmongFriends

Tuesday:

TalkOfTheTown, HomeStoriesAtoZ, AStrollThruLife, CoastalCharm, CozyLittleHouse,CedarHillFarmhouse, KatheWithAnE,TuesdaysAtOurHome, TheWinthropChronicles, Rich Faith Rising Unite Linky, Testimony Tuesday,Cheerleaders of Faith,Tell His Story,IntentionalTuesday

Wednesday:

SavvySouthernStyle, TheBlissfulBee, Posed Perfection, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home,Woman to Woman Word Filled Wednesdays, ChristianBloggerLinkup, Whole Hearted Home, Mom’s Morning Coffee, Women with Intention, Coffee for Your Heart,MessyMarriage, ThreeWordWednesday

Thursday:

ShareYourStyle, ImpartingGrace, EmbracingChange, HaveADailyCupOfMrsOlson,MyRepurposedLife , ADelightsomeLife, KatherinesCorner, PrettyPreppyParty, The Deliberate Mom/Shine Blog Hop, I Choose Joy, Live Free Thursday, Thought Provoking Thursday, PartyAtMyPlace, 100HappyDays, SincerelyPaulas, ThankfulThursdays

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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A Pottery Barn Look for a Sweet Trestle Table

August 11, 2016 by Patti 66 Comments

You know I love you right? Really I do, and I’m going to prove it today by sharing with you how to create a Pottery Barn finish on any piece of furniture in less than two hours! Yup! I transformed this scratched and dented thrift store trestle table by giving it the Pottery Barn look, and I’m going to tell you how you can do it yourself!

I was smitten the moment I saw this oak trestle table hidden among the other furniture in the back reaches of Habitat for Humanity. It was marked at $24. Yes, $24! As an older gentleman (near as old as me) loaded it into my car he exclaimed over and over what a great buy it was. I guess whoever marked the price on this was a youngsta’ who thought old meant outdated and not valuable. My oldish table-loading-friend and I knew better.

The top was in bad shape and that would have been an easy fix with a sander but I knew from the start that this one would be the perfect table for the Pottery Barn finish I’d been longing to try.

And those legs though!

This is my inspiration photo, a very expensive PB media cabinet!

So let’s get started:

I began with plain old black acrylic paint from the craft store, which I mixed with calcium carbonate (per measurements in my chalk paint recipe). Since the paint will be sanded heavily and smoothness is not an issue you could use any of the three recipes in that post.

After painting two quick coats and allowing the table to dry thoroughly I sanded back heavily with my electric sander.

After brushing off the paint dust I applied Annie Sloan dark wax which darkened not only the paint but the wood as well, causing this beautiful warm color to shine through.

Note: Lately I’ve been using Min Wax Finishing Wax mixed with a bit of Min Wax Wood Finish Stain to create my own less expensive dark wax. It isn’t as easy to spread as soft wax (unless you heat it up a bit which I’m not telling you you should do, but it is something I just might do), but I like the end result much better than soft wax. It buffs easier, dries to a harder finish, and doesn’t get streaky weird like soft wax can sometimes do.

Painting, waxing, and buffing in less than two hours. Super easy for a super look!

Do you want to see a few more pictures? I knew you would because you are so amazing and love to humor me.

What do you think? Do you like the PB finishes? Do you have a piece of furniture you might try this on? Remember, it took less than two hours!

Don’t forget to PIN me, and if you like my new look please share it with others!

We keep this table in our Seahawk/Bonus Room. Most of the time it’s set up as a library table but I can also open the leaves quite wide to create crafting or sewing space. A couple of people who have offered to buy it, even when I gave them a very pricey Pottery Barn price, but in the end I never could actually let it go.

Now while I do “heart” this sweet table of mine it isn’t near as much as I LOVE y’all! Thank you for being my friends, for letting me share my creative exploits with way too much ramble, and for allowing me to show you more pictures than you ever hoped to see.

Blessings dear friends,

I’ve been known to link up to the following great parties!!!

Sunday:

TheDIYShowoff, LifeOnLakeshoreDrive, SilverPenniesSundays, SundaysAtHome, RusticAndRefined, Spiritual Sundays, GiveMeGrace

Monday:

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:

FunkyJunkInteriors, OneMoreTimeEvents, SaturdaySparks, TheInspirationGallery, Make My Saturday Sweet

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