The Apple Street Cottage

I really want to show you how to make these easy pillow covers, but things have been a bit 'eventful' around here.  I debated whether or not to share all of this, but part of it is really important.  Let me begin... It started with my husband's emergency laser surgery last week for retinal tear in his left eye.  He is currently on 'light-duty' - no bending, lifting, etc, as well as, no reading and very limited screen time... serious business! My PSA:  If you have a sudden burst of floaters and/or flashes of light in your eye, seek immediate medical attention.  We headed to the ER and from there, the retina specialist's office where the surgery was done.   We go back in a week to see how things are healing. In the meantime, he's resting and hoping that spider in his eye goes away...we've named him 'Boris'....gotta have a sense of humor when these things happen, right? Then we also had a snowstorm - about 10 inches.  Can I tell you how glad I am t...

 It's summer around here and that means   BBQ's  and summer parties.  W elcome back to 10 on the 10th.  A group of bloggers sharing ideas and inspiration for under $10.  This month our theme is 'July 4th/Summer' and I've created  the perfect way to 'dress' a bottle of wine.   Whether you're bringing the Hostess a gift or you've been asked to bring some wine to the party, it always looks better when it's 'dressed-up' a bit.  Here's what you need: An old pair of jeans, a pocket, rubber band, ribbon, a flag, and a bottle of wine.   Start by cutting off one of the legs from your jeans.  I cut mine a little longer than the wine bottle. Turn the leg inside out and run a stitch across the cut end.   Sit the seam flat on a table and stitch either end.  It makes the bottom of the bag neater. Turn the bag right side out and decide on the placement of the pocket.  I used Aleen's Tacky glue to attach it. The basic ...

  Everywhere you look, Valentine's Day projects are in full-swing.  Personally, I've never done a lot of decorating for this holiday, but I had some vintage fabric that was begging to be used and I was inspired. First, I cut a pattern and grabbed some fabric. The first heart pillow was made using pieces of an old wedding gown I had bought for $2 many years ago.  My daughter loved to play 'Dress-Up' and it was just perfect for her.  After she outgrew it, I cut some of the satin, lace, and buttons and tucked them away.   Those beautiful buttons were going to be a part of this pillow.   After folding under the edges, they were pinned to one of the heart pieces. After they were sewn on, the two pieces of satin were pinned together. I used LOTS of pins because satin fabric is very slippery! Sewn and turned. Time for stuffing: The opening was stitched closed and it was done. But I really wasn't happy with it.  I didn't care for the gap.  So I ...

Today I'm stepping out of the box to share a sewing project with you.  Please do not 'hate' when you see my unorthodox sewing methods, honestly, it's how I roll... Here's how this project started.  I had a really great cover for my Kindle Fire.  It had magnetic edges that automatically shut it off when the cover was closed.......until the magnets stopped working. This was a big problem, so I decided to make myself a new one with the supplies I had around the house.   I had some scraps from the curtains I made for the living room and some batting from making potholders last year, everything I needed without having to step out the door, where it was cold........and snowy........ and icy........you get the picture.   I used 2 strips of fabric and 1 strip of batting: I used my Kindle to measure how much fabric I needed, allowing for seams, etc.  Remember, those unorthodox methods??  Once I figured out those measurements, I place the fa...