Question:
Dunno if this is "important" info or not, but....

I was in Wal Mart the other day and noticed
that they had quite a bit of their fabric bolts
on clearance for $1 or $2 a unit. (yards?)

Just a possible heads up for interested parties!


(Still wanting huge couch pillow covers made....)
Answer:
Hi Larry,
Aha! You happened on to one of the sewing-person's secrets.
Sometimes the deals there are great. A lot of times the fabric is really, really POOR. And it's usually not labeled or mislabeled as to content. But I have gotten some wonderful stuff there in the past. Like a cotton/linen "Essex?" blend woven that I used for making skirts for work-- (black-4, navy, red, lt green, natural-- 6 yards each, for flared/gored skirts with a self-drafted pattern) Or the cotton leno weave in the natural color that I used for curtains (that was $.50/yd) -- I bought every yard of every bolt in the store (maybe about 50 yards?)
---------------------------
Why don't you post more of your cushion cover specs here in this thread (or start another one)?
I suspect you might get more offers if you are more specific about what you are wanting.
In fact I could even get interested if I knew more what you wanted and could gauge whether or not I could meet what you want at the price you want to pay.
At the very least, maybe we can give you ideas to keep the costs down or improve the design or something...
Do you have photos of what you want? Or what you want 'fixed'?
Elaine
Answer:
Yep.
One of the perks of working in the fabric department of Wal-mart is getting first peek. I came home with a whole bolt (10+ yards) of a upholstery fabric for a dollar a yard.
Like Elaine said, it ain't always the greatest quality, but for making dog beds you can't beat it.
larruone, I don't know if you have a specific size in mind, but you might want to consider making them bed pillow size. Last time I bought bed pillows I took the old ones and stuffed two of them into one cover I made. It made a good sized pillow.
Also, have you asked at your local dry cleaners? They often have someone to do repairs and might be able to help you.
Answer:
Originally Posted by larruone (Still wanting huge couch pillow covers made....) So you are wanting to cover pillows that you already have? Are the current covers removable? Do you want the replacements to be removable? Do they need to be washable? (As in, prewash the fabric before making the new ones so they won't change size or color after they are finished?)
Are you wanting them done in upholstery weight fabric like tapestry? That would wear like iron, but will cost a pretty penny. I sewed a new cover for a friend's big huge round 'couch' and it's top cushion and the total ran around $700. for the labor. The 33 yards of Rt 66 tapestry fabric was about $3-400. with a 40% off discount from JoAnn Fabrics (not sure of these figures, just going by memory).
Or is your couch completely made of individual soft pillows on a frame of some sort?
Do you want piping? Boxed cushions? Knife edge cushions? What? Each of those things makes a huge difference in the amount of work and consequently the cost.
Show us photos! Please.
Elaine
Answer:
Originally Posted by larruone Hey! I need a seamstress too!
At least, I think I do, depending on costs...
I would like about 5 sofa pillow covers sewn.
Nothing fancy, just a rectangle with a zipper at one
end.
BIG pillow covers, around 2.5 x 2.5 feet.
I can stuff them myself, although maybe I need
"stuffing covers" or whatever you call them?
Have no idea what something like this would cost,
but would be interested in finding out!
Feel free to Private Message me if you are interested.
I can send fabric or maybe a style number, depending on
the Boss's choices...
Thanks! Found it!
Hi again, Larry!
So...rectangles with a zipper at one end...
Answer:
Originally Posted by larruone I have your first project, and you can even get PAID for it!
Make me some big couch throw cushion covers.
I'll provide or pay for fabric and seamstressing, and
will stuff them myself.
Big honking couch pillows, like 3' x 3' or something.
About 4 or 6 of them...
Couple of Pooh patterns, couple of Labrador retrievers
and I have wife brownie points galore!
Seriously, I am interested in having some made if anyone is
interested. And here!

Answer:
Just collecting the info into one thread.
Larry, I really thought you already had this covered, until I saw your post in this thread.
Do you mind if I ask some questions to pin things down a bit more? (If not, just PM me to tell me to drop it.)
Are you planning to find and purchase the fabric? If so, that will save you some $$.
A plain pillow cover like you describe shouldn't cost too many hours of work.
What will you be using for the 'stuffing'?
Do you already have the pillow forms (I think not, from your descriptions above)
Will you be buying forms? Or do you also need inner cases that you can fill with shredded foam or something?
Are you considering tapestry weight fabrics?
Or lightweight fabrics?
Or washable canvas?
Do they need to be prints? (Pooh, Labradors, etc?)
You need them before Valentine's Day?
If you have the fabrics by the middle of next week, that could be managed...
Elaine
Answer:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Black-Labrador-R...QQcmdZViewItem
13 x18, would need additional fabric added to 'frame' it to make it large enough...
Here's a yellow one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/YELLOW-LAB-LABRA...QQcmdZViewItem
same deal.
These are smaller but there are two....
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Dog-Dogs-Wall-...QQcmdZViewItem
An unusual linen fabric (vintage)
http://cgi.ebay.com/LABRADOR-RETRIEV...QQcmdZViewItem
This black comes from the UK
http://cgi.ebay.com/Makower-cotton-f...QQcmdZViewItem
might work for back of pillow - fairly lightweight fabric
http://cgi.ebay.com/Labrador-Retriev...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/HUNTERS-BEST-FRI...QQcmdZViewItem
this one too (not much of it here)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Labrador-Dogs-Hu...QQcmdZViewItem
Are we on the right trail?
Answer:
Pooh
Tapestry. Size? Closes soon.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Classic-Pooh-Tap...QQcmdZViewItem
ETA: I wrote to the seller who says it measures approx 2 ft by 6 inches. Could be combined with some of the other smaller ones for a nice sized pillow and the price is pretty good so far, but who knows where it will go in the next 6 hrs...
Already made 18" pillows with classic Pooh and CR
http://cgi.ebay.com/Winnie-the-Pooh-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Winnie-the-Pooh-...QQcmdZViewItem
Tapestry canvas for making your own (needlepoint) pic (Disney Pooh)
http://cgi.ebay.com/EEYORE-POOH-TAPE...QQcmdZViewItem
2 pillows from Canada (one like the CR/pooh swing one above) for 99 cents
http://cgi.ebay.com/POOH-TAPESTRY-PI...QQcmdZViewItem
Pooh ABC 123 tapestry panel
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pooh-Piglet-ABC-...QQcmdZViewItem
(would need extra fabric to increase size...)
This leapfrog panel is 26 inches square. Classic, again.
http://cgi.ebay.com/CLASSIC-POOH-Tap...QQcmdZViewItem
What kind of fabric did you REALLY want?
Answer:
Alrighty!
I can see that a simple manly man
ME WANT BIG PILLOWS
is not sufficient!
Gimme a day or three to think about it and such
and I will be back, probably with a new thread.
"p-p-p-p---pillloooowww"