More Batik...

Buying batik is addictive, as is making the super-easy Sorbetto top and envelope-style pillowcases.

Here's a couple more pleat-less Sorbettos I made from some cool botanical batik I found:

And here are some pillowcases I made for our daybed.  One is made from the same piece of batik as the second top above, and one is actually made from 2 napkins I found that were just the right green for me:

Envelope-Back Batik Pillowcases

 Tim and I just bought a big wooden daybed to use as our living room couch in our apartment here in Jakarta, and although it came with a bunch of big, solid-color, silk pillows, it needed some smaller, printed pillows both for comfort and for a little bit of visual interest.  I decided to make some out of batik, of course, the national fabric of Indonesia and an official UNESCO "Intangible Cultural Heritage."

I've found places that sell batik by the yard, as opposed to already made into stuff...  the hand-made kind seems to come in 2 1/4 meter lengths (it's apparently the right length for the traditional sarong), which is enough to make a pillow cover and a Sorbetto top... win-win!!

I made my pillows with an envelope-back, using this tutorial. Ridiculously easy.  So easy that I am tempted to make a whole bunch of different batik covers and switch them out regularly.  This could get dangerous.

Baby Pillowcase Top

I'm having my own little scrap-busting party here this week... first the pillow made from quilt scraps and now this project made from scrap fabric leftover from this bag I made for Jamie a few years ago (complete with bunny lining to irk Mikey).  I decided that, like mother, like daughter, Baby Zoe might appreciate this combination of fabrics.

I wanted to find an easy pattern that A) didn't require much fabric and B) didn't involve printing out a pattern.  My internets/Google quest resulted in me choosing to make a "pillowcase" top based on this tutorial (the tutorial is for a dress, but my scraps only afforded me so much length).  Turned out pretty cute!  Definitely a good way for me to practice my sewing skills.  Hopefully I can find a way to get this thing around the world to Zoe before she outgrows it like she did her booties (tears...).

For those interested, here's how I modified the pattern...

• Rather than cut eight 6x18" strips, I cut eight 6x12" strips
• For the hem, I only cut strips that were 6x22" rather than 7x22"
• I made the size 2T (meaning I cut off 1.5" of the end of the pieces as suggested by the tutorial)
• When piecing the front and back together, I pressed the seam open and top-stitched on either side of it so that it matched the decorative top-stitching used on the other seams.  Plus, it provided me some back-up strength on those side seams!
• Rather than make or use bias tape (not enough fabric!), I just cut two long, thin strips (1.5" wide), folded them in on themselves and did two rows of top-stitching to make my own ribbon for the shoulders

Close up of my masterful (haaaaaa!) top stitching.