Let us adore

It's Spring Break in the Domestic Church and I am reveling in the ability to sleep in a little and not make lunches! Mr. Neoclassic is getting lunches delivered to his office since I am sleeping in and not prepping his before he leaves each morning- ha! Thankfully his office is only a few miles from the house.  I try to convince him this way is much better because he gets to visit with me during the day.

With everyone happy to play with one another, watch a little more tv than is usually allowed, and play in the sunshine (yeah), I am selfishly doing more sewing and home organization tasks. In the sewing department, I have finally finished the couch pillows for our den:



I purchased the sunny flower fabric at the 2012 Quilt Show, then spent a few months debating the backing fabric. I finally chose to use a suede-like nap in the hopes that it would make a comfy napping surface. I waited longer while debating the merits of regular zippers versus invisible zippers. I found this wonderful tutorial and decided to definitely go the invisible route - which meant I needed the special presser foot. I waited for the 2013 Quilt Show and bought the foot at a discount. Then, finally, I made the pillows and I love them! (The walls are actually a buttercup yellow, but my camera refuses to recognize that fact.)

Now for my secret....

The inner pillow forms were also made by me. We replaced our couch about two years ago because the frugally purchased**  previous couch had completely fallen apart. I'd actually stitched the padded back cushions together several times stretching that couch's useful life. Once the couch declared defeat at the hands of four floppy children, I realized it wasn't fit for donation. I tore into the padded cushions and saved all the stuffing. I've made about six or seven pillow forms from inexpensive muslin and that stuffing supply. I was even able to completely stuff the Rollie Pollie I made for Zydeco's room.  Frugal living at it's best.

A small part of me was sad to pull the temporary pillows off the gray couch.  My mama made them for my college dorm bed many years ago during what I like to call the "dorky cow phase".  Before her hands developed arthritis, her hand piecing won awards (it still would, actually, given what I see at the shows).  She pieced this amazing pillow front just for me.  Cuz I'm the favorite :)

We need a close up of the piecing (done before the advent of Paper Piecing Methods):

Awesome isn't it?

While I'm no longer in the dorky cow phase, I love this pillow for everything I see in it - hours of stitching as I sat next to her and chatted; love shown in unmeasured time; comfort offered as her last child prepared to leave her nest.

I ask myself often if I give time like this to my own children.  I think mothers always ask this type of question to themselves.  Some days that answer is a joyous yes, some days it's a shameful no.  I think that, for my mom, this was the best way to show love.  She applied her hobby which made the time spent so joyous and relaxing, all the while knowing she was producing something of beauty for someone she adored.  Cuz I'm the favorite :)

There's certainly a lesson in that thought.  Doing what we enjoy to bring pleasure to someone we adore.  I think it's time to bake with Jazz.  She'll earn a Brownie level badge and I'll get to sink my hands into dough.  Perfect.

Today's post title taken from the Newsboys Adoration

**You know that means super cheap, right?