Out of Africa

So, remember how I said I had a project I have been working on?  Well, surprisingly enough, it is NOT for our house!  Rob's sister, Gwyn, works and lives in Uganda.  She is home for the summer, and a couple months before coming home, she moved into a brand new place.  She got to pick out a lot of the details in the apartment because the University where she works  built brand new housing for the staff.   She was able to pick the tile and paint, things like that.  She wanted to add some more personality with curtains, pillows, etc.  Since options in Uganda are limited, she wanted to get these things over here in the states while she was home.  So, off to the fabric store we went when she got home.  Gwyn has good taste, so it was fun to help her pick stuff out and figure out what would work best.  There was A LOT of fabric needed as I am making curtains for her living room, kitchen, and 2 bedrooms.  She also wants cushion covers made for 2 chairs that have a wood frame with 2 large cushions.  And then of course some pillow covers for throw pillows for the sofa.  

The fabric below is all for her living room.  The striped fabric is for the cushion covers on her chair, the throw pillow is for her sofa (there are 4), and then the cream colored fabric is for the curtains.  The room is painted a green similar to the green in the fabric.  The fabric for the curtains has beautiful embroidery which you can't really see in this picture.  My advice was to use some different prints but stay within the same colors.  

This fabric is for her kitchen window.  Her kitchen is blue and yellow and this fabric will look perfect.  It is really light, almost gauzy.  

This fabric is for curtains in her second bedroom, which will have a red sofa in it. 

And finally this fabric is for curtains in Gwyn's bedroom.  She wanted to keep the colors light and this picture does not do this fabric justice.  It is much prettier in person.  

I don't think I ever mentioned on here that I got a new sewing machine for my birthday this year.  Let me just say, it has changed my (sewing) life.  I cannot even believe how easy sewing is on this machine- it almost seems wrong.  I had been using my mom's sewing machine since I learned how to sew and lets just say that Rob would often find me cursing at the thing or on the phone with my mom trying to figure out why it wasn't sewing correctly.  Well, thankfully, Rob's parents, and my parents went in together and got me this pretty baby for my birthday.  I was totally shocked when I received it but couldn't be happier that I have it.  Although I don't sew a ton, it makes sewing so much easier and enjoyable and I would not be able to do big projects like this without it.   It also makes me want to sew more.  

The thing I have realized about sewing is that the sewing part is not what is difficult and time -consuming.  It is the measuring, cutting, and prepping of the fabric.  The curtains for Gwyn couldn't be simpler- I am just hemming the sides becuase she is using a wire with little hooks to hang them.  But it takes so long to cut the fabric, make sure it is cut evenly, and then prep the hems ( pressing them with an iron/ pinning if necessary).  Once that is done, the sewing goes so quickly.  My goal was to get all the curtains done before we leave for Maine on Saturday- and I did.  So, now all I need to do when we get back is the large cushion covers, which I am doing like a big pillow cover, and then 2 more throw pillow covers.  I feel confident and not stressed that I will get this all done before Gwyn goes back on the 30th.  

Gwyn promises to send pictures when she gets back to Uganda with her new cutains hung and pillows covers in place!