The Cushion That Broke My Overlocker
Do you ever do something really stupid and as you’re doing it you think “this is so crazy i’m probably going to pay the price!” and then you do?
That happened to me when making this cushion. After many rug cushion obsessed months on Pinterest (i blame Morgan and her freakish ability to pin things for me that i instantly want.need.right.now) i found a damaged woven southwestern rug for cheap cheap on Ebay (do all bad stories start with Ebay?!) and had the brilliant idea to make my own woven rug cushion.
When it came down to it the rug started fraying like crazy when i cut it, so i thought – hey lets be sneaky/lazy and shove it through the overlocker. My brain was yelling YES YES YOU CAN DO IT MEG!
Unfortunately my overlocker did not agree and ceased to function. big oops people, big oops.
Then began the incredible saga of dealing with the local sewing machine repair shop – who – get this – broke my overlocker! hahahaha. and still charged me an exorbitant repair fee. sigh. Nothing increases your stress level more than not having access to vital equipment when you’re working on new products… but it all worked out in the end and my overlocker is working just fine now (phew!).
I absolutely adore my cushion, and i’m thrilled with how it turned out – but i can’t help it – when i look at it, i can’t help thinking about all the drama, and my “cheap” pillow is suddenly looking like more of a $200 pillow. I still have enough left to make a second cushion – so if i do then each cushion will only have cost me $100 – perhaps that’s the best course of action… hehe do you like my crazy logic?
I’m not sure what the lesson is, but i think it’s that i can’t be trusted not to break something when i’m sewing? or that cheap is never really cheap? or maybe that sewing cushions is integrally evil? not sure. i’ll report back later :)
Meg xoxo
ps. yes that is an empty hook on my wall. i’m classy like that.
Meg
Meg is the Founder and Creative Director of Megan Nielsen Patterns, and is constantly dreaming up ideas for new sewing patterns and ways to make your sewing journey more enjoyable! She gets really excited about design details and is always trying to add way too many variations to our patterns.
13 comments
Ah! Overlocker drama rama!! But, hey, cute cushion!! I agree – cheap is never really cheap, AND sewing cushions is integrally evil.
hehehe thank you – yes sewing cushions is integrally evil. i thought so. i should just stick to selfishly making myself the most ridiculously large wardrobe imaginable :)
XOXO
Well at least you were trying to sew something! I on the other hand broke mine trying rethread it! I asked myself why do I always pull through my new thread knotted to the old one. Why don’t I just see it through, it always pulls through the loopers just fine. Horrible clunky noise and broken overlicker to follow. What was I thinking, was saving 1minute worth $200, and a broken machine the week before Xmas? Err no. Glad yours is back up and running. Mine too.
Lucy oh no!!! that’s awful you poor thing!!!
I was actually thinking of doing the same thing the other day but now i know not too – thanks for the cautionary tale!
I”m glad yours is up and running again -it’s very sad to be separated isn’t it??
hugs! xoxo
but…if you make another…don’t you run the risk of another $200 repair? HAUTE COUTURE PILLOWS, YO!
LOL Marcy!!! eeeek you are so right!!!! hehehe the Nielsen house will be the house of fancy arse over priced pillows :)
I think next time round i won’t be a jerk and push it through the overlocker… i think i’ll either hand bast, or try going straight to the trusty Bernina, sometimes i think she can sew through a shoe… though i haven’t tried yet. Next blog post?! hehehe
XOXO
I knit and sew lots of things and therefore make lots of mistakes like that. I like to look at it this way; The cost of the pillow is still only what you paid for the rug and the thread you used. The $200 overlocker cost falls under “education”. Because didn’t you learn something? How much money do people pay to get a good education? And how much time? I have learned that education costs. Whether you learn by mistakes, or pay an institution, it costs. And it’s worth the money.
OK, so terrible horrible stressful story…but wow, that cushion looks good. That whole seating area is gorgeous!
oh Meg, this is funny and sad at the same time! Yes, things that are “cheap” usually aren’t “cheap” at the end. But that is a beautiful run turn into a pillow cushion. Maybe next time, buy a fabric/rug/material that you know WILL NOT jam/break the machine. I wish the repair shop split the cost with you, say 50% off? :)
OH NO!!! I’m glad you see the funny side now?!
Hand-sewing???!!!
I did the same thing with a hat. I had the same thought, I know I shouldn’t do this, but I’m going to try anywa….. Oh crap. Luckily I made friends with the local repair shop…….
Dont worry we all do these things. I saw a post about a crochet bath mat made out of old bath towels and it looked really cool and cheep. So I got all my old towels together and started cutting them into strips. about halfway through I though this rotary cutter is a bit blunt I should change it but the baby is asleep and I dont want wake her it will be fine. Then I choped the end of my finger of and had to go to emergency. By the time I got home (7 hours later) my hubby had disposed of the towels and there was a new mat in the bathroom. :)
ACK! How awful! At least the cushion looks cool!