July 22, 2013

A Personalized Present

My friends Kit & Nolan moved out of the city and down onto the wide water where the Patapsco River joins the Chesapeake Bay. IMG_5399They love the life down there, but we miss them up here in the heart of the city and I don’t see them nearly as much as I did when they were just a mile or two away from my old house.

I knew I wanted to give them a unique “housewarming” present, and struggled to think of something that would be personal and practical. A few weeks ago, I came upon the perfect solution.

Using the old nautical charts I’d found on-line, I picked one with the section of coast where they live. I chose one of a 1906 chart of the oyster bars off their point, and downloaded it. image

Then I worked my Photoshop magic with it and came up with this image. true norths cop2y

Next, I went over to Spoonflower, a company which prints custom fabric. I played with the proportions and figured that I needed something that would measure 21x21 inches and I wanted at least six copies of the image.imageTheir service is very easy to use and the fabric came less than a week after I ordered it.

Then I got to work sewing.I wanted to make a couple of pillows for Kit and Nolan’s great-room which overlooks the water. After playing around with some piping, I decided that the oyster white would be best. The white-white was too bright and the red distracted from the print. I used down/feather pillow forms from Ikea in the 20x20 size, hence the 21 inch repeat.

A few hours of pinning, pressing, sewing, pinning and sewing later, I finished the pillows…Just in time to meet Kit and Nolan on a rare visit to my part of town and a nice dinner and catch-up! And they loved the pillows…

37 comments:

  1. Meg they will thrilled these are so perfect!! You are a great friend to have!

    xoxo
    Karena
    2013 Designer Series and Giveaway!

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  2. You are amazing (not that I didn't already know that!)

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  3. Meg, you are one talented lady! No doubt Kit and Nolan did love these pillows. Terrific idea!

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  4. How truly thoughtful, (in the real sense of the word), and therefore much appreciated by their recipients, I'm sure.

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    1. Thanks! They mean a lot to me, so i wanted a special gift for them.

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  5. Very unique! They are so fortunate to have such a talented friend.

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    1. Thanks! I am lucky to have them as friends, too!

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  6. What a fabulous idea! I can't imagine a better gift! Wow.

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  7. Holy guacamole! Those (and you) are amazing.

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  8. No kidding on the "holy guacamole" but I'm originally from Minnesota, too far North for avocados so it's "Holy Moly Rocky!" Love them.

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  9. That is a housewarming present to end all presents. Meg, your friendship and love will be remembered forever.
    Mary

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  10. Meg, you are a wizard. Beautiful gift. (And gorgeous photograph that leads this post.)

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    1. Thanks! That's the view looking east to the eastern shore from their front deck.

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  11. Very attractive pillows! How nice that you took the time and effort to gift your friends with something that had true meaning for them.

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  12. Love those pillows + goes without saying you are one talented woman + lucky friends,Kit & Nolan. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  13. We are absolutely blown away with the pillows. They are stunning ...design is wonderful and workmanship is too. Such an incredible and thoughtful present! Thanks Meg, Kit and Noles

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  14. It's confirmed. You're a genius! I love those!

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    1. Not quite a genius, I just know how to do things.

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  15. Oh wow those are GREAT and personalized. They must be SO pleased :-)

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    1. I think they were pretty happy (see above comment!).

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  16. Meg, I think a gift that is so well thought out (and so well executed) is the greatest compliment to a friendship. I'm sure your friends really appreciated all of your efforts.

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  17. Michele from BostonJuly 29, 2013 at 4:14 PM

    Fabulous, Meg! What a wonderful gift.

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  18. Meg, I have no idea how I missed this but these pillows are fabulous! What a wonderful, heartfelt gift. Thanks for sharing your resources.

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