My computer work and my sewing definitely take a toll on my eyesight.

While roaming in a second-hand shop in Arizona, Zoe found this gorgeous woven multi-colored tapestry. It measured about 5′ by 4′ or so with finished edges on two sides and tiny tassels along two edges. Hmmm, what could it be?

I loved the unusual color combination, so vibrant and deep.

Turquoise, cherry tomato, and tones of umber weave through this unique fabric. Looking closely, there are shades and variations of each of these colors making it complex and rich.

I brought it home and pieced it carefully into 3 pillows. I was so excited to get so many finished pieces from of that one piece of material. The largest holds a full body pillow.

Sewing the largest pillow, I pieced several swatches of the weave in a perpendicular direction. Then I added a layer of cotton batting between the top and a thin inner backing – and stitched a “puffy layer” of stripes for accent.

I bought a durable, turquoise fabric for the backside and added zippers so the covers can be laundered. A lovely gift for my daughter!

I call this “tinkering” because most of the time I don’t use patterns. Sometimes I put a piece of fabric aside for quite a while until I know what I want to do with it. Then I enjoy using every scrap. Voila!