Patio: Pillowed & Sealed

Last time we sat on the patio, we had just hung the chandelier.

Character developing, but minimal.

Time for pizzazz. Pop. Color.

From the pillow fabrics.

The patio budget is low, so the fabrics came from the remnant section at SAS Fabrics in Phoenix.  I bought the pillow inserts there too.

But the print pattern? That is Waverly Santa Maria Gem and it is available all over the place: JoAnns, Fabric.com, Amazon, likely your local fabric store. I love it. And loved it instantly because it blends with the chevron rug and matches the rust colored planter next to the couch. 

The empty planter.

Because I'm not ready to kill again quite yet.

My 3 fabric choices were heavy. Serious. Those pillows would have looked down with repugnance upon the chevron rug, viewing it as a reckless, unrefined slab.

I couldn't have that judgement, so I added in a lightweight blue denim to use for the piping. It kept things a little more playful.

Don't be scared of sewing piping. BH&G has a descriptive tutorial with pictures here. 

Do you have to cut your piping strips on the bias? It makes the corners round more nicely without bunching. But, when I have been low on fabric I cut them along the grain and it was fine.

Things to keep in mind for outdoor pillows.

1. Stay away from feathers. Feathers are amazing for getting the perfect karate chop on your indoor pillows, but can be a nightmare for outdoor pillows for obvious reasons. Once the next haboob rolls in, there is a good chance I will be fishing pillows out of the pool. I'll be grateful that I chose a synthetic polyester stuffing that day.

2. Fabric Seal. Thompsons's Fabric Seal claims to prevent water damage, resist color fading and repel spills and stains. Sun fading here can be brutal and I like to hose down everything on the patio when things get grimy. So, I gave it a shot. The fabric test strips definitely repelled after two coats. But will the pillows survive an Arizona sun beat-down? Time shall tell.

Who has a patio comfortable enough to sleep off an afternoon margarita buzz? 

I do.

Don't believe? Come try it out for yourself. I'll salt the rims right now.