A little history and my own grain sack pillow!

So like everyone else out there I love the grain sacks but they are now a little out of reach.  Inspired by all that craftyness (my word) out there I thought I would do my own.  So I bought some rough cotton, trim and a pillow form....

Then I needed to figure out what I would put on it....hey what about my own family history!!  Handy, that I've been working on the family tree lately.  So my great-great-great-great-great grandpa, Robert Hays was born in Ireland in 1794 and at the age of 25 immigrated to North America.  After moving around a bit he settled in Huron county, Ontario, Canada.  Bought a farm, built a mill and had the town of Haysville, Ontario named after him.  So, what better......

No. 19 (cause I randomly picked it)

Robert Hays

Grain & Feed Mill

Huron   Ontario   Canada

1847

Now how to get the letters on the material??  Well after considering stencilling, iron on etc I ended up just printing my design from the computer with the font I wanted and traced it out as best as I could with the good ole sharpie black marker!

Pulled out my new sewing machine that I bought a month back, cause you know I'll be sewing cushions and curtains and stuff for the new farmhouse when we move!! (Remember I have 10 yrds of lovely ticking coming in the mail!!)

And after several hours, and tears (the thread wouldn't stay threaded in the needle - turns out the instruction manual had it backwards - ok I confess I haven't sewn anything since, well high school).  I also confess there was some choice swearing going on too (hey, 23 years in the army taught me a few!), hubby and the dogs hiding in the basement - I finally got it together, whew.

Here's the finished product, rough I know but it's my first one, now that I've figured out the sewing machine look out crafty world here I come!

 Have a great weekend everyone!