Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Damask, Swirls & Polka-dots Pillow ... Version 2

Earlier this week I made a pattern for a new pillow to be used in my daughter's home. I combined several vibrantly beautiful light canvas fabrics, organic muslin, and fabric flowers to create that lively pillow.

Today I completed a companion pillow to the one I previously showed you! I used the same fabrics and arranged them a little differently to create a similar, but distinctly different pillow. The first pillow was rectangular in shape and measured 14 inches x 19.5 inches. This second pillow is an 18 inch square. It's easy to find 18 inch pillow inserts, so this is a good size pillow for those not wanting to make their own insert. (I bought an 18 inch pillow insert at HL this week with a 40% off coupon -- go to their website to print one off -- and it only cost me $4.80.)

If you're interested in making a pillow like this one cut the following size strips for the front of the pillow. (Click on the photo below to have the measurements enlarged.)

When you are finished sewing the strips together, using 1/2 inch seams, your pillow top will look like the one below. I always press the seams to one side, toward the darker fabric, and top stitch the seam to the pillow top.

I then added some muslin flowers -- attaching them to the pillow with fabric glue -- and made an envelope enclosure for the back of the pillow.

Sewing the front of the pillow to the back was the last step -- 1/2 inch seams did the trick.

For the novice sewer a pillow is one of the quickest and easiest projects to tackle, and you have something beautiful when you're finished!

Here are the two pillows side by side -- different, yet similar...

Have a great day!


Linked to:
I Made It Without My Husband @ Shanty 2 Chic
Show & Tell @ Blue Cricket Design
Spotlight Yourself @ It's So Very Cheri
The Boardwalk Bragfest @ Bobbypins Boardwalk
Toot Your Horn Tuesday @ Silly Little Sparrow
Trash to Treasure Tuesday @ Reinvented