With just minimal stitching, felt and a down pillow form from DOWNLITE, you can make a whimsical pillow to match your decor. Because felt won’t ravel, there’s no need to finish the edges of this pillow.
What you need:
- ½ yard each of felt in two colors
- Pillow form in your choice of size (12-inch, 14-inch or 16-inch square)
- Yarn or pearl cotton in contrasting color
- Large eye needle with sharp (not rounded) point
- Pins
- Sharp fabric scissors
- Rotary cutter with decorative-edge blade (optional)
- Print-out of monogram letter or simple shape cut from a coloring book
- Fabric marking pen or tailor’s chalk
- Ruler
1: For the back of the pillow, cut a piece of felt in Color A in a square 4 inches larger than your pillow form size. (For a 12-inch square pillow form, you’ll cut a backing square that measures 16 inches by 16 inches.) You can use a rotary cutter with a decorative blade if you prefer.
2: For the front of the pillow, cut a piece of felt in Color B in a square 2 inches larger than your pillow form size. (For a 12-inch form, you’ll cut a square for the pillow front that measures 14 inches by 14 inches.)
3: For the front lining of the pillow—which shows through the cut-out shape—cut a piece of felt from Color A the same size as the pillow form. (For a 12-inch form, you’ll cut a square measuring 12 inches by 12 inches.)
4: In the center of the pillow front square, trace around your letter or other simple shape with a fabric marking pen or tailor’s chalk. The marked side will be the RIGHT side of your fabric.
5. Lay the smallest square of felt in Color A on the WRONG side of the pillow front (Color B). Pin these two layers together.
6. Thread your needle with yarn or perl cotton and sew a running stitch around the outside of your traced line. You will sew the front square and the lining fabric together.
7. Once your shape is outlined in stitches, use scissors to cut along the traced lines to remove the top layer of fabric. Be careful not to cut through the lower layer.
8. Remove all pins.
9. Flip the front section over to the back and cut away the excess Color A felt.
10. Center your pillow front onto the pillow backing square, WRONG sides together. Pin in place.
11. Thread your needle with yarn or pearl cotton and stitch the front piece to the back piece with a running stitch along three sides of the square. Do not tie off your yarn at this point.
12. Insert your down pillow form, then continue sewing along the fourth side. Tie off your thread.
Helpful hints: If you would prefer a down-alternative polyester pillow form, try DOWNLITE's EnviroLoft or PrimaLoft options. Use your imagination: A patterned fabric used behind the monogram or shape will give the pillow a different look. If you have trouble pulling the yarn through the two layers of felt, use a small diameter hole punch to make holes to stitch through.
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