Tutorial Tuesday - Boudior Pillow

While my husband is away I've set a goal.

I'm going to finish all lying around projects. 

To start I'm going to finish our bedroom as we've had this

pillow fabric for about 3 months. 

Boudoir Pillows

First let me say that I used a silky upholstery fabric which I don't entirely recommend if you 

have never sewn with it before, or you're just a beginner sewer. It is very pretty though 

and gives a great luxurious bedroom feel though so I'll give you a few tips

so that if you are a first timer, you don't tear it or have shedding issues. 

Here is what you'll need:

- Sewing Machine

-scissors or a rotary cutter

-cutting mat

-measuring tape

-yard stick

-fabric

-pins

-old pillow or pillow stuffing

-quilt batting

I was working with a purpose to reuse some old pillows that

were given to me with a bedding set. Since we were gifted a brand

new bedding set when we moved back to TN, the colors no longer match our room. 

So I measured my old pillow...

It was 19X19 inches. 

 If you are just making a pillow from scratch, just get an idea of what size you want your pillow to be. 

I knew I didn't want a perfect square so I cut my fabric at a 20 X 16.

 I cut 1 pieces of this measurement out of my fabric and 1 piece of this measurement out of my batting. 

The front piece of fabric needs to be 2 X's the length of the back piece (so for me 40 inches) and 2 inches wider (again for me it would be a 40 X 18 inch piece)

 

No matter how straight I think I'm cutting, it's NEVER straight. 

I didn't want a crazy looking pillow so I laid out my fabric 

on the cutting mat. made a perfect line with a PENCIL. Don't use a pen unless it's

a fabric pen. Then I used to rotary cutter to cut it all even and perfect. 

Now for setting up your machine to ruffle the front of the pillow. 

Use a basting stitch (the basic straight stitch) but open it up

to the widest stitch there is. 

( If you don't know how to do this, READ YOUR MACHINE BOOK! 

It will help you!  You can also google tutorials for how to use your machine.)

 I measured my piece to allow 3 ruffle lines. 

Leave a few (like 4-6) inches of bobbin and top thread hanging out before you begin to sew. 

I used my yard stick to measure 3 equal sections across the end of my fabric. Then I traced it with my pencil lightly on the bottom side. 

You can see 2 of my stitches.

leave excess bobbin and top thread at the other end too!

 Now you will grab the top thread and GENTLY

begin to pull your fabric away from your 

hand causing it to ruffle. 

A tip is to pull a few inches from the end and then stop for a minute

and pull those inches towards the other end. Then start at the front again. 

Repeat on all 3 stitches and you get this:

  Next you will pin the front piece to the quilt batting all the way around. 

This allows you to get it JUST how you want it and make it stable. 

Now sew one straight stitch (on it's regular setting) over top of 
the bunched stitches and around all 4 edges. 
It will then look like this:

All that is left to do is pin the front and back together "face sides" IN and sew 3 edges. 
Flip right side out and fill with stuffing. 
You also have the option of finishing the bottom with a zipper. 
I just pinned the open edges in and hand-hem stitched 
the pillow closed! 

Happy Tuesday! 
When you try it be sure to come back and comment and share a photo! 

Also be sure to go and visit yesterday's blog and comment
with your pot roast recipe.