About a month ago, my sweet little girl Cora..started sucking on every button and zipper she could get her hands on! Soon after, I had an idea to create something to satisfy her new craving for metal and plastic :). Yes, although many of my new projects at home or in the kitchen have been coming from Pinterest these days...this idea was all mine! (maybe my husband helped a little).
I initially planned to create what I would call a 'button board'. I thought about using cardboard and wrapping it with batting..then covering it with fabric..and attaching buttons/zippers to the fabric. As I was excitedly telling my husband about my genius idea..he suggested that I make it a pillow! Makes perfect sense..my initial idea was kind of getting there..with the batting and fabric..haha. My husband just has a way of refining my ideas, and that's just one of the many reasons I love him.
So, a button and zipper pillow! Yes! It took me a few weeks to actually sit down and make it happen, but yesterday was the day..and the night..it took a little while. I'm sure other moms know how it is when you're itching to finish something so you stay up late to work on it (while baby is sleeping)..knowing you'll pay the price the next day. :) It was worth it!
I was so pumped and focused that I forgot to take pictures of the whole process..but you will get to see the finished product.
Directions..
1. Find your material of choice and cut out the amount you'd like to use for your pillow. I used about a 24 inch by 14 inch piece of fabric (folded it in half, so the pillow ended up being 12 inches by 14 inches). **It's fabuless when you have material left over from other projects..I have previously used this same material for a car seat cover, a book cover, a headband, and wall art..fabuless!
2. If you're like me, you'll need to iron your fabric.
3. Organize the buttons and other items that you'd like to use for your pillow. I set everything out to get an idea of where I'd like to place what. It's fun to use lots of different colors, so keep that in mind!
4. Start attaching whatever your heart desires by hand sewing the items on to the right side of your fabric. I used a zipper going diagonally down through the center of the pillow and started by sewing the sides of that down with my sewing machine. I also unzipped it a little ways and turned the sides out to create a heart on one side :). So fun! It's fun to use colorful string for attaching your items, and it's more sturdy (craft string).
5. Once all of your items are attached..fold your fabric so the right sides are facing each other and pin around the edges.
6. Sew about a quarter of an inch in from the edge and go around the pillow...but leave about 2-3 inches open for the stuffing process. :) Be sure to reinforce all of your corners (I just stitch and backstitch and stitch again) Your sewing needle should never have to come up out of the fabric..when you get to the corner, just lift up the foot and turn your fabric around the needle (for those that aren't super savvy with a sewing machine).
7. Turn out your fabric using the space you left open..then use the handle of a spatula to push your fabric out along the edges and corners (unless you have an actual tool for that, haha).
8. Stuff your pillow! I actually had a basic bed pillow that was losing some of its body, so I decided to take it apart and re-purpose the stuffing! You can always buy a bag of this at the store, but I'm almost thinking it'd be cheaper just to buy an inexpensive pillow and take it apart..because you get a lot of stuffing from one pillow! *Use your spatula to push the stuffing in and around the pillow..get the corners really good. :)
9. Hand sew the space you left open.
Here's how mine turned out...
Oh, and maybe I should mention..it's important to watch your little ones with their pillows just to be sure they aren't getting any of the buttons off and putting them in their mouths. Even though the buttons should be sewn on very tightly..just be aware. :)
I think she likes it..
Happy pillow making!
sincerely fabuless, the windy city.
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