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Feb 22, 2012

Pillow Talk

I became a pillow-making machine on the weekend.


I was at the dollar store on Friday looking for plastic storage containers, wandered down the linens aisle and stopped at the placemats. I couldn't believe how many different patterns and fabrics there were.  I chose a green mat with a slight wavy pattern and two grey on grey mats with a Paris, France print.  I love the different fonts, and the fabric is quite thick.


The green one was two-ply so I tore out the stitches along one side with a stitch-ripper, stuffed the cavity with polyester fiberfill, and sewed the seam closed.  Easy-peasy as they say.




The printed placemats were thicker, a single-ply, but with a kind of vinyl backing.  I was concerned that the sewing machine needle wouldn't go through a double thickness, but it was no problem at all.  I matched them up, right sides out, and sewed around 3 edges. 


I was going to stuff it with fiberfill but I decided to use an old pillow form instead.  It was a dense pillow form - feather-filled maybe - and it made the pillow weighty and substantial.  I shoved the pillow form in further than it should go so that I could squeeze the open sides together and sew them up on the machine.  I hate hand sewing and use the machine whenever I can.



The pillow can't be changed out easily but I don't think I'm going to want to anyway.  I went back to the dollar store on Monday and bought two more placemats to make a matching pillow.  (I may even have bought 4 more in a slightly different shade - same pattern - for the livingroom.) 

I also bought two pillow covers on that first trip.  They were already finished with a zipper at the back. 


I bought them because the grey silk is a near-perfect match to the curtains in the guest room. At first I stuffed them with fiberfill, but they were too soft so I switched it out for some throw pillows I already had.



 So what was the total?

Green placemat - $1.50
Paris placemats - $6 (4x$1.50)
Silk pillow covers - $4 (2x$2)
Stuffing - already had it, but about $2
Pillow forms - already had, prices unknown

Total - $13.50 for 5 pillows, or $2.70 per pillow. How's that for some thrifty work?


Here is the guest room with all the pillowy goodness. 



I still need to switch out the picture above the bed - the room used to be green & brown and it matched then. I want to put a black and white picture up there - maybe even one I've taken myself. 

Something like this:


I think I have to stay away from the dollar store for a little while.  These were so easy that I could go crazy buying placemats and sewing them up. 




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I'm linking up here this week!

16 comments:

  1. Olga@Stardust-Decor & StyleNovember 8, 2012 at 6:42 PM

    Barb you did a wonderful job! Wish I could sew! 
    Love, Olga
    P.S.: I'm now following you via bloglovin'! Keep in touch!

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  2. Yep, dollar store. :-)

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  3. You are a ROCK STAR!  I love these pillows (and so awesome on the placemat tip)! 

    Thanks for linking up to the party!blessings,karianne

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  4. I just love the placemat pillow!  And I love your placement pillows!

    I made a bunch last summer for my back porch (figuring they were durable enough to endure the outdoors!).

     
    So very happy that you linked up to our Pillopalooza slumber party!:)
    Linda

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  5. Can't wait to see what you do with them!

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  6. Very cute pillows!  I just picked some napkins up to make into pillow today so your post is timely!  Thanks for linking up to the Creative Inspirations party - please come back Thursday to link up again!
    Stacey of Embracing Change

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  7. I'm featuring this tomorrow at Fabulous Friday.  I hope you drop by again to link up more of your projects.

    herecomesthesun-kelly.blogspot.com

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  8. That's awesome - thank you!

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  9. They have so many different fabrics - it's amazing.

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  10. Thank you - that's awesome!

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