Creative Pillows

Hello everyone!

Over the weekend, I decided to make a few changes to my home.  It was just too hot to go outside (despite our subdivision pool opening up).  So, I was looking for a way to bring a cooler feeling to my rooms.  I first brought in some pink peonies and pink cherry blossom branches.  

Now, do you see that red stripe grain sack pillow on the sofa above?

That is something I made very easily!  

I do not own a sewing machine and don't know how to make pillows the professional way.  What I do remember having though was a pillow cover that fit a pillow like a pillow case.  So, I thought.............I can do that!

So I took a vintage grain sack that I already had and cut it in half.  I simply slipped a pillow insert into the part with the seam already there.  Voila!  One pillow down, one to go.    

Here is the other half of the grain sack.

This one was open on both ends though.  Since I was left with one side that I had cut and one that was the original opening of the sack.  

Here you can see the side that was cut.

So, how to close the other side?  I simply used fabric glue and pressed the finished edges together evenly.  Then, I inserted a pillow insert into and it was as good as the other one I made!

If I ever want to, I can finish off the open end so it doesn't look so unfinished.  But, this grain sack doesn't fray too bad.  So, I'm not too worried about it.  

After making those,  I wasn't done yet.  I had a cotton rug that I wasn't using because one end was frayed.  It had been washed a few times which caused that to happen. So, I decided it would make a good looking pillow too.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of my work in progress but I can explain it easily. I simply found a pillow insert that would fit the size of the rug and wrapped the rug around the pillow.  I didn't have to cut anything!  

I simply used thread and needle to close up the sides of the rug around the pillow insert.  Here is one end.

I did that on both ends and then the part that wrapped around the pillow, was also sewn in place.  

Can you see my stitches?

I made sure that it lined up with the edge of the pillow too.  

So, now I have a grey and white striped pillow and two grain sack pillows that I love.  Neither of which cost me anything!  So, if you have some fabric glue, sharp scissors, needle and thread, you can make just about anything into a pillow!  

For those of you who make pillows professionally, please just look away.  I'm sure you are all cringing at my amateur sewing skills.  Ha!  Obviously, I won't be selling any pillows on Etsy any time soon.  But, I'm happy with them nonetheless.

Hope your Monday is going well.  It's going to be another scorching hot week of temps in the 90's.  I guess summer is officially here.

Thanks for visiting.

~ Kelly ~