Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Get Crafty! Make a patriotic firework handprint pillow

For the 4th of July weekend, Sandra, Bryan and Sarah Wesley Cooper invited us to stay at their family's house on the Spring River.  Bryan's mom, "Queenie", is so good to us and always showers us with goodies every time we see her.  So we decided to treat her to a special home made pillow that will remind her of our weekend together and the sweet little girls, too :)

To make a handprint pillow, you will need about 1/2 yard of interior design fabric, a 20" by 20" pillow form (or whatever size pillow you want to make),  about 6 sheets of felt, different colors, thread, pins, scissors, and your sewing machine!
Starting my pillow for Queenie!  First, trace your tiny's handprints.  I used Stella's and her bestie, Sarah Wesley's, little handprints to make the firework shape.  I then pinned the handprints to three colors of felt and cut them out.  I cut out 12 handprints total.  I wanted to make a 20" by 20" pillow, so I also  had about a half of a yard of linen home decorator fabric to use.  
Pin all of the handprints in a firework shape onto your  20" by 20" piece of fabric...
... and start stitching around the handprints!  This might take a little while, but is much easier than it looks.    Just be patient!  


See, if you look close, it's not perfect, but it's cute!
For the back of the pillow, I wanted to make an overlapping flap to make the cover easy to put on and take off the pillow.  So, using your selvage edges, cut two rectangles that overlap about 4"  to make a 20" by 20" square to match the front.   Now, pin the front to the back, right sides together.  Stitch all the way around the square, trim corners, and turn inside out.  Voila!  Pillowcase!  Don't forget your pillow insert.  I like down filled, because they squish up so cute!
Here is the back view with the pillow flap...
... and here is the front!  I monogrammed the date on the front to commemorate the Fourth of July weekend!

Stella loves to pose!  Hope you love your pillow,  Queenie!