Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Flower Pillow Tutorial

I have seen lots of circle flower pillows before, but I kinda decided I love mine best :) Ha..ha...it's soooo super easy, and kinda unique for the flower world. It's also sloppy (kinda like all my stuff) which I tend to like. Here are the steps:

Take a bowl/plate/something round that is about the size you want and trace around the fabric you are using. Cut out two circles.

Draw a line about an inch from the edge all around one circle.

Cut lots and lots of strips and surge the sides in a rolled hem fashion.
Sew all the strips together in a long chain. I just sewed a bunch together, laid it out on the circle like i'd be sewing it, add more, check it, until I felt like the strip was long enough. It all kinda depends on how big you want your pillow.

If you don't have access to a surger, you could always hem the strips, or sew two strips together and turn them inside out. I like the surger look though, I think it gives it kinda an edge.

Next, you start from the outside, and start sewing! The line you made is the starting guide. Once you come full circle, start sewing about a half inch below the previous circle. Like this:

Make sense? You want them to overlap about 1/2 an inch I think.

I seriously just bunched the fabric when i got to a tough corner, and it totally works. If you do this throughout, it makes it look like that's how it's supposed to...and since this is my pillow, I have decided- that is exactly how it should look!

Once you get to the middle you just twist the tail and turn it and sew all over it.

After that you press the entire thing...if you look at mine, you will see some are pressed in, some pressed out, some all weird like- THAT is exactly the reason it looks so cool. It's not perfection, but it looks just as it should.

Next you put right sides together, and sew around leaving an opening for batting.
Stuff batting in.
Pin and sew the opening together!


Walah! A beautiful pillow.

You can also use this method to make a lace pillow like this!



I am also entering my turquoise one at the top in the Blogger's Pillow Party. I probably wont win cause they tend to pick more quilty-like pillows...but I figure I'd give it a shot anyway :)

Blogger's Pillow Party

Did those instructions make sense? I know they aren't the most detailed and I don't have pictures for every step...so if you have a question, ask away! I'll get back to you on it.

16 comments:

AMY AND MIKEY said...

I cannot believe hwo easy that is! I thought it was a million layers of circles- ha! I had no idea it was just a long strip of fabric. You are such a genius! I LOVE the not perfect look, and liek you said- I thought ti was supposed to be that way- infact I was thinkiing- hwo will I get mine to look like that, I want it JUST like hers! I LOVE IT! I'm so excited to make one! Thankyou for the tutorial, and yes it made complete sense! Love you!

Papgena Made It said...

I understand completely!! And I do love your pillows, they are fun!
Come and check mine!!! ;)

Melissa said...

I love it! I think it would look just gorgeous using silk.
Thanks for the tutorial!

Aliese the Writer said...

Wow, that sounds so easy! You are so amazing at making things to decorate your house. You are so good at not worrying about it being perfect. I could never do that! You are so great! I love you so much! :)

Rachel Hauser said...

You make it look so easy in your tutorial. Thanks for entering your pillow. It immediately caught my eye with such a fun shade of blue!

Toya said...

I just asked someone 2 days ago, what I could do with 12 round pillow forms that I have!!! You sent me a subliminal message and you didnt even know it. hahaha They look awesome!!

Vicki @ The Sassy Pickle said...

You've done it again! Another great tutorial and great pillow. You rock.

Anonymous said...

Wow
im not quit sure i understand though...
do you get a round pillow, some ribbon or lace of the same color and sew the ribbon on the pillow like u showed???
if anyone can answer please do sew
get it? sew... haha..just kiddin :)

Danielle said...

If I understand your question right, I just did the same exact method as the tutorial explains, except instead of sewing strips, I got lace that was the same color as the pillow...and sewed exactly as I did the strips. You could do whatever color though, I'm sure it'd look nice. But I sewed it on a round piece of fabric, like I did the blue and brown ones. Make sense? So it's not just on a pillow form. It's on a pillow case which I then stuffed with batting. Good luck!

Janlynn said...

I'm a little late , but I just found your pillows. All of them are beautiful. Turquoise is my favourite colour. The brown is so on trend and the lace is genius.
I like your blog. I hope you continue to take of yourself and get better. Lastly, please don't take this the wrong way,its the mom in me, but the word is Voila`! it's a french word. No offence intended.

Sassy Sites! said...

WHY have I not seen your blog before?!!! You are adorable!! I'm adding your blog to my list of Sassy Sites!! xoxo!

jeana said...

This is pure madness and genius, I mean the good thing! Thanks for sharing out. Love love the cuddly flower pillow specially that turquoise one. Finally I can make one. :-) outsourcing company

Patti said...

I'm totally going to try out a small pillow and once I have it down, I'm going to do this on an enormous floor cushion that I can lay on! I'm so excited!

Faith, Trust, and a Little Pixie Dust said...

So pretty & I love the creative candlestick idea too.

Warmly, Michelle

Ocean Peg said...

Love it. Going to give it a try. Especially like the one made of lace. Will finally have some use for it. A friend overstocked me with a large plastic container of it.

Unknown said...

This is gorgeous and one of the coolest pillow designs I've seen so far. Hopefully mine will turn out okay without a serger. Thanks!