Do-it-yourself fabric pillow toys. Features of sewing original pillow toys using patterns. DIY pillow toys - looking for inspiration

Wonderful pillows can be used as toys

A modern house reflects the creativity, taste and character of the owners, is the embodiment of fantasy, creative thought. You can revive the interior of the nursery in a budget way - decorate the room with bright and cheerful textile accessories.

A scattering of animal pillows on a crib, sofa or sofa will bring rainbow colors, create the right mood, which is extremely important for the development of the crumbs. To make it easier for beginners to master the process of how to sew a baby pillow with their own hands, you just need to look at the world through the eyes of a child.

A beautiful figured children's pillow is not only a striking attribute of the design of a children's island, but also a very functional thing. In shops textile products many different products are presented, but a hand-sewn pillow is always an exclusive and original accessory. Experienced needlewomen are in constant search of creative ideas, new forms and designs.

Baby pillows

Craftswomen are happy to share their experience with beginners, making it easier for them with practical advice:

• We pay attention to the choice of fabric. What is appropriate for decorating a living room may not be suitable for a nursery. In such a room, it is important to maintain a high level of environmental friendliness and safety. Choose hypoallergenic fabrics, natural materials. Fantasy and creativity are the engine of progress. As a basis, you can use old cotton T-shirts or knitted sweaters. The surface of such a budget decorative pillow for a nursery is pleasant to the touch, does not “bite” like wool or mohair.

Choosing a fabric

• Color spectrum. Harmony is the main factor when choosing the color of pillows for a nursery. In a classic design, they can echo the color of the curtains, sofa upholstery or wallpaper pattern in the room. You can play with contrast, create new and interesting color combinations.

When choosing a color, there is only one rule: the child's eyes should not get tired. Avoid flashy or neon shades. Soft undertones and warm colors can correct child development to create the right mood.

• Decoration. Creative craftswomen use any details as decoration: the remnants of fabric, patches with prints, embroidery or knitting elements, ribbons and lace. In the design, you should not use large buttons, pointed beads, protruding details.

Pillow decor

• Filler. Sewing decorative pillows with your own hands is not difficult, but you need to think in advance about how to fill it. The material must meet all safety requirements, have hypoallergenic properties. Medium firm pillow the best option as the padding will lose its shape over time. Materials such as foam rubber, sintepuh, synthetic winterizer are safe for the child.

Pillow fillers

The developmental pillow is currently very popular. To fill it, you can use silicone balls, they contribute to the development of children's motor skills, easily changing the shape of the product.

Sewing Ideas

When modeling textiles for children, you need to forget all the classic rules. In the world of children's dreams and fun, there is no place for boredom or dullness.

Beautiful baby pillows

A child, looking at a pillow, should have only optimistic and pleasant associations, for example, with his favorite cartoon character, kind animals, bright sun or warm summer.

We offer several simple workshops, thanks to which you can create an exclusive textile masterpiece in just one evening.

Soft Bunny

With a beautiful soft pillow in the form of a bunny, the baby will immediately make friends and sleep on it will be very comfortable. For work you will need finished pattern, fabric such as velsoft or microfleece, felt for decorating the face, lace or ribbon, soft filler and tailor's chalk (bar of soap).

Bunny pillows

The algorithm is simple:

• We transfer the details of the pattern from paper to fabric. We circle each with chalk and carefully cut it out. You should get two blanks for each ear and bunny head.
• We sew the details, starting with the ears, leaving a small hole for the filler.
• We put the ears stuffed with padding polyester inside the head, chop off with pins, baste and sew, leaving a hole at the bottom.
• We turn the head on the front side, fill it with padding polyester and sew up the hole with a hidden seam.
• Let's start creating a cute bunny face. Separate parts of the muzzle are cut out of thin felt, pinned with pins so that they do not move out during work, and then sew on with a blind seam. You can use fabric glue.
• We make a large bow from the ribbon, sew it to the hare's ear to give it an elegant look.

Bunny pillow

A beautiful pillow in the form of a good bunny is ready. You can experiment with the color, fabric and design of the muzzle of the animal, creating a whole family of bunnies.

Pillow cat

IN Lately pillow toys have become very popular. Cute "purrs" not only decorate the interior of the nursery, but also become participants in children's games.

To sew a pillow in the form of a cat, you will need a pattern. You can take a ready-made template or draw it according to your own sketch. To work, you will need a fleece fabric of two colors, strong threads to match, soft stuffing, felt for the muzzle.

Let's start sewing a cat:

• Prepare a pattern on paper. You can use ready-made templates or draw your own. We transfer the templates to the fabric and cut out the details.
• We sew the elements, starting with the ears of the cat. light color fleece for the muzzle, sew into the head. The front side of the pillow looks like squares sewn into each other.
• We sew the ears on top, we sew all sides on the typewriter, leaving a small hole at the bottom.
• We fill the product with sintepuh, sintepon or silicone balls, sew up the hole with a hidden seam.
• We draw a muzzle. You can use paints or waterproof felt-tip pens. When drawing the muzzles of animal pillows for a child's room, try to make them as optimistic and cheerful as possible. Gloomy and not funny animals can simply scare a small child.

Sewing children's pillows with your own hands requires not only creative inspiration, but also perseverance. In just one evening, you can sew an original toy as a gift for your daughter or son. When decorating a product for little fidgets, you should securely fasten the parts in order to prolong the life of a soft animal.

Cat - pillow

Orthopedic pillow

If you like to travel with the whole family, then an original and useful accessory in the form of a comfortable orthopedic pillow will be a welcome gift for a child.

As a rule, all orthopedic pillows are shaped like the letter "C". For stuffing, a filler of medium hardness is used to keep the shape of the product.

To make the pillow look boring, you can play with the image using animal motifs or your favorite cartoon characters. To sew a product, you do not need to look for complex patterns. We draw a large letter C on paper, transfer the pattern to a soft cloth folded in half face down. We cut out the blanks, sew them together, stuff them with filler and sew up the hole with a blind seam. The fun begins - choosing an idea for decorating. To make the child smile looking at the pillow, you can give it the look of a mischievous monkey by shaping the muzzle, sewing on a long tail and paws. A pillow in the form of a curled up cat will give the baby vivid dreams, giving the opportunity to gain strength during the rest for new achievements.

Orthopedic pillow

Love and care can manifest itself in different ways. Creativity is the best way to talk about your feelings, about what fills your heart. A pillow sewn by mother's gentle hands will give the baby joy, a sense of security and a sunny mood.

How to sew a pillow with your own hands? Every needlewoman thought about this. A pillow is needed not only for sleeping, with it you can make the design of the apartment complete and original.

After looking at photos of homemade pillows on the Internet, you might think that sewing requires experience and talent. But having understood the very process of creating a pillow, it turns out that it is not at all difficult.

Let's see how to make a pillow with your own hands?

The most important thing to know before you get started

Before you start sewing a decorative pillow with your own hands, you need to decide exactly how it will look. But more important than this is to choose the fabric and filler.

If you want to make a multifunctional pillow, it is important to choose a fabric that can be easily cleaned. The filler should not fall into dense lumps for as long as possible, losing its elasticity.

Materials. Textile

To make a durable, practical and beautiful pillow, you need to choose the right fabric.

Firstly, it should not be strongly electrified and attract any dust to itself, it can be easily cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.

Secondly, the material must prevent dust from entering the packing. Suitable fabrics:

• Atlas
• Crepe satin
• Upholstery fabrics
• bike
• linen fabrics

You can use other fabrics, except for propylene matting. It is slippery, rough and tough, so for soft pillow won't fit.

Stuffing

The pillow can be stuffed with many materials. It can be cotton wool, bird fluff or feathers, foam rubber, synthetic winterizer, holofiber and many others.

Let's deal with each filler:

Cotton wool and synthetic winterizer fall into lumps at great speed. At the same time, it is almost impossible to evenly fill the product with cotton wool.

Feathers and down are not suitable not only because of the difficult accessibility, but also because of insufficient elasticity. No one will beat up a decorative pillow like a sleeping pillow, so as not to spoil the beautiful finish.

Hollofiber is readily available, available in two forms: sheets and fluffy granules. Sheet is more expensive, it can be replaced with cheaper foam rubber. Hollofiber is well suited for a pillow. It serves for about 10 years without rolling.

Another filler option is round silicone granules. They are best for baby pillows because they are hypoallergenic and can be easily poured out, rinsed, dried and put back in through a small hole.

Decoration. Colors

The easiest way to decorate the interior is to do it with pillows of different colors. Of course, they should match the colors of the interior items: furniture, curtains or even walls.

This is sometimes a difficult task - to achieve a combination - but very popular. From pillows of different colors, you can make an ensemble that will emphasize all the advantages of the interior.

The most interesting thing is that the idea with colorful pillows is not only easy to implement, but also financially affordable.

Note!

Do not stop the choice only on plain fabrics, materials with patterns and ornaments will look advantageous.

Seal

Recently, printing on fabrics has become more and more popular. Why not print on the pillow? This affordable option decoration of your product: printing prices are not very high, the pattern is stable and clear.

With the help of numerous computer programs you can make a design in advance and even see how the ensemble will look in the interior.

Shape and Fragment

Pillows can be made in absolutely any shape. There are no restrictions in this, the main thing is to show imagination. You can use the technique of modular sewing. To do this, several simple parts are made, which are subsequently sewn in place into a complex product.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is quite difficult to clean. You must either completely disassemble the product, or use a furniture vacuum cleaner.

Note!

Patchwork or patchwork is also used. Most often, they take a key fragment and place it in the center. The fragments combined with it are located along the periphery. Simple but very effective!

key element

The compact key element adds a touch of sophistication to the throw pillow. Such an element can be a button, tassels, bows and much more. There are also no restrictions.

You can ennoble a product from a modest fabric with the help of a key element. With it, the finished product will look richer and more expensive, so you can use technical or furniture upholstery fabrics that do not differ in bright colors.

Knitting, embroidery, lace

Knitted sofa cushions are more difficult to make than just sewn from fabric. You must be able to knit or crochet - this is a laborious craft that requires care.

However, so is embroidery. On the pillow, you can embroider any plot with satin stitch, cross or ribbons. Here, too, everything depends on your skill, imagination and perseverance.

You can also decorate the product with lace. Of course, it is easier to buy ready-made lace in a store, but it will be much more expressive if you make the lace yourself.

Note!

Just imagine the faces of guests who saw pillows completely made by you.

To make a pillow, you can use, for example, an old sweater. The effect will be the same as from a self-bonded cover. If desired, it can be decorated with various beads, buttons, and so on.

Cushion embroidery

As mentioned earlier, you can decorate the pillow with any embroidered plots, but you can not do them in any technique that you own.

Therefore, do not embroider with beads on the pillow. Why? It's just unhygienic. It will be problematic to wash out all the dirt from under the beads, but what got into the beads itself will remain there forever. Yes, and think about whether it will be comfortable to lie on such a pillow?

Cross stitch is best because it is the most durable. You can wash such a product without worrying that the threads will come out. You can use the smooth surface, but when washing the threads weaken, and the pattern loses its attractiveness.

From old clothes

So, you can make a pillow out of old sweaters, but what else can I use? Yes, whatever! Old T-shirts, sweaters, T-shirts - everything that is lying around in your closet and waiting in line for a landfill.

You can even use jeans. The product will turn out not so soft, but it will look very original.

figurines

These pillows are perfect for a child's room. They can simply stand on a bed or even a shelf, pleasing to the eye and finishing the nursery design. They can serve as toys or serve their intended purpose.

The figurine pillow can be of absolutely any shape, the main thing is that you and your kids like it.

Funny letters

With the help of such pillows, the child will quickly learn the letters. Often letters or numbers are sewn for the holidays. Letters can also serve as toys too.

Sleeping on them is sometimes not very comfortable, but they look great in the interior.

For the manufacture of capital letters it is better to use foam rubber, and fill only the edges with holofiber. In this way, you can stuff any large pillows.

Borders

Every mother of a baby knows the problem: how to protect the child from bumps while sleeping in a crib? The child has already been saved from falling from the crib, but what to do with these hard sides that the child constantly hits in his sleep?

For these purposes, you can also sew a pillow! Foam rubber is best for boards. It is dense and will not allow the child to feel the fences upon impact.

Any foam rubber can be sheathed soft cloth to which the child will not be allergic. In order for the pillow to hold on, it is necessary to sew on fabric ties with which the pillow will stay in the crib.

Any pillow, regardless of its shape, size and design, will fit perfectly into any interior.

Easy to manufacture, not requiring special talent and skills, these products will make a boring and dull apartment, original and cozy place for relax.

DIY pillow photo

Initially, pillows were not invented for comfort during sleep, but for the sake of maintaining complex, intricate hairstyles. The first samples of these devices were preserved in the tombs of the Egyptian pyramids and have survived to this day in their original form. In eastern countries (China, Japan), “pillows” were called special devices made of stone or porcelain, which were placed under the neck, also for the sake of preserving hairstyles. There was no mention of convenience. Solid "pillows" performed an exclusively supportive function for the head. To get used to sleeping on such devices required a habit developed over the years. Real soft pillows, which are well known to all of us, were invented in ancient Greece. Most of the wealthy citizens of this country tried to create comfortable conditions for recreation. Since they spent most of their lives in bed, soft mattresses and pillows have become an indispensable attribute of pastime. They were stuffed with down, feathers, fragrant herbs.

History remembers many precedents when a pillow became a murder weapon, but this decorative item not only took away, but also saved lives. For example, in one of the parables about the Buddha, it is said how a pillowcase stuffed with odorous leaves, on which he fell asleep, saved him from physical fatigue. Pillows migrated from Ancient Greece to Ancient Rome. Although at first they were treated very skeptically there, later this sleep attribute became mandatory even for the military, hardened by the harsh camp life. He was given a sacred meaning: a thing that protects a person’s sleep. Many girlish fortune-telling is associated with pillows. Spruce twigs, combs, twigs were placed under them in the hope that this would “lead” the betrothed to sleep. Bags of lavender and dried wormwood, hidden in pillows, were supposed to normalize sleep and ward off evil spirits. To bring harm to a person, it was enough to sew a specially prepared magical attribute into his pillowcase. These beliefs have survived to this day, although the digital age denies the mystical component. Centuries later, the pillow becomes an important part of the textile decor. Some are intended only for the bed, while others decorate the house. Let's talk about how to sew pillows with your own hands and what you need for this work.

Purpose and types of sofa cushions

Pillows are classified depending on the purpose into two types:

• Decorative. Their main function is interior decoration. These pillows can be hard and uncomfortable, but this is not so important, because they are sure to look beautiful and stylish.
• For sleep. Comfortable pillows that decorate only with colored pillowcases. They are meant only for sleeping and most of the time covered with a bedspread or hidden in niches for storing bedding.

Depending on the location of the pillow are divided into three types:

• Sofa. Although the name speaks for itself, such pillows can decorate not only sofas, but also armchairs, chairs, ottomans, deck chairs.
• Foot. Now this type is rare. Foot cushions were popular in the Middle Ages. Then the owners of stone castles, fearing to catch cold feet on contact with the cold floor, ordered special pads.
• Floor. Pillows are stacked directly on the floor. This is a great replacement for armchairs and chairs. The tradition of sitting on the floor came to us from the East. For example, in Turkey, they build entire "couch beds" for guests. In Japan, it is generally not customary to use chairs. However, the Japanese are so accustomed to sitting on folded knees that they, in fact, do not need pillows. But for those who are trying to fit into their lifestyle, floor cushion will be a relief from cramped feet.

Separately, it is worth noting curly pillows, which are usually classified as children's. They are given the shape of various animals, cartoon characters, letters of the alphabet. They are decorated with drawings and inscriptions. For example, pillows in the form of cars or robots are sewn for little boys, and more delicate options are selected for girls: puppies, giraffes, cats, dogs, soft dolls. You can sleep on such toys, but most of the time they decorate the room and are used for games. Depending on the sewing technology, several more types are distinguished:

• Quilted. The pillowcases of these pillows are decorated with coarse seams that go through and connect three layers: two sheets and a wadding in the middle. They can act as decoration, and are used only for sleeping. In a sleeping set, a warm quilt is usually attached to the pillows.
• Modular or sectional. The lower and upper parts of such pillows are connected by a special insert. Thanks to this, they look more voluminous.
• Turkish. Their pillowcases are lavishly decorated with fringes and tassels at the corners.

Pillow shape

The classic "European" shape of the pillow is considered square or rectangular. Such small things are called "dumka". The second most popular, oriental view is rollers. These pillows are in the form of cylinders and are used not only as headrests, but also as armrests. They are quite rigid and tightly stuffed with filler. Round pillows (puffs) are also considered to come from the East. They are very rarely used for sleeping, but are ideal for decorating sofas and as soft seats for stools. They are usually decorated with numerous folds and intricacies of fabric. All other forms belong to the group of figured pillows. The most popular are pillows in the form of letters and hearts. In the last couple of years, there was a real "boom". Furry hearts with typical “love” inscriptions stuffed with foam rubber were sold in almost every home textile store.

Types of fabrics

A cover or pillowcase (if used for sleeping) is the main detail, the “face” of a soft pillow. As a rule, it is made of durable fabric that will withstand many washes and last for more than one year. For homemade pillows, improvised materials are often used: from old clothes(T-shirts, jeans), blankets or patchwork patchwork.
Although synthetic fabrics have taken over the textile market in recent years, it is better to choose natural ones:

• Silk. Delicate yet skin-friendly material. Silk covers are difficult to care for, but they are ideally combined with a luxurious classic design.
• Linen. The rough texture of flax is suitable for country subspecies. The material wrinkles easily. This is its main drawback, but it is hypoallergenic, pleasant to the touch. In the heat of summer, linen will give a feeling of coolness, and in winter it will warm.
• Cotton. Inexpensive natural material, which is easy to care for. In terms of stylistic matching, cotton covers are easy to integrate into almost any interior.
• Wool. Covers may look rough, but the material will perfectly warm in the cold winter. These pillows are great to sleep on.

When choosing a fabric for a cover, it is important to follow the rules for its compatibility with the filler:

• For "loose" stuffings, dense fabric pillowcases are needed.
• For delicate stuffing (swan down), the same delicate fabric is selected, which will allow you to feel the filling.

Among the popular textile options for pillow covers are fleece, felt, teak, jacquard, satin, percale, cambric, twill, tapestry.

One of the cheapest and most durable materials is polyester. This synthetic fabric is not suitable for sewing covers. It wears out quickly and loses its shape. It is not recommended to use old polyester t-shirts for sewing pillowcases.

Types of stuffing

The next question that confronts those who want to make a pillow with their own hands, how to stuff it? TO natural fillers include swan down, goose feather, horse hair, sheep and camel hair, and even buckwheat husks. These types of fillers require special care. Due to the high cost, they are mainly purchased for those pillows that will be used for sleeping. Decorative ones are mainly stuffed with synthetic fillers:

• Sintepon. The leader among synthetic stuffings. It replaced foam rubber, unlike which it breathes due to its special fibrous structure. The synthetic filler is light, does not cause allergies and is easy to care for.
• Holofiber. Almost weightless material that allows moisture and odors to pass through. Holofiber fillers are ideal for pillows in the kitchen.
• latex filler. It is obtained from foamed rubber. The filler keeps its shape well, therefore it is more often used for stuffing special orthopedic pillows for people with health problems.

There is also a separate type of filler - komforel. The material is small balls that quickly restore their shape after being pressed.

How to sew a pillow with your own hands

Sewing a pillow can be divided into several stages:

• Selection of materials and tools (scissors, needles, liner or crayon, thread, sewing centimeter).
• Directly stitching elements.
• Stuffing.
• The final stitching of the hole through which the filler was passed. Attaching lightning.
• Cover making and decoration.

The detailed master class below will help you understand the algorithm for performing work.

You need to start sewing with a pattern. In fact, this is a scheme, a “template”, according to which you will have to work in the future. Usually patterns are presented in finished form in specialized magazines or on sites for needlewomen. It will be quite difficult to draw a drawing for a complex-shaped pillow (animals, letters), but for simple thoughts or rollers it is quite realistic. The main thing that should not be forgotten is the “reserves” of fabric that will be wrapped inside and processed with an overlock, which will prevent them from delamination into fibers. The standard size of a rectangular pillow is 70x50 cm. If there are no plans to make a pillowcase, then it is easy to buy a ready-made cover for such a model in any textile store. From the wrong side, markings are applied to the fabric after measurements. Then the pattern is cut out. For pillows of complex shapes, a pre-prepared template made of graph paper is used, which is fixed with pins. Can be cut big piece fabric into two and sew them together or cut out a rectangle, fold it in half and get by with joining the sides. Get one less stitch.

To make it easier for a beginner to work, a sketch is first made on a piece of paper. finished product and a preliminary drawing of the pattern. Having the final result in front of your eyes, it will be easier to navigate.

Sewing

The details of the future pillow are sewn together from the wrong side. The stitch should go exactly along the predetermined line. It is better to use a sewing machine, as the line will turn out to be more accurate and durable. If the work is done by hand, then the stitch is made as small as possible. Only then will the pillow be strong. Three (two, if the canvas is one), the sides are sewn completely, and the fourth is only half. The hole is needed in order to turn the pillow inside out and fill it with stuffing. Some people immediately sew a zipper on the fourth side. The clasp is really convenient, but you need to select models with small sliders and tiny teeth on the ribbons. Too large parts of the zipper can "feel" through the case and cause discomfort. The edges of the fabric from the inside must be processed. It is better to use an overlock.

Stuffing

Filling a pillow with synthetic filling is a simple process, which cannot be said for natural down. Usually it is "poured" from old cases to new ones. If you take a “lump” of fluff in your hand, it may seem that there is nothing difficult in sorting it out. However, a couple of movements are enough and weightless white fluffs scatter throughout the room, striving to get into the mouth or nose. You can't just "sprinkle" fluff. This is not cotton wool, which retains its shape and is easily compacted. A hole is made in the old cover, which is sewn to the same one in the new pillow. The fluff is gently “tumbled”, crushed and moved by hand. This process will take more than one hour, so you will have to be patient. Those who bought fluff in the store should also not tear the packaging, but follow the same pattern of pouring from one container to another.

How to sew a pillow?

The opening for eversion, as a rule, is sewn up with a blind seam. Stitches should be small, neat. The knot is tied from the inside, and the needle is pulled to the front side. The edges of the fabric are wrapped, and the cover is folded exactly along the machine seam, which ended in the middle. This is important, as the discrepancy will be conspicuous. To make the line look even neater, it is duplicated, but the needle punctures are staggered relative to the previous ones. Then the seam will turn out stronger, and it will look neater. Since the pillow will not be exhibited in the museum as an exhibit and it will spend most of the time in a pillowcase, the fourth side “from the face” can simply be sewn with a typewriter. The main thing is that the line goes as close to the edge as possible. If the fabric is variegated, then the thread selected according to the shade will not be noticeable on it at all.

Pillowcase

When the work on sewing the pillow itself is completed, you can proceed to the most creative part, the selection of the design of the pillowcase. First you need to choose a design for the stylistic decision of the room that will be decorated with this piece of decor. For classics, it is better to use luxurious, expensive fabrics with elegant embroidery in gold or silver threads. For modern styles models of a simple cut made of concise materials are suitable, because here the emphasis should be on shape and color. For oriental interiors, colorful pillows with numerous fringes and tassels are created. The room for the child will be decorated with covers with frills, ruffles, appliqués, lace, simple embroidery. For modern girlish bedrooms, pillows decorated with sequins, pins, bows and even fur are suitable. For rustic interiors use knitted covers, decorated with buttons, flowers from ribbons.

Pillow decor options

Decorating is the most creative part of the process. Here you can fully show your imagination and create both laconic options for strict interiors, and mischievous solutions for the original setting. To decorate the cover, both improvised materials and specially purchased accessories are suitable. Let us consider in more detail the popular ways of decorating pillows and analyze them step by step.

Color selection

First of all, you need to decide on a color scheme. Covers can be plain, colorful or combine a moderate number of shades (two or three), selected according to the principles of analogy (ombre effect) or contrast. The latter option is easy to implement in modular covers, the two parts of which are not sewn together, but are connected by an insert. The shade must be selected based on the characteristics of the color scheme of the room as a whole and the furniture in particular. If textile decor should become bright accent on a calm palette of the interior, then catchy colors are selected: red, orange, yellow, green. Shiny golden, bronze, silver cases, which are covered with continuous rows of sequins, will look stylish and original. If the pillow is just a neutral touch, then a calm shade is chosen: white, gray, blue, pink, brown, pastel colors. For outdoor decor (patio, gazebo, garden bench), more natural colors are selected. For example, covers of crimson and brown tones with color gradation perfectly harmonize with the autumn landscape. They are complemented by a checkered plaid, picturesquely laid out on a bench, and now it's ready. cubby open-air reading a book over a cup of hot tea.

Patchwork technique or patchwork, as it is sometimes called, allows you to create unusual decor from old things. These pillow covers will look cute at home, but will only fit country-style interiors. For work, you will need pieces of fabrics of different colors, decorated with ornaments and images. They are cut into squares of the same size, which is calculated from the parameters of the future pillowcase and the estimated number of segments. Then these pieces are sewn to each other, forming strips. They are also interconnected, resulting in a finished canvas.

In the patchwork technique, it is possible to decorate not the entire pillowcase, but only a separate part of it. For example, a combination of scraps of fabric with a variegated checkered pattern on one half will be organically combined with embroidery on a plain burlap on the second.

Application

The applique technique is the sewing of individual pieces of fabric onto the canvas in such a way that the result is a picture. The way of decorating is somewhat similar to folding a puzzle. The master has a large number of parts to be put together. Application happens:

• Flat. This simple technique, in which pieces of fabric are applied to the cover and sewn completely.
• Volumetric. A more complex technique, which is characterized by the presence of convex elements. For example, flounces, ruffles and bows with ribbons appear on a ballerina's dress. Sometimes, in order to get additional volume, a soft filler is placed under a piece of fabric.

When working with fabric, there is a “reverse” application. On the cover of the pillowcase, a detail is cut out according to the template. The edges must be stitched. Preferably by car. Then a similar detail is cut out from a piece of another fabric and sewn on from the wrong side. It is best to work with a template prepared in advance.

Printing on fabric can be ordered in specialized salons, which, using special equipment, will accurately transfer the image to the material. However, you can make a pillow cover yourself. You can try to transfer the image using a hot iron from a regular photo, but the result will be dull and short-lived. It is much easier to work with a set of markers or spray paints and stencils. Drawings, as a rule, are selected concise, since only a master artist can display complex color transitions. The fabric must be laid out on a flat horizontal surface. For reliability, it is better to secure it with pins or press down on the edges with something heavy. The area that should remain untouched is isolated with masking tape or cling film. Now apply the stencil and fix it. You can start coloring the image.

Lace

Covers with lace look very gentle and touching. This "feminine" option is great for shabby chic, provence and blends seamlessly into children's bedrooms for newborns. Thin lace, as a rule, decorates only a separate part of the cover: a strip in the center, on one side, or paired openwork ribbons that “close” the neat pattern in the middle. Due to the special sophistication, this decoration is combined with covers in pastel shades. Contrast is appropriate in double pillowcases. They are sewn from the lower plain layer of ordinary fabric and the upper lace. You can knit such a detail manually using a hook and special yarn.

Knitted pillowcases

Knitted pillowcases bring warmth and comfort to the interior. To work, you will need yarn (about 500 grams per medium-sized cover), buttons, knitting needles or a hook. We must not forget that natural threads will strongly “sit down” after washing. To prevent the pillowcase from becoming too small for a pillow, it is better to use mixed yarn. Mass knitting technique. Some prefer the laconic pigtails and bumps that homemade sweaters usually decorate, while others prefer the complex patterns of spider webs and, again, the patchwork technique, but in a slightly different guise. The pillowcase can be sewn from separately knitted (usually crocheted) patches of yarn of different colors. To close the cover, they use not zippers, but buttons that are organically combined with yarn.

Embroidery

The cover can be decorated with solid embroidery or decorate only part of it. For the first option, embroidery techniques with threads (mulina) with a cross and a half-cross (tapestry) are suitable. You need to work either with burlap or with a regular fabric on which the canvas is fixed. After the embroidery is completed, it is dissolved by thread. For partial decoration, embroidery with ribbons, chenille or work using the “smooth” technique is suitable.

Using old clothes

Wonderful pillowcases are made from old jeans, shirts and sweaters. In the last two cases, the sleeves and the lower part of the garment are cut off, leaving only the collar and the “chest” piece of fabric. You do not need to cut the shirt or sweater at the seam. The second part will become the back of the case. Then the remnants of the shirt are sewn on both sides on the sides. A zipper is sewn to the bottom. The upper part, on which the collar is, is additionally decorated with a piece of fabric previously cut off from the bottom to cover the empty neck. This detail can be sewn to the back of the shirt and simply smoothed out, since the seam on the front side will not look very aesthetically pleasing. You can put a handkerchief in the chest pocket. Covers are sewn from jeans according to the same principle, only both legs are cut off.

There is nothing easier than sewing cat pillows with your own hands. Pillows in the house perform several functions: they make the house cozier, decorate it and serve as armrests and headrests. Now you won’t surprise anyone with store-bought ones, but cat pillows sewn with your own hands are quite likely. Sew or knit as you wish interesting pillows and stencils, it is quite within your power.

It is very pleasant to lie on the couch, relax, soak up with your pet. And when he is not around (someone must hunt), then a beautiful pillow with cat symbols will be a pleasant reminder. Probably the easiest way is to draw a cat on the fabric.

Although, there are other ways to make a bright pillow, for example, deliberately choose a colorful fabric and cut out details from it.

Or choose a material and take it to a workshop that specializes in thermal transfer printing - they will “draw” what you want, and you will also cut out details from this canvas and make something unusual, creative.

Still, it's nice to do something on your own. Stencils are perfect for this type of pillow. The drawing can be done with acrylic paints or special ones for textiles.

Stencils can also be made independently from scratch, or a complex drawing with some details on thick paper, or take a finished drawing. For cutting, it is worth using a clerical knife, carry out the process itself by placing a sheet with a pattern on a wooden cutting board or a sheet of plywood specially designated for this.

To get the desired drawing, you can do without printing it. Just transfer it to paper or tracing paper directly from the monitor.

Fleece

We will need: a small piece of fleece of the desired color, a piece of light beige or milky felt, sewing threads to match the main fabric, holofiber, brown iris (or floss) threads, a fabric marker, needles, pins, scissors, lace, ribbons, buttons, beads to decorate your cat or kitty. Pattern with centimeter scale:

We sew two cats at once, so we have more details in the photo. We fold the fleece in half, transfer the pattern to the fabric, it is very convenient to do this with a disappearing fabric marker.

Stretching our details on sewing machine along the contour, cut out with an allowance of 0.5 cm.

We make an incision on one layer in the area and turn the body inside out. We also cut one layer of the tail in the upper part and turn it inside out.

We stuff the body and tail with holofiber.

We sew up the holes through which the cat and tail were stuffed with matching threads.

We mark it with a disappearing marker, embroider the muzzle with iris or floss threads.

We try on our muzzle on the cat's body, closing the sewn incision, fix it with pins. With a seam over the edge, we sew the muzzle with threads to match the felt.

We try on and sew a tail with a hidden seam so that the cat can lean on it and stand on its own.

That's it, the cat is ready.

It remains to decorate it according to your desire - with bows, braid, flowers, skirts, buttons - with everything your imagination tells you! See how different cats can be:

sleeping cat

A cat in the house can most often be found on a sofa or in an armchair. She loves to sleep. Let's try to sew a decorative pillow with a sleeping cat's face. It looks so much like her.
For work we need:

1. A piece of fabric (color optional).
2. Threads, scissors.
3. Pattern.
4. Disappearing marker for fabric.
5. Interlining.

We select fabric for the future pillow, the choice of which is unlimited. It all depends on what exactly you have on hand at the moment. For living rooms, any kind of fabric is suitable; for a children's room, a pillow can be made from old children's things with a funny pattern.

We transfer the pattern of the main part to the fabric using a disappearing marker.

We cut out the part, while leaving about one centimeter for allowances. Now we transfer the pattern of the main part to the interlining, trace and cut along the contour. We do the same with the second part of the part, we make it from fleece. We make a pattern of legs, tail and ears and cut it out. It is also necessary to duplicate the details.

Using an iron, we glue one part of the main part with interlining. Now we take all the small details: paws, tail and ears, fold them in pairs front side. After that, we grind each part on a typewriter along the edge, leaving a small hole for stuffing. We process all the edges of each part with zigzag scissors or we do it with ordinary scissors. After that, we turn it on the front side and stuff it with any filler, and sew the holes with a zigzag stitch.

All the details are ready, which means we need to sew them to the main part. To do this, use pins and fix each detail in the right place. With the help of a disappearing marker, draw a muzzle on the pillow. We turn over and put a fleece piece on top, sew it together, leaving room for filling. Turn right side out, smooth out all seams. The pillow can now be stuffed to the desired density with any stuffing, we sew up the hole. Now we sew the paws, for this we use buttons. We embroider the muzzle with dark-colored floss threads. The cat pillow is ready, you can decorate it with a bow, heart and other applique if you wish. On such things, the drawing made by acrylic paint.

Give your kitty a gift - a sleeping cat pillow. It looks on the sofa - just great, but guests like this one, so it can be a great hand-made gift.

You can decorate the neck with a bow or hang a medallion on it - there will be a cat with decoration. The pillow will look great on your sofa!

Description of the work process:

knitted

Cute do-it-yourself sofa cushions can be knitted on knitting needles. All over the world, things made by hands are valued. Things keep the warmth of the hands of the person who made them.

These are original sofa cushions in the form of knitting needles.

For work we need:

1. Needles of medium thickness.
2. Any threads, the remains of threads (you can take threads of two colors and connect).
3. White thread for paws.
4. Synthetic winterizer for stuffing pillows, hands and feet.
5. Two buttons for the eyes, a piece of fabric for the nose.

We knit either two squares, or a rectangle, which, when we fold it, will turn into a square. The size of the pillow can be any, the smallest is 35/35 centimeters, you can make more. Paws about 28 centimeters. How many loops to cast on: knit a little on the needles and look at the number of loops in 1 cm. Multiply by 35 cm.

Knitting pattern

Option 1: front surface.

• 1 row - one facial,
• 2 row - one purl.

Option 2: confusion.

• 1 row - front - purl - front - purl, etc.
• 2nd row - purl - front - purl - front, so that all the time above the purl was the front, and vice versa.

The front and back legs and tail are knit in stockinette stitch. We knit the desired length, first we make decreases (we knit two loops together and tighten the rest with a thread).

On the other hand, we knit the paws: with white threads we knit three from each loop to get a white foot. You can not fill the length, but we fill the brush and foot with synthetic winterizer, embroider fingers. We decorate the muzzle with an application. We sew the pillow, leaving a slot for the padding polyester. We sew the ears, stuff with padding polyester. The cat is ready.

Children's

With such a toy, you can even sleep, which is so loved by children. The cat pillow is sewn very easily. The pattern is elementary. You can do this craft with your child.

Necessary materials:

1. Fabric in two colors (you can use more if you want to make the cat pillow even more original).
2. Threads.
3. Needles.
4. Sintepon, cotton wool or granules for stuffing.
5. Patchwork for eyes, nose and mustache.

Pattern

Those elements that are cut in duplicate are made by folding the fabric in half, face to face. Cut out, making seam allowances. We sew the parts, leaving small holes for stuffing. First of all, we sew the body, head, then we sew paws, tail, ears to it. With the help of colored patches, we make eyes, a nose and a mustache using the applique method.

In the video you will learn how to pillow-cat.

cat muzzle

From the materials we need:

1. Fabric in different colors, choose them by looking at our photos, but you can also improvise.
2. Threads.
3. Scissors.
4. Filler.

Eyes and nose can be embroidered, or you can make an applique.

• We cut out two parts of the head, hearts for a smile, eyelids, an eye, and one part each - the lower part of the muzzle and nose.
• Let's make a smile.
• We stretch it.
• Sew the top of the muzzle to the bottom.
• We sew in the form of an application the nose, eyes, cheeks, eyelids - we make out the face.
• You can do it in the form of embroidery.
• Draw with white paint or corrector pupils.
• We do the same with the nose.
• Sew the two parts of the head, leaving a hole for the filler.
• We fill the cat with synthetic winterizer or other filler.
• Our unusual handmade gift is ready! We think it will bring a lot of joy!

Sewing pillows with your own hands means not only saving on bedding, but also decorating your interior, giving it a personality with simple and inexpensive means. Looking at photos of homemade pillows on the Internet, it may seem that a lot of experience or innate talent is needed here. But the same tasks can be solved much easier, and certainly, when sewing pillows, there is an opportunity to go from simple to complex, eventually creating things worthy of prizes at exhibitions of amateur art. This article is intended to help readers overcome several stages of this path.

What you need to know right away

It is not always possible to sew original pillows as simple sleeping pillows, in the form of a base and pillowcases. That's why special attention should be paid to the choice of fabric and padding. The pillow is conducive to sleep, and someone will fall asleep on it sometime. Probably tired, with unwashed and unkempt hair; That is, the sheathing fabric should not only accept the finish well, but also be amenable to cleaning. And best of all, the stuffing can be removed and the cover washed without spoiling its decor. In addition, the stuffing itself should retain hygienic qualities, elasticity and be moderately pliable for as long as possible. We will return to pillow materials that meet these requirements, but for now we will discuss ways to decorate them from simple to complex, keeping the above in mind.

Pillow Decorating Methods

Colors

The easiest way to sew decorative pillows in the same way as ordinary sleeping pillows is to choose the color of the fabric. And the simplest of simple solution- several pillows of different colors, forming an ensemble inscribed in the interior. In this way, you can not only turn the boudoir of a cocotte into something similar to a soft fluffy cloud, but also express the individuality of laconic interior styles. Such work, I must say, is mentally very difficult, but technologically and financially elementary. For example, on the left in Fig. the sofa with a composition of pillows is not in vain placed against the backdrop of a window (picture?) with live greenery contrasting with the general tone, and the flower in a vase is placed to the right of the sofa for good reason.

In the center in Fig. a method based on similar aesthetic principles, but not requiring a laconic interior and a special organization for the placement of its objects. The point here is that the background of the upholstery of the furniture and the upholstery of the pillow is the same, as well as the tone and density of the pattern here and there, but the patterns of the patterns are somewhat different. And the pillow is highlighted with a wide, so-called. French, edging, the same as the general background, but darker in color; the color scheme is slightly lighter on the lower and side parts of the furniture upholstery.

Finally, on the right in Fig. shows a way to give the pillow a choice of fabric colors, as they say, aesthetic self-sufficiency, i.e. the ability to express the meaning inherent in it by the craftswoman in any situation. Imagine such a pillow in ... a garbage dump. Will she look worse? And the point here is not only and not so much in the choice of 2-3, no more, catchy flowers that make up a fairly large pattern, but also in the arrangement of stylized images of flowers on the visible surface of the thing.

Applications and printing

Only a little more technically, but no less expressive, can be decorating pillows with appliqués. Here, as before. case, the key to success is the artistic taste of the author and, preferably, the combination of at least 2 things in an ensemble, and, unlike the use of colors, its meaning can be absolutely clear up to frivolity, as on the left in a row of photos, but obscene morally healthy a person in this composition will see no more than in normal marital relations.

A detailed, multi-valued composition of pillows with appliqués is technically more difficult to perform, and there is a risk of falling into flickering. However, today photo printing on fabric is affordable, and the images are durable and of the same quality as the texture of the material allows. So, when considering a multi-cushion group with pictures, first of all, it is worth considering the option of photo printing on blanks, in the center in the figure, especially since you can select / create pictures and simulate the entire ensemble in advance on a computer.

Note: modern technique of photo printing on fabric allows you to create images that are visually equivalent to embroideries. Patches with printed pictures can also form the basis of the application, on the right in fig.

Shape and Fragment

Majority good designers prefers to work with the form, considering it to be the root cause of the expressiveness of things, and color, texture and drawing/pattern as factors of the next orders. One-two-three-tone sofa cushions, the aesthetic value of which is achieved by the form, can also be technologically uncomplicated (item 1 in the figure) due to the use of modern materials, see below.

Working with the form, it becomes possible to apply a new approach to the meaningful decoration of things: modularity, pos. 2. Technologically, in this case, only the labor intensity increases monotonously without the appearance of fundamental difficulties, since all modules assembled into the product are structurally similar and simple. But in such cases, you need to think about how to clean it, unless there is a desire to completely redo it at least once every 1-2 years. A furniture vacuum cleaner and cleaning products for it are understandable, but it is necessary to use them less often.

The modular principle also allows, without a significant increase in labor intensity, to create sewn things of a simple form, in which the form nevertheless works for aesthetics. This is the so-called. patchwork technique; simply patchwork. Patchwork is not necessarily something deliberately rough, rough, even clumsy.

Decorative pillows using the patchwork technique can be sewn gracefully and neatly without painful reflections and looking at samples / sketches to the pain in the eyes, pos. 3 and 4. All you need is a key element (mainly in the center), which is in harmony with the overall design of the thing, but also stands out in something. At pos. 3 this is achieved by a pattern of the same tone, but much larger than that of the elements of one diagonal and at the same time, of course, smaller than the solid color fill of the squares of the other. And on pos. Key 4, on the contrary, is distinguished by its shape, small size and relief (bulge).

Key element

In general, a compact key element (elements) is able to give grace to a pillow made in any technique. For example, at pos. Fig. 1, the key is a simple button combined with a twist of patches of fabric with a trivial black and white geometric pattern, down to scraps of an old mattress. In the case of using a brighter and more colorful material instead of a button covered with fabric, it is possible that better fit button with a round pleated bow, pos. 4.

At pos. 2 tassels and a button ennoble cushions in modestly colored fabric. This approach is attractive in that it is possible to use furniture upholstery and even technical fabrics that do not get dirty easily, clean well, but are not produced bright and shiny. And on pos. 3 is an example of how brushes add aesthetic value to a pillow with a pattern that is too small for this purpose. Perhaps the larger pattern did not suit the overall design, but the pillow still needed decorative self-sufficiency, so the brushes came to the rescue.

Note: a single brush on the corner of the pillow can play, without losing its aesthetic value, a purely utilitarian role, hiding the last seam, see below. In this case, it can be successfully replaced with a pom-pom. How to make a brush and a pompom with your own hands, see next. fig., but in general, with tassels and pompoms as numerous elements of the main decoration of pillows, you need to be more careful, see below.

Lace, knitting and embroidery

All these ways of decorating pillows (see fig.) have in common that things, on the one hand, are laborious and difficult to perform (unless ready-made lace or organdy is used). On the other hand, lace and knitted cushions on the sofa provide not only a magnificent aesthetic effect, but also respect with prestige: complex high-quality work speaks for itself. Moreover, all such things are cleaned and washed many times: people have been weaving lace and knitting for centuries; both craftsmanship is quite adapted to washing much more harshly than in a modern washing machine with synthetic detergents.

Knitted sofa cushions there is one more advantage: the last seam is masked without any difficulties, see below. And by the way, thanks to the same circumstance, knitted decorative pillows can be very easy to make if you sew them from old sweaters, as on the right in Fig.

About knitwear

Knitwear as a material for covering the pillow retains all the advantages of knitted items, incl. the ability to conduct a hidden facial seam. It also has its own special merits. Firstly, the softness of the surface - wool sometimes “bites” the face, and knitting from mohair or down is more difficult. Secondly, accessibility: who hasn’t had to guess what to do with a grown-up child’s sweaters-blouses? Stuff with holofiber (see below), sew up the armholes, embellish a little - and in an hour and a half a good original pillow made from improvised materials is ready, see fig. Whether it fits in the living room is a matter of general design, but as a pillow in the nursery it will be quite in its place. You can also sleep on it without risking button prints on your cheek: turn it over, and that's it.

About embroidery on pillows

For those who know how to embroider, a pillow is a fertile canvas in all respects, see fig.:

If you want to embroider over the entire field, you will need a special hoop in the form of a frame; the canvas in it is stretched (unhoisted) with harsh threads. Drawing, pattern - everything is at your discretion and skill, but there are some features compared to embroidery of other things:

1. No need to embroider with beads, it will be unhygienic and uncomfortable. It is impossible to completely remove particles of dirt from the holes in the beads using any known methods of cleaning pillows, and lying down on the beaded surface is also not very pleasant;
2. Cross-stitch: satin stitch embroidery under the head/body quickly gets dirty and slips, and wrinkles when washed;
3. When embroidering all over the field, make a continuous wide edging: it is just as easy to hide the last seam in it as in a knitted pillow.

Relief

Embossed decor: fringes, bows, frills, puffs, intarsia, weaving, voluminous applications (patches), quilting, etc., etc., see fig. - widely used for finishing pillows, because. allows you to achieve stunning aesthetic effects. However, when starting your first (or next) masterpiece, keep in mind, firstly, that to create beauty by the method “I want a lot of everything! And more!”, is not true in principle. You need to understand what you feel, what you want, and express it in the means available to you. Which do not necessarily have to be tricky and intricate.

Secondly, remember - you are not the trusted seamstress of the Marquise Pompadour or the Countess de Monsoreau. The charm created by your own hands, inexpressible to you once and erased. And the point is not only whether this thing will withstand washing, but also whether the machine will withstand washing such a thing. Not that, the hour is uneven, you will have to master interesting ones, but in no way simple ways repair washing machines. Tassel fringe can still be torn off and sewn on again, but for a soiled, labor-intensive pom-pom pillow, it’s hard to think of something better than throwing it away and making a new one. If the spirit is enough for it after such an opportunity.

However, to dissuade people from striving for beauty is meaningless, and worthless. So about every case in Fig. above - 2 ways to make roses from felt or cotton pads. Such flowers, if necessary, are easy to rip, and then re-sew. Or just make new ones to replace worn ones.

And in fig. on the right - advice about bows: take the same principle of conciseness as a basis, it will never fail, and make bows simple so that they can be untied and tied to take care of the pillow. That pillow is made of burlap, but does it look?

About puffs

Puffs on a suitable fabric, smooth and glossy, are another matter. Properly made, they can be vacuumed and washed by hand without any problems. And to make all this splendor is not at all as difficult as it seems. First you need to learn how to read the schemes for assembling puffs (assembling them, as the sewers say).

For an example, schemes for assembling simple puffs are given in fig. below. All puff schemes are built on an orthogonal-diagonal grid, the module of which (the side of the square) is 2-7 cm, depending on the size of the product and the density of the fabric. The grid in the diagram can be shown explicitly, as on the right in the figure, or its nodes are only marked with dots, as on the left. The mesh is applied to the inside of the workpiece with a textile marker in a mirror image.

Further, the areas that are pulled together (collected, collected) into a puff are marked either with converging arrows (on the left) or red lines (on the right), and those that are not pulled together are marked with simple thin lines. You can collect puffs either with one thread or separately. The first way is for the lazy, because a web of threads is formed from the inside. In any case, each puff is assembled with at least 3 stitches 4-5 mm wide, unless otherwise indicated in the notes to the diagram.

Then, the assembly sequence. It is produced in horizontal or vertical rows, again, unless otherwise indicated in the description of the scheme. In the case when the rows are indicated explicitly (on the left), they are displayed in the order of numbering and puffs in the row are also collected by numbers; here - Row1 1-2, 3-4, etc., then the same Row2 and so on. In the absence of an explicit indication of the rows (on the right), the puffs will be assembled simply in the order of numbering; according to the diagram on the right - 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, etc.

Try to collect any piece of fabric in puffs according to these entry-level schemes, and you will see that it will take a little time, even if you collect one at a time. And then watching a selection of master classes on making pillows with puffs that are much more spectacular and complex will not seem like a nightmarish horror:

Video: do-it-yourself puff pillows, master classes

About figurine pillows

The principle “You don’t need a lot of things! And sooner!” especially appropriate for decorative pillows, aesthetically working primarily in form. They are often sewn according to patterns for soft toys, forgetting that a sewn cat cannot wash itself under its tail. And he will have to take on not only room dust, but also grease. Perhaps, especially when it comes to children's pillows, so to speak, salvo emissions of pollution of biogenic origin.

On children's pillows, in addition, not only jump and ride on them; they not only fight and throw them, they also sleep on them. And a dream, leaning sideways, with a head that has moved to one side, is in no way useful to the emerging skeleton. This should be especially taken into account when sewing a children's toy pillow; For example, we give patterns in Fig.

On the left is a fish pillow. The shape and technique of execution seem to be chosen correctly: it is quite subject to care, the last seam can be covered with a tail or fins. But - the head of a sleeping person can slide to one side, a shoulder will stretch behind it and it turns out that we are sleeping crouched. An owl pillow is free from this drawback, at the top right: the “ears” will be held. Whoever tosses and turns in a dream is better to put such a pillow with a deflection between the “ears” to the neck; this pattern is easy to adapt for a cat pillow, only without a tail. In either case, for better ergonomics, it is desirable to make a diagonal cut as a bedding, see below.

Note: for kids - indefatigable sleepy little spinners at the bottom right, a pattern of a special pillow on which the child learns to sleep on his back or on his side, freely stretched out.

Pillows in the form of letters (see Fig.) Moved even closer from pillows to soft toys than pillows-figures: there are many gaps in them, where to sleep there. It is believed that letter pillows are educational, developing, etc. Well, except for the coordination of movements and orientation in space, to climb between them big, like in a maze. As for the speedy learning to read and write, science has not yet been confirmed. Nevertheless, no harm from pillows in the form of letters was also noted, and fun for the child is already good for him.

Large letter cushions must hold their shape well and withstand the corresponding operational stresses, with which little users show amazing ingenuity. One of the variants of this kind of construction is shown in Fig.:

Foam 45 is the highest density furniture foam; we will talk about what holofiber is below. Of course, other ways of sewing letter pillows are also possible, see for example. next video.

Note: diagram in fig. also suitable for stuffing pillows, rolls, if you want to get their ends rounded.

Video: do-it-yourself letter pillows, manufacturing option

About puzzle pillows

Pillow in the form of elements of prefabricated mosaic paintings Puzzle is also quite popular. It is believed that if necessary, a mattress can be assembled from them. You can collect something, yes, yes. But anyone who has tried to sleep on such a mattress knows: it is impossible, it is spreading under you. Pillows, unlike puzzle pieces, are soft, pliable, otherwise not pillows, but some kind of bunks will turn out.

Materials and technique

The fact that when sewing it is necessary to give lapels of 20-30 mm, iron them, sew from the inside out and then turn the product inside out, etc., which is well known, we will not spread. Let's talk in this section about things that beginner seamstresses are not always aware of.

Textile

To properly sew a pillow without a pillowcase that is comfortable, hygienic, practical and durable, you need to choose the right fabric. Firstly, particles of dirt should not stick to its fibers so that they can be sucked out with a vacuum cleaner without the use of detergents. Secondly, the lining fabric should, as far as possible, prevent the migration of dirt into the packing, which is difficult to clean and change. Silk, satin, crepe-satin and their synthetic counterparts satisfy these conditions from light, smooth and bright textile materials. From light, but soft - coarse calico, baize and other linen fabrics. From rough, but very durable - any furniture upholstery materials. Also, depending on the style of execution, it is possible to use any technical fabrics, except, perhaps, propylene matting and the like - too slippery, but at the same time rough and harsh.

Warp and weft

When cutting a pillow, the orientation of the warp and weft threads of the fabric matters. Orthogonal (straight) orientation, when the warp and weft are oriented perpendicular (along) resp. sides, allows you to more accurately maintain the shape of the pillow according to the pattern. But, if the pillow is straight cut with sharp corners stuffed with sufficiently dense material, its corners may be empty and sag, pos. 1 in fig.

In pillows with a diagonal cut (warp and weft - at 45 degrees to the sides), the corners will always be full, but a “waist” will appear larger than provided by the pattern, pos. 2. If the pillow is elongated, the thinnest "waist" will be on the long sides, pos. 3, which is not always desirable. In this case, the use of satin or twill weave fabric will help to give the pillow a pleasant fullness, pos. 4.

Stuffing

However, the feather/down padding is, firstly, not resilient enough to decorative pillows, they are not beaten like sleeping ones, because of the imminent damage to the finish from such treatment. Secondly, small soft feathers and natural down for stuffing pillows are hard to reach. In the old days, the whole family collected feathers and down for the wedding featherbed (an indispensable attribute of the dowry) for the future bride.

Nowadays, almost ideal stuffing materials for pillows have been developed - syntepuh and holofiber. In terms of hygiene, they are not inferior to swan's down; however, not for the lifetime of generations, but up to 7-10 years. On the other hand, the pillow decor is no longer alive. But these materials have an undoubted advantage: they are moderately elastic and retain this quality for years.

In essence, sintepukh and holofiber are the same material based on the finest tangled polyester fibers; This is the same polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used to make food utensils and bottles. Sintepuh is produced in the form of fluffy granules (on the left in the figure), and holofiber undergoes additional molding and goes on sale in sheets (plates), on the right there.

Sheet holofiber keeps its shape no worse than the best furniture foam rubber. By the way, in letter pillows (see above), you can make the entire base out of it, but it will cost a lot: sheet holofiber is much more expensive than foam rubber, and the material waste in this case is large. But where sheet holofiber is indispensable, it is in the manufacture of cloud pillows, etc. complex irregular shape: the workpiece must be shredded with scissors, and then, without a pattern, covered with a cloth in place.

Another stuffing material particularly suitable for baby pillows is round silicone granules. They don't get wet, this time. Two - silicone granules can be poured into the cover through an armhole that is only 2-4 cm wide, which greatly simplifies the problem of the last seam. Three - the cover from them can be emptied through the same armhole, and the granules can be washed by hand in a basin. In the car - in no case, it will fail instantly! Washed and dried silicone granules can be put back into the same bag; the pillow will be the same as before.

Note: to expanded polystyrene granules, which fill frameless furniture, all of the above regarding the sanitary and hygienic properties of silicone granules does not apply.

Last seam...

... he is the most difficult. You probably already guessed that this is the very seam that needs to be sewn up from the face when the pillow is already inside out and stuffed. Usually for this it is recommended to sew a zipper in advance. With regard to, say, a pear chair or other frameless furniture, this is really the best option.

But the pillow does not have a bottom and a back, on which they never sit, do not sleep, do not lean on them, and waking up with the imprint of a fastener on your cheek is useless under any circumstances. As for the representatives of the stronger sex, a pillow with a zipper is able to cling to their mustache, beard and just 3-5 day stubble. The pillow sticking to the personality harmonizes perfectly with the rumpled physiognomy, but only in a comical sense.

There is no problem at all with knitted, knitted and embroidered pillows with edging, if the thread for the last seam is taken to match the material of the face: stitches of only 1-2 mm in this case are completely drawn into it and turn out to be quite strong. Good options are also a solid narrow textile piping in tone with the general color, see fig., lace or pleated border, inlay, etc. However, the universal solution for the last seam is a narrow, 2-4 cm, armhole in the corner. Through it, you can fill the pillow with sintepuh or silicone granules, and mask the front seam with a brush or pompom. Sintepukh, if necessary, is pulled out in shreds with a crochet hook. At first, silicone granules are simply squeezed out, like paste from a tube, and their remainder is removed from the inside-out cover.

About seamless pillows

Representatives of nomadic professions and residents of student hostels from times up to the middle of Khrushchev's have long been familiar with such people. A beautiful scarf allows you to make decorative seamless pillows in just minutes; the basis can be either an ordinary pillow or a piece of foam rubber cut in shape or just a lump of rags. How this magnificent illustration of the saying “Need for inventions is cunning” is created is shown in the figure:

You can tie a curly knot or straighten its ends into a socket and grab it with threads; however, this will be a formal violation of the “seamless” principle. In this case, something like a rose from those described above will also fit in the center.

In Conclusion: Form Functionality