Sewing pillows. You can do it, too.

Sewing pillows isn't really all that hard. Of course, some designs are more difficult than others, that's why to start with, I've chosen a few patterns that are great for beginners. If you are an experienced sewer, they are fun to make as well, because they simply look so good.

Tools

There are some basic tools you can't do without when sewing pillows. If you are a new to the art of sewing you may need to buy them. Most of them aren't really that expensive. The most important thing, however, is also the most costly: a sewing machine.

Perhaps you were under the assumption that handcrafted means that every single stitch is done by hand. Although you could do that if you wanted to, it is not what I mean by the term. It means rather that all fabric pieces are cut one by one and assembled with care in order to achieve a one-of-a-kind end product. In this day and age a sewing machine is practically a must.

New sewing machine. $300.

When buying a machine remember one thing; your sewing machine is your friend. You must trust it and be able to depend on it. Nowadays really cheap machines (less than $100) are sometimes offered in supermarkets and through post order companies. I advise against buying one of those because their performance is often less than satisfactory. The machines are noisy, start shaking when you try to go fast and become stuck when the material is to thick.

If you can afford to pay $ 300 -which in Europe would be € 300, prices being higher here- or maybe even more, there is a big selection of splendid sewing machines to choose from. A specialized store is absolutely the best place to go to. There they will be able to advise you on what the best machine for your purpose -sewing pillows- and budget is and demonstrate it for you. Another advantage of buying at a specialized store is that the service you get if there are any problems with the machine is so much better.

Used sewing machine. $125.

If you can't afford $300, a specialized store may be still the way to go. They often have a selection of second hand machines for lower prices. These may not have all the features the newest machines have, like automatic threading and 101 different stitches, but may be perfect if all you want is a basic machine to get you started sewing pillows.

An even better deal may be had at a Goodwill store or a garage sale. I've heard from people who found a machine for $25 or less, which worked fine after some cleaning and oiling. Of course, in such cases you won't have a warranty which an established dealership will give you even with a used machine.

Other indispensable items for sewing pillows

Iron, board and piece of cotton.

are a
steam iron and an ironing board, which you probably own already.

If not, you can buy an iron for about $25 and an ironing board for about the same price. When I lived in the US I got an ironing board from a thrift store for $4.50.

You also need a piece of cotton cloth so your iron doesn't come in direct contact with your work. A tea towel (dish cloth) will do.

Inexpensive are a couple of other things you need. A tape measure, a piece of tailor's chalk, a pins -best are those with glass heads-, a sharp pair of scissors and a seam (or stitch) ripper are available from sewing supplies outlets and most department stores. You will need a set of drafting rulers, too. A cheap plastic one, the kind they use in schools, will do if you don't own a quilter's ruler.

Tape measure, pins, seam ripper.	Scissors.	Pencil, sharpener, tailor's chalk.

Drafting rulers.

Don't use your scissors for anything but cutting thread and fabrics. Even cutting paper will blunt them! You will also need a pencil, neither too hard nor too soft, and a pencil sharpener.

Not absolutely necessary for sewing pillows but a great help are the following items. Especially if you are planning to make more patchworks in the future and willing to invest a bit in order to save yourself quite some time. They are available from quilting supplies outlets:
A clear plastic quilter's ruler printed with a grid. I prefer the Omnigrid, size 6" x 24" (15 x 60 cm).
A quilter's square, Omnigrid 6" x 6" (15 x 15 cm).
A cutting mat. A good size is 18" x 24" (45 x 60 cm).
A rotary cutter.

Quilter's square, quilter's ruler, cutting mat and rotary cutter.	Cutting mat, right side up.	Cutting a strip, using the ruler and rotary cutter.

These tools will allow you to cut strips of material, the exact width you want, very fast. The ruler and square are both printed with lines running at 45% and 60% angles. This makes cutting triangles and diamonds easy.

The cutting mat has a grid as well, but when you have an Omnigrid ruler you don't really need that, especially since the grid on the mat is less exact than that on the ruler. To avoid confusion it's best to turn the mat upside down, as you can use both sides.

Using the ruler and cutter requires a little bit of practice. You must press the ruler down with your left hand (if you're right handed), place the cutter against the ruler and cut up to the place where you hold your hand.

Rotary cutter, a dangerous toy.

Then you stop, put your left hand further on the ruler and continue cutting. If you try to cut a longish strip in one go the ruler will slip. Don't press to hard or the mat and cutter will wear out much sooner, but hard enough to cut through the silk, which is rather tough.

It goes without saying that while you're busy sewing pillows, the rotary cutter should be kept out of reach from small children at all times. The brightly colored object might look like an attractive toy, but the blade is razor sharp.

Materials

Silks.	Taffeta and zippers.	Cotton for lining.

You don't need to use real silk for the backs, sewing pillows. I use either a synthetic taffeta or a heavy satin in a neutral color.

Taffeta and satin.

This is a material used for lining coats and curtains, somewhat heavier than regular lining. You will also need a zipper for the back of your cushion. Get a zipper 2" (5cm) shorter than the dimensions of the pillow. For a 16" x 16" (40 x 40 cm) pillow that would be a 14" (35 cm) zipper. To add some body, I line the cushions with a sturdy inexpensive cotton. Any material will do, really, as long as it is not to flimsy.

When sewing pillows, it is important to reinforce the silks with an iron-on backing. This will make them last considerably longer, add some more body and prevent the silk from fraying. A thin non woven interfacing is the best thing to use. It is sold under different names; Vlieseline, Vilene, Fliseline or Pellon. You will need some spools of thread as well. For sewing the patchwork top it is best to choose a color as neutral as possible -unless you don't mind constantly changing the thread on your machine- like a soft gray. For the back it is best to choose a color that matches the material.

Interfacing.	Spools of thread.	Inserts.

Finally, you will need to buy some inserts. These are available in most department stores and not terribly expensive. They are filled with either feathers or a synthetic material, like fiberfill. I prefer feathers, but the choice is yours, of course. The most common sizes are 16" x 16" (40 x 40 cm) and 20" x 20" (50 x 50 cm.

Label: www.charmwoven.com

Not necessary if you start sewing pillows, but very nice to have is your own label. After all, every finished pillow is a work of art and artists sign their work. Especially if you make your pillow, or set of pillows, a present. Having a label on the back of your work will always remind the recipient, in an unobtrusive way, of the love and care that was put into that particular gift. Labels can often be ordered in quantities as small as 20 which would cost you about $ 15. In the Netherlands I found them at € 13,50 for 36. Just google "woven labels" in any language and a number of companies will come up.

Preparing the silk.

Cut a straight line with a quilter's ruler and rotary cutter...	or mark a fine line with pencil and ruler and cut with scissors.

Continue the sewing pillows process by reinforcing the silks. Cut a piece of interfacing slightly longer than your piece of silk. The interfacing will probably be narrower than the silk so you will have to cut two pieces. It is easier to do one at a time, though. Iron the silk with a moderately hot iron and place the interfacing on top of the silk with the shiny side down. Don't make a mistake here or the interfacing will adhere to the wrong surface, messing things up. Allow the interface to extend a bit beyond the silk.

Place the interfacing, shiny side down, on the silk and iron it.	Cut away the interfacing that extends with either your rotary cutter...	or cut with scissors.

Put the iron on steam and press the interface on to the silk, using a piece of cotton cloth between the iron and the interface to prevent sticking, Take care to keep the iron away from the edges. Lift the material from the ironing board and turn it over. Cut away the pieces of interfacing that extend from under the silk. If you need a second piece of interfacing, cut it out, again allowing a little bit extra on all sides.

...and finish ironing.

Put the silk upside down on the ironing board again and finish ironing. Let the pieces of interfacing overlap a bit at the join and always use the cloth. The iron needs to rest for 8-10 seconds on every part of the silk for the interfacing to adhere properly.

Repeat the process so your whole piece of silk has a backing. Treat all your pieces of silk this way. This part of the sewing pillows process is boring, but once it is out of the way you can move on to the fun part.

Ready to start?

Go from Sewing Pillows to Crazy Patchwork.
Go to Log Cabin patchwork.
Go to Rail Fence patchwork.
Go to Sewing pillows, the back.
Go to Sewing borders.
Go to Sewing trims.
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