Our local fabric store was having a huge sale that week, and we were also able to use a coupon for an additional 20% off any purchase. My girls selected four different fabrics, and we asked for four yards of each. We also purchased some soft Poly-Fil and a fabric pencil. I provided supervision and a little assistance to my daughters (ages 10 and 9). They were successful and had fun, so I thought I'd outline the process here.
1. The girls used a measuring tape and the fabric pencil to mark 12"x12" squares on the fabric.
2. Placing right sides of the fabric together, they placed straight pins around the edges.
3. Using a straight stitch on the sewing machine, they sewed three of the four sides together, about 1/4" from the side. They sewed the fourth side, leaving about 3 inches open so they could stuff the pillow.
4. They stuffed the pillows with Poly-Fil. I didn't monitor the amount used, but the girls kept adding stuffing until the pillow felt "just right."
5. They folded the edge of fabric along the open seam and pinned it before hand stitching the seam with clear thread. They did need some help with this step.
6. They used hemp twine to tie as a ribbon around the pillows, adding a homemade tag that reads, "Handmade for (Teacher's Name). From (Child's Name).
The girls worked for three or four hours one afternoon and made 11 pillows. There is enough fabric and Poly-Fil for about 5 more pillows. Please note I already had thread, twine, and supplies to make the gift tags, so we only needed to purchase the fabric (4 yards) and Poly-Fil (2, 24 oz bags). As I mentioned, we took advantage of a sale and a coupon, but when all was said and done, these pillows only cost $2.50 a piece to make. The girls had fun using the sewing machine, and I think the teachers are going to love these pillows! Thank you for reading.
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