Pillow Pile! Tutorial included!

Next week Luke and I are riding along with my parents to our Family Reunion in Utah. There will be 7 of us crammed into a mini-van, two of which will be crammed into car-seats. As that date nears I've been looking at Pinterist for ideas on 'travelling with a toddler' and came upon one that I realized I had to have... and heck.. and already thought I needed for when Mr. L falls asleep in his car seat. 

A neck pillow.

You know.. those half circle pillows you can buy in the store for $12 or more? Well, being the crafty gal I like to pretend I am, I decided I'd just make me up a couple of those. One for me and one for the boy. Once I realized I could pop one out in such a tiny amount of time I went into one of those I MAKE MILLIONS OF DEEEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!! sewing frenzy's.

 

OK.. I only made four.. and while I made the second two for a little friend who's having a birthday I also made you a tute!

 

First I made patterns by measuring the circumfrence of of my neck, dividing it by 3.14 to get the radius, and using a compass to draw that circle. In my case my neck was 14" around and divided by 3.14 was aproximately 4.5". (I did exactly the same with the little pillows.. I just used Luke's measurements.)

 

I then decided how wide I wanted the pillow and drew another circle around the first circle that measurement from it's edge. For my pillow that was about 6". I then just eyeballed what looked like a good space for the opening side and drew a curved line. Cut them out and this is what I got.

 

Then I laid my pattern on my 'right sides together' fabric. I actually folded my pattern in half and placed it on a fold of the two pieces of fabric. So I'm cutting through 4 layers of fabric.

 

 

I ended up with pieces that looked like this.

 

 

I then stuck a few pins in to hold it all together and sewed two pieces of the cut fabric, right sides together, using about a 1/4" seam, and leaving an opening for turning and stuffing.

 

 

I then snipped the seam allowance to the seam all the way around. This simply helps add some 'ease' to the curves and helps the turned seam from being 'puckery'. Realistically.. Its totally optional unless you are presenting your pillow as a judged sewing item. (-:

 

 

Then turn your pillow case inside out through the hole you left.

 

 

Then stuff it full from that huge box of stuffing you have been toting around for years. (I've seriously stuffed so much stuff out of this box I cannot believe it still looks FULL! And that is simply a 5lb box my friends.)

 



 

Then shove your stuffing in, tuck in the edges and pinch the seam. Sew it shut with what I think they call a 'whip stitch'? Just over and under catching just the edge of the fabric.

 



 

It doesn't have to be pretty. Just use a coordinating thread and nobody will ever notice the seam.

 



Voila! Neck pillows!

 

Here is Luke modeling his.

 

 

 

Now dontcha want to make some of your own??