Bow Pillows

This is a two-in-one DIY project: curtains AND pillows! When I moved into my last apartment I needed some curtains for my bedroom window...I didn't want the plain and boring ones from Wal-mart, but that was about all my small college-student budget would allow. I ended up buying a solid color set of cheap curtains and made them my own. I cut the center out and added some toile fabric I found in the bargain bin into the middle. Who would have guessed these were a Wally World special?

   

I have LOVED these curtains and they were very easy to create! The fabric added pizazz to curtains that were originally nothing special.

After I finished I still had middle section of the curtains that I cut out. The leftover curtain fabric sat in my closet for a long time, just waiting on a project to use them. A couple of weeks ago I went to an estate sale and bought some pillows that needed some personality. When I got home I realized the fabric form the curtains would cover the pillows perfectly... And so the next project began!

Supplies:

Burlap or Burlap like fabric

White fabric

Sewing machine

Pins

Iron

Easy hem- this can be found at any fabric store it seems things together with heat from the iron

1. Since the burlap fabric was already cut I didn't have to do anything, but you would cut your fabric into two squares a little larger then the pillow. Next, cut your white fabric into two long pieces. These pieces should be double the size you want the bow to be because you are going to fold the pieces.

My first attempt at cutting the fabric was a failure.  My dog Malachi thought the fabric was a perfect place for him to hang out. 

These are the two pieces I cut the fabric into. Note: The pieces are extra long. Once I tied the bow, I cut them down just to be sure I had enough fabric. 

Once the fabric was cut into strips, I folded it over so both sides over lapped in the middle- this picture is a little difficult to see, but think about folding it like you would fold a letter to put into a envelop. 

Next, I ironed both pieces well. I wanted them to stay folded even while I was sewing. 

Then I started to assemble the pillow. I laid both burlap pieces on top of on another and pinned two opposite sides together.  On the sides that were not pinned, I measured and found the center.

Once I found the center, I put the white fabric inside. Do this on both sides. Make sure you put the seem side up on both sides, so when you tie the bow you don't have one side with a seem and one side without. 

Sew three of the sides together. Make sure to sew the two sides that have the white fabric pinned on them and then one other of your choice. Note: the stair climber in the background, the ancient sewing machine and the lack of a sewing table, you don't have to be a sewing professional to make these... all you need is a sewing machine that works and a tiny bit of space.

Flip the pillow case right side out and then insert the pillow. Once the pillow is inside, sew the fourth side shut. This was the hardest part! Pulling the fabric tight and fitting it under the sewing machine was a little difficult but we managed with some patience.

Once all four sides are sewn, tie a pretty bow in the middle. To get the loops of the bow to stay in place, I hand sewed them to the burlap fabric. Once the bow was tied I cut the extra fabric off and ironed the hem with the easy hem.

This is the finished product! I think they are going to look great on the two recliners in my new apartment!

Side note- While my mom was helping me sew the pillows, I asked her where she learned to sew. She responded saying the summer after 8th grade she took a sewing class that taught her the basics. She then proceeded to tell me that she saved the first thing she ever made. It is a skirt she loved wearing to school her ninth grade year. The picture below is the skirt she showed me. It is tiny! So small I could only fit it over one of my thighs. Apparently I got my dads genes!

This post goes out to my mom. She kept me laughing with her teeny tiny skirt and she helped a lot with my sewing endeavors.