Christmas Gift #1 (Joc don't read!)

Sorry about that friends.  

It's the only way I can blog about gifts without my daughter seeing what she's getting! :)

State Pillow

I saw this adorable pillow over here at In Between Laundry and thought it would be a cute idea for my daughter who meet her 'friend' in Pennsylvania at school. He's from PA, she's from MD.

Supplies:

• Fabric - I bought a 1/2 yard of off white fabric and 1/4 yard of the print.
• Embroidery thread
• Poly Fill
• Wonder Under or Heat and Bond
• Cord if you want to do a piping.  You could just do a ruffle.

Directions:

1. Find your state on the web.  It took me a couple of tries printing to get the size I wanted.  Print out.  Trace the outline on the paper side of the Wonder Under. Iron the Wonder Under onto the fabric.  I had a hard time with this.  I think I did Maryland 4 times.  UGH.  So many stinking tributaries!  Finally I did a google search for tips.  The trick is to only press for the time indicated on your Wonder Under.  Then let it sit and cool for a while before cutting and peeling the paper off.  I use a pin somewhere in the center and pull a little section up to get it going.

 2.  Place your states where you want them.   This pillow is about 18" by 12".  Also, keep in mind the shapes of your states because as you can see I put PA on the left and MD on the right THEN after I was all done realized I didn't like it that way because the lines from the heart weren't even...  I took them both off and redid them!

3.  Embroider a heart in the center.  I embroidered the red lines after I quilted the top.

4.  I free motion quilted lines all over the open area except in the states and heart.

                                              

5.  I decided it needed a big piping so I bought cording and gathered the fabric on it to make my own piping.  PS.  Not fun.  I would do a ruffle next time.

6.  I made an envelope closure for the back.  

7.  I couldn't buy a pillow form the size I needed so I had to make my own.  My trick is to use batting and make it the same size as the pillow form fabric, put it inside and then put the poly fill inside that.  It makes the form smooth on the outside.  I stitched close the batting and then stitched the fabric closed by hand.

                                           

I think she is really going to like it!  Now onto the next project. 

Blessings friends,