{DIY}Selvage Chevron Pillow *West Elm Knockoff*

I've been watching Design Star the past few weeks, and I decided my throw pillows in our living room needed refreshing.  I wanted one or two texturally interesting pillows, then just a few basic knife-edge pillows.  This is one of my pillows to add some texture to our living room - and bonus, by using the selvages it also adds some typography!

That's my Mom and Dad's house btw - isn't it gorgeous?!
The one from West Elm doesn't use selvages and it still looks great - so you could make yours either way.

Here's West Elm's pillow:

And here's mine:

If you're ready to make your own, here's what you'll need:
various selvage scraps (or any kind of scraps)
1/2 yard of solid color home decor fabric
rotary cutter(not essential, but it makes it A LOT easier)
self-healing mat(for the rotary cutter)
18" pillow form
scissors/pins/thread/sewing machine/etc.

STEP 1:
Cut out 40 strips of fabric 1 1/2" x 6"
Then cut two squares 18"x18" out of the solid for your pillow.
(if you cut the pillow 18"x18" and then stuff it with an 18" pillow form it will be nice and full - use 3/8" seam allowance.)

STEP 2:
Lay the strips out on a self-healing mat, in the design you would like on your pillow.
Overlap the edges, adjusting the angle of your chevron.

Then, use the edge of a ruler to determine the point of the chevron.  Follow the edge of the ruler with the rotary cutter.  Repeat this at each chevron point. 
It should look like this:

STEP 3:
 Pin the strips onto one of the solid squares of fabric.

STEP 4:
Sew the strips on.  Starting at the top of the pillow, sew up the center of the first strip, then down the second strip - just following the chevron pattern.  When you reach the other side, just sew straight down the edge of the pillow(this will be in the seam allowance) until you get to the next row and begin sewing across those back to the other side.

STEP 5:
Pin the back to the front, right sides together and pin - leaving a substantial opening for the pillowform.

Sew around the edges using 3/8" seam, then clip the corners.

Turn right sides out and stuff with the pillowform. 
Close the pillow on the machine - see my tutorial on that here.
Enjoy your new designer pillow!

Happy Sewing!
xoxo
jessica

DIY Bunny Pencil Pouch - inspired by West Elm

I knew as soon as I saw these sweet little bunnies on West Elm, that I had to make one for Charlotte.

We are always toting around markers, pencils, crayons, etc - this makes a perfect gift.  Any little girl or boy would love to find one of these in their Easter Basket.  

You could fill it with stickers, crayons, notepad, markers, pencils, whatever!  It's pretty simple to make and should take you about an hour.

Here's what you will need:

2 buttons

embroidery floss

an old sweater (I used one that had been shrunk in the wash)

some lining fabric

printed fabric for the inside of the ears

small piece of velcro (one rough, one soft)

a pom pom for the tail

sewing machine/thread

scissors

yard stick

needle/thread

Step 1:  Cutting the pieces.  

Out of the sweater - cut one rectangle 6" long x 5 1/5" wide for the front
- one rectangle 8" long x 6 1/2" wide for the back
Out of the lining fabric cut one rectangle 14" long x 6 1/2' wide and
-one square 5" x 5" for the face
-cut four ears: two out of sweater material, and two out of a print
about 6" long x 1 3/4" wide at the base.  Taper them to look like ears.

Step 2:  Sew the ears right sides together.  Clip the top point flat and turn right sides out.

Now is the time to make the bunny face.  Sew two buttons on for eyes, and sew a little triangle for the nose.  I just drew a triangle with a water soluble pen and filled it in with stitches going back and forth.

Step 3:  Now it is time to assemble the face, ears, and back.  Lay the ears on the right side of the back, with the print facing up. 

Lay the face right side down on top of the ears.  Make sure all the edges are aligned, and then pin.  Sew along the edge you pinned - using about a 3/8" seam.

hello bunny :)

Step 4:  Lay the bunny wrong side down on top of the lining rectangle.
Trim the lining to match the shape of your bunny.

Now put them right sides together and pin around the edges.  Be sure to tuck the ears in so they won't get caught in the seam. 

Sew around the edge, leaving an opening in the bottom.  Press well and he should look like this:

Don't worry about closing that little opening - it will get caught in the next seam.

Step 5:  Sew the front pouch, right sides together, to the back.  Sew along the sides and bottom only.

Clip the corners, and flip him.  Press well.

Step 6:  Hand whip the velcro on - one piece on the pouch and one piece on the mouth.  

Hand whip the pom pom on the back.

There he is!  

What a cute little bunny.  Hoppy Monday!

xoxo,

jessica