Funky Patchwork Pillows

Every time I see a funky crazy quilt or patchwork garment, I think of  the song

 "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton.  It used to make me cry when I was a kid, but that's another story.  It might be sole reason I never toss my scraps no matter how small.  Well, since my scrap box was exploding, it was time to use them up and honor the lovely Dolly with a project.  I had a blast making these pillows and reminiscing about all of the fun projects they were used in over the years.  Remember to use even the smallest scraps for your projects...Oh, and always Make Your Mark!

 Color blast!

I even got to use up some old doilies and lace scraps that have been  hanging around for years!

Watch how to make them here!

My Inspiration!

STUFF I USED

Trim scraps (like pompom, ric-rac & fringe)

Poly-fil Pillow Stuffing

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Scrap fabric

Iron & ironing board

Buttons

18" x 18" fabric squares

Sewing machine 

PattieWack Tassel Maker

Colorful yarn

HERE'S HOW

1.  Cut and piece your scraps onto an 18" x 18" fabric square

2.  When you're happy with your design, photograph it with your phone so you have a reference

3. Iron your pieces so they are completely flat

4.  Carefully glue the pieces down one by one making sure all edges are secure

5.  Add various trim scraps to give it some dimention

6.  Place another 18" x 18" square on top and stitch around the pillow leaving a 5" hole

*The hole is so you can turn it right side out and add your stuffing

7. & 8.  Turn your pillow right side out and stuff it with Poly-fil (my favorite stuffing)

9.  Pin the opening together and stitch closed on your machine or by hand

10.  Make a tassel for each corner by wrapping several different colors of yarn around a tassel maker at the same time

11.  Stitch a colorful button on each corner

12.  Tie a tassel to each button and you're done!

My funky trio

Happy Summer!

Unicorn SPiT Pillows

Did you know that you can dye fabric with Unicorn SPiT?  Well, you can!  It's easy and soooooo much less messy than traditional fabric dyes.  The colors are beautiful and vibrant, too!  There are several methods used on these pillows, but my favorite was the plastic bag method, which I'm sharing below.  Have fun!  Make summer pillows! Oh, and always Make Your Mark!

 For this pillow I painted stripes on moistened cotton fabric....Easy!

A little plastic bag and you're ready to "print" your fabric for this version!

Watch how I did it here!

STUFF I USED

Unicorn SPiT

Poly-fil

Cotton fabric

Sewing machine

Plastic bags

Minwax Clear Lacquer

Spray bottle and salt

Straight pins

HERE'S HOW

1.  Tape a plastic bag flat to a paper protected table making sure that the plastic is bigger than the fabric you're colorizing

2.  Squirt lines of Unicorn SPiT about 4" apart on the plastic

3.  Smoosh the lines together with your finger starting from light color to dark

 *I wore gloves for this

4. & 5. Moisten your cotton fabric (I used a piece that was 20" x 20") with a spray bottle and carefully place it on the plastic bag

6.  Take another piece of paper and place it on top of the fabric and press down so that the Unicorn SPiT prints on the fabric

7.  Remove the fabric and sprinkle salt on it

*When the salt dries it will give it a dotted, dappled look

8.  When the fabric is dry, seal the Unicorn SPiT with Minwax Acrylic Lacquer

LET'S MAKE THE PILLOW

9.  Pin a piece of same size fabric on top of the colorized fabric marking off a 5" area which will not be sewn

10.  Stitch around the edges using a 1/2" seam allowance

11.  Flip the pillow inside out through the 5" hole and stuff with Poly-fil

12.  Pin and hand stitch the hole closed

Summer fun

No Sew Flower Pillows

By now you all know how much I love color.  The more color there is in a project, the happier I am.   Originally when I was making these pillows I thought they might work in several shades of one color, but after I got going my 3rd-grade-self took over and I ended up using every color in the rainbow.  Ya know,  I couldn't be happier with the way they look!  I also figured out a way to put them together without one single stitch by hand OR on a sewing machine.......Yup, not one stitch.   The only thing that could make these better is if they were filled with Skittles.  Remember, have fun, use color 

and always Make Your Mark!

Flower power!

Ready to sit pretty

Learn how to make them here!

Stuff You'll Need

Several colors of polyester taffeta

Heavy cotton in bright colors

Pillow stuffing

Tea light

Office clips

E-6000 Stitchless, Fabrifuse and Glue

Iron

Pom pom trim

Here's how (part 1)

1. 2. & 3.   Iron a piece of 10" x 18" on top of another color of 18" x 18" fabric using E-6000 Stitchless

*This will give a color-blocked look to the pillow face

4. & 5.  Cut green taffeta fabrics in leaf shapes in descending sizes with the largest leaf being about 4" long

6. & 7.  Cut different colors of circles in descending sizes with the largest circle being about 5" diameter

8. & 9.  Using a tea light, carefully singe the edges of the leaves and circles so that they don't fray

*This will also give them texture

Part 2

10. 11. & 12.  Using small dots of E-6000 Glue, assemble the flowers and leaves and then glue them to the color-blocked pillow face

13.  Cut another 18" x 18" fabric square for the pillow back and glue the pillow front on top of it (around the edges with E-6000 Fabrifuse) leaving a 5" gap

14. & 15. Cut 18" pieces of pom pom fabric and glue them to the edges of the pillow with more E-6000 Fabrifuse and let everything dry overnight

16. 17. & 18.  Stuff the pillow and seal the 5" opening with more E-6000 Fabrifuse and then clamp closed with office clips while it dries

Hello color!

No Sew Flower Pillows!

Spring is here so I thought it was time to make some 3-D no-sew pillows to liven up my home! All you'll need to make these is a zip up pillow case (there's a link below to every color under the sun) and a little bit of fabric. Also, there are some amazing washable and dry cleanable fabric glues on the market, so this project is perfect for people who don't like to sew or just haven't learned yet. 

 Change up the colors and grow a complete garden on your sofa!

Have fun! xo, Mark

Livening up a plain leather chair in my living room

Photographed in my garden

Watch the short video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Zip close pillow sham

1/2 yard taffeta fabric

1/4 yard green cotton fabric

E-6000 Glue

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint (or washable puff paint)

E-6000 Stitchless iron-on glue

Pillow stuffing or pillow form (to fit your sham)

Iron

Candle

Scissors

Try using different colors (link above)

 Cut 8 layers of taffeta in a large circle

Remove one layer and trim down the remaining layers about 1/4"

Continue to do this until you've reached one layer

*This is your center circle

Lightly singe the edges of each circle with a candle so they don't fray

Glue the circles together with E-6000 

*E-6000 is washable and dry cleanable

When dry, create the center of the flower with Allure in a yellow and let dry

Cut out several leaves in green cotton

 Figure out the flower and leaf placement

Add a thin layer of E-6000 Stitchless Glue to the outer edge of each leaf and then iron in place until the glue disappears

Add a stitch design to each leaf with Allure in light blue

When dry, glue on the flowers with more E-6000

Stuff your pillow with a pillow form or pillow stuffing

Zip or stitch closed and you're done

Graphic Animal Silhouette Pillows DIY

Need a quick sofa makeover or a gift for your favorite nephew or niece?  How about making them an Animal Silhouette Pillow with E-6000 StitchLess Iron On Glue.  Just cut out your shape, coat it with the glue and iron it on!  You'll be the envy of all your friends.  

My pillow zoo!

 I think my dad would love this one

 My niece Jennah will love this!

I'm keeping this one!

See the video tutorial here

YOU'LL NEED

Silhouette of animal you like

E-6000 StitchLess Iron On glue

Paintbrush

Graphic fabrics in black and white

Cotton fabrics in bright colors

Sewing Machine

Pillow stuffing

Needle and thread

Scissors

 Print this in gray scale (to save ink) and enlarge it to fit a standard sheet of copy paper

 Cut out a piece of fabric big enough for your silhouette

Pin and carefully cut it out

Try different silhouettes (Google ANIMAL SILHOUETTE)

 Cut two 19" x 19" pieces of graphic fabric

Pin and stitch them together using 1/2" seam allowance

Leave a 5" hole on one side

Paint an even layer of E-6000 StitchLess on the fabric silhouette

With the glue side down, center it on the pillow and iron it in place

Stuff the pillow with pillow stuffing

Pin the 5" hole closed

Stitch closed with needle and thread

Done!