CRAFTING CONNECTIONS MINI-MAG

Issue #2Elevate Art : : Memory Pillow

Do you keep any collections?Do those collections remind you of any memories?

Elevate Art : : Memory Pillow This project is a special collaboration. A time for grown-ups and little-ones to work together side-by-side in the creation of something special. A throw pillow, infused with memories, captures the moment in time. Incorporate a piece of art and a few special fabrics for a truly memorable piece....

YOU WILL NEED

Fabric ArtFabric ScrapsCotton Batting

Scissors

Sewing MachineThread

Pillow StuffingHand Sewing Needle

CHOOSING THE MEMORIES

When choosing the art and fabric for this pillow, you have the opportunity to

include things that are memorable. Fabric that tells a story.

Look around your house through closets and drawers to pick out scraps that hold memories. Those

scraps, once turned into a pillow, will be there to remind you, again and

again, of the memories you’ve made. Of the stories you share.

As for the art on the front of the pillow you have a few choices.

EMBROIDER A DRAWING

To transfer a child’s drawing to a piece of fabric I created a

rudimentary light table. I traced the drawing with a sharpie onto tracing paper. I stuck the tracing paper to a window on a sunny day and taped the fabric over the tracing paper. I followed the lines - using a fabric marker - onto the fabric. Once the

drawing was transferred, I followed the lines with needle and floss.

LITTLE ONE’S EMBROIDERY

You can have them embroider a piece of their own. Loosely woven

fabric and a blunt needled threaded with yarn will do the trick.

LITTLE ONE’S DRAWING

Or use fabric markers and a piece of tightly woven cotton to let them draw

a piece directly onto the fabric.

WHAT TO DO

Step 1: Prepare Your Batting and Fabric

Cut two pieces of batt ing into same-sized squares. The size you cut depends on the size of the art you ’re including on the f ront of the pi l low. You ’ l l want to cut your batt ing

at least a few inches larger - on each side - than the piece of art you ’re including.

Press the art and al l fabric that you plan on using.

Step 2: Make the Pil low Front

Place your art in the middle of the batt ing (picture 1). With a 1/4 inch seam, st i tch two sides of the art to the batt ing. Just to hold it in place (picture 2).

note - the pi l low cover is being pieced together using a qui l t-as-you-go technique. once you know how it ’s done, you can be pretty f ree form in your design.

Choose scraps to border your art on two sides. Cut them the same length as the art. L ie them on top of the art, r ight-s ides together.

Attach both those scraps to the batting using a 1/4 inch seam (picture 3).

Press these two seams open (picture 4).

Quilt them. Stitch straight l ines across the scraps roughly 1/4 inch apart (picture 5).

Choose two more scraps and attach them to the opposite s ides of the art using the same technique described above (picture 6).

Trim the Fabric. Turn your pi l low f ront batt ing side up. Tr im away any overhanging fabric (picture 7).

Step 3: Make the Pil low Back

In the same manner as for the f ront, make the back. This t ime instead of using a piece of art to start choose any fabric scrap.

Step 4: Put the Pil low Together

Stack the f ront and back r ight-s ides together (picture 8).

Stitch around the edges using a 1/2 inch seam. Leave a gap a few inches wide for turning.

Turn the pi l low r ight s ide out through the hole. Using a penci l or chopstick, push out the corners.

Stuff it and stitch it. Stuff the pi l low to desired ful lness and then using a needle and thread st itch the hole shut (picture 9 and 10).

picture 1 picture 2

picture 3 picture 4 picture 5

picture 6

picture 7 picture 8

picture 9 picture 10

EXPLORE MORE

Ask your grown-up to tell you one of their favorite memories from when they were small. Tell them one of yours. What can you do with these memories?

What other ideas do you have for using your leftover fabric scraps? What else can you make?

MAKE CONNECTIONS

Have your grown-up tell you the story behind the fabric scraps you included in your pillow. Or, if you remember, tell the story to your grown-up.

Who else can you share your story with?

How else do you preserve memories and stories in your home? In your life?

CREDITS

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Unless otherwise specified, all text and photography copyright © 2013 by Crafting Connections, LLP.

Photos noted below are used under Creative Commons license, CC BY 2.0

thread: : ©2008, Miss Messiefloss : : ©2013, Lorna Watt