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Bolster pillows are fun. They just are. When all the other pillows are square, they are round. When the other pillows look uptight and stiff, bolster pillows invite your neck to relax on them. They also always seem a little more complicated to me, but they are really easy to make. |
Supplies
(Click fabrics for direct links for purchase at Warehouse Fabrics Inc.)
 Savannah Bluestone - for piping |
 City Squares Alabaster - for main fabric |
 Tropical Dark Brown |
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 Cotton Piping |
 Pillow stuffing |
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| I used they City Square Alabaster for my main fabric and had plenty with 1 yard. I had 1/3 yard of the chocolate contrast fabric. I used two 32″ pieces of piping cord and made my own piping. I used leftovers of a silk fabric (the Savannah Bluestone) to make the piping, figuring it would be easier to work with than the heavier pillow fabric and add a nice touch. Our piping tutorial can be found here. | |||
The pattern
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| (Click for bigger pictures)
Cut one rectangle measuring 16″ x 30″ (the 16″ is the width, so think of that if your pattern is directional) from your main fabric.
If you want your pillow in different dimensions, how do you calculate the circle size? At first I was thinking, “I wish there was some mathematical way to do this!” Then I thought, “Duh. There is.” Circumference = the length of the sides of your fabric, which will form a circle in the end. For this example that’s 30″, but after the seams are sewn, it’s 29″. Diameter = Circumference/Pi Just sub in your own numbers to calculate yours. Isn’t math fun and useful? |
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The process
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First, sew the long seams of your fabrics together as shown. |
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Next, make your piping. We have a piping tutorial if you need a hand. Trust me, it’s easy!
I used a silk fabric I had leftover from another project. It might look like it doesn’t match that great, but it looked fantastic once it was all put together! |
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Sew your piping around each circle. To join the ends beautifully, see this tutorial. |
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Now fold your fabric so the short ends are together (and your contrast fabrics are still on either side. Sew a 1/2″ seam, leaving a hole in the middle big enough to turn the pillow and reach your hand in so you can stuff it later.
Remember to make sure those seams where the two different fabrics meet line up perfectly when you pin it and sew it. |
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Pin your circle to the end. The best way to do this is to mark your pillow and your circle in quarters by folding and marking with a fabric pen or chalk. Then fold the other way and do the same. Now you have marks at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 and 9. Line those up and pin, then distribute the fabric between the pins evenly and pin all around.
Note that if you have a directional fabric, you might want to be careful here. I have stripes, essentially (stripes made of squares), so I want the lines to run in the same direction as the pillow’s lines. If it was slightly off kilter, it wouldn’t look as good. |
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Sew all the way around. I prefer to use a piping foot (remember, there’s piping under there). You’re going for a 1/2 inch seam allowance, but just follow close to the piping. |
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Turn right-side out through that hole you left. |
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Stuff with stuffing. |
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Slip stitch that hole closed. The fact that my vertical lines of squares matched up perfectly was pretty much a miracle. Somehow, when I was sewing my seam from the other side, I forgot to even think about this. I simply lined up the seams where this fabric and the brown fabric met. If I’d tried to make these line up, surely they wouldn’t have in the end! |
Other views
(Click for bigger views)
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Tags: bolster pillow, pillow
Hi, my name is Lois. Thanks for sharing. I will try to make one, or two. My neck will thank me too, smile. I’ve recently started making cloth bags, and have decided to sell them. I’m interested in starting a website for my business. Would you happen to know a company, that does web designs/websites for people who make merchandise on a sewing machine. A website with minimal maintenance, and easily edited by me ( eg. upload pictuers, edit text about products). If you do not know of one, it would be appreciated if you could refer me to someone else who can help me. Thank you. Please send your response to boomerbagslois@aol.com