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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

decorative pillow

A few weeks ago, I went shopping in Kimmswick, MO with some friends and found this amazing table for the big empty space in my hallway. It was very inexpensive, $35 to be exact. It was easy to decorate the table for Christmas, because I had a few small items for the top and my Willow Tree Nativity for the bottom.
Christmas decor on my new table in the hallway. 
I took all the Christmas decor down this week and now my table is bare. Hobby Lobby had their 66% off after Christmas sale and I was able to purchase a few winter pieces at low prices. While shopping, I was looking for a small decorative pillow. Regular prices on these pillows are anywhere between $20-30. There is no way I was buying a pillow at that price. I didn't find any pillows at Hobby Lobby, so I checked at Target (only 50% off). Their pillows were still $10-15 and I figured that would be the most inexpensive route. I was wrong! As I was walking down the aisles at Target (trying to keep G from touching EVERYTHING) I noticed some really pretty placemats for $2 each. I sort of laughed to myself noting the fact that I will never be able to have placemats at my house. (Brian hates things on the kitchen table.) Then it hit me...I can make a pillow out of these placemats. I bought all three that were left.
finished pillow
Disclaimer...I am not the best seamstress. I can't even sew anything from a pattern.

Here are the steps I took to create the pillow. The total project took 15 minutes and that included changing the thread on my sewing machine.

Step 1: 
Start with the placemat laying flat.


Step 2: 
Fold the placemat in half, so the decorative side is not showing.

Step 3: 
Sew around the edge of the placemat, leaving a space to flip it right-side out and stuff with pillow stuffing.


See the little opening I left? That's where you will turn the placemat right-side out.
Step 4:  
I forgot to take a photo of turning the placemat right-side out, but here is what it looks like when you're finished.


Step 5: 
Fill the pillow with stuffing. (I had some stuffing leftover from a project my mother-in-law did for me.) Make sure you get the stuffing in all four corners.


Now you're ready to close the pillow.


Step 6: 
Push the stuffing as far away from the opening as you can, so you have room to sew. Fold the seam together and sew it down. This method will not hide the seam. I decided I liked the whole seam showing, so I sewed the entire length instead of just the opening.
Finished product only $2 plus the small amount of stuffing I used.
bottom shelf with pillow= $10.50 total.
basket $3--dollar bins
stripe pitcher $3--dollar bins
cinnamon scented pinecones $2.50--holiday markdowns
Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

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