Pillows.

Blog updates two days in a row!??!?! Could it be? There is an easy explanation for this: MED SCHOOL EXAMS. My husband is taken over by these lovely little devils nearly once a month. This happens to be test week...and thus I have lots of "Christine" time. Instead of booking every friend I know for a happy hour or dinner, I've taken it a little easy this week and chilled at home. Anyhow, thats why I've posted two days in a row. Wish I was like that more often!

For this post I wanted to show y'all my newest creations/new found hobby....sewing pillows!!! I originally started sewing back in middle school but never really pursued it much. I pretty much mastered the art of PJ-pant making, made about 100 pairs, and called it quits after that. A) I had enough jams to last me a lifetime, and B) come high school, homemade PJ-pants were suddenly not near as cool as I had once thought....haha.

More recently I've discovered that "living" is expensive. Specifically, living with MY shopping habits is expensive (actually down right unaffordable). Pillows especially...man those suckers add up! Even at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.... Marshall's...whatever--they are still pricey! So, after reading some random tutorials online, I decided to make some pillows instead. I'm pretty picky on what I like, so I figured this was a fun and easy way to solve my problem.

Reader discretion advised: If you gag at the sight of ruffles, do not read further.

HERE IS WHAT I DID:

1) Bought 1 yard of fabric (any color/pattern) at Hobby Lobby. I got mine on sale for $3.99/yard. 1 yard will generally do the trick for an average size throw pillow.

2) Cut the fabric into two equal sized rectangles, slightly larger than your pillow form. If your pillow form is 10x10 for example, cut two 11x11 squares which gives you allowance for a 1/2 inch seem on all edges. 

3) Ruffle time! Get creative with this part (I still have a TON of ideas I want to try). To make your average ruffle, cut a strip of fabric about twice as long as you would like the ruffle to end up. Sew a seem straight down the middle, and pull on one thread when done to ruffle the fabric. Go slow and be careful to not break the thread (that really sucks) though! Here is what one will look like.

4) Once you get a bunch done...pin them on the pillow cut-out, and carefully sew down the middle of the ruffle to attach. The end result should look something like this.

5) Turn inside out and sew a 1/2 inch seem around three of the edges. Turn right side out, and stuff your form into the pillow case. Complete pillow by doing a whip stitch on the final edge (I'm really awful at this part). And tada! You have a new pillow :) Here is a picture of the two I have completed so far. 

These really are not very hard, I promise! I'm not a very good sewer at all (please don't inspect my work if you come over, haha)...so trust me, anyone can make them! I'm working on khaki and yellow ones next, so stay tuned for updates!