Pillow Challenge Week!!!

Maybe you want to make some shams for your bed or a tooth fairy pillow for a kiddo? Or are you wanting to craft up some holiday gifts?  Or do you want to tackle a dog bed or floor pillows?  Whatever it is, join me in making pillows for a week!

Here are the details.

The pillow challenge will start next Sunday, November 7th and end on Saturday, November 13th.  The idea is that you can spruce up your home, or sew some gifts, in a short amount of time.  I'm going to try to make a pillow a day - maybe more if time allows.  Most of the projects I have in mind are fairly straight-forward, no complicated piecing or quilting, so I think one a day is manageable.  But, if you are wanting to play with scraps and piece together something more complicated, think about trying to work on your pillow(s) for an hour a day.  I am always amazed at just how much I can actually accomplish when I focus on one task for an hour.  Plus, with a basic pillow being four easy seams, it's a fast project with immediate results.  Just the kind I like.

I plan on re-vamping my pillow zipper tutorial for you all and will try to round up some other good inspiration over the course of this week to get you thinking. We'll talk pillow forms, stuffing, trims, piping, closures and whatever else I can muster.  Maybe even some knitting and crocheting ideas, too.  I've made a lot of pillows - almost every one in this house - and I have some tricks to share.  If there is anything specific you'd like to know or see, let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can do.  Or if you know of a great pillow tutorial, give me the link and I'll include it in my inspiration posts.  I'll get a flickr group up and going by the end of the week so we can all see each other's beautiful work.

All right, take this week to form a plan of attack and gather your supplies.  I'll be back tomorrow with an inspiration post.  See you then.

Comments

[Jennie]

yee haw! i'm excited to get some pillows done.

[Fruitful Fusion]

Sounds great! I don't know if I can join in but I'm looking forward to your pillow posts!

[Tara Bonistall]

Yay! What a fun idea!! I just whipped up two pillow covers yesterday, and have a bunch more planned for this week. They're simple, but they totally transform our space!!

[deb]

Yes I'm in. I need to to a pillow for a swap and I'd love to make some new ones for the summer (it's spring where I live). Plus you can never have too many projects on the go right?

[MeganAnne]

sweet.. this will be just the kick in the pants I need. I've got two pillows waiting to be sewn up! :)

[Sarah]

lovely project - count me in!

[meg]

I can't wait for all the pillow talk!

[Andrea]

Sounds lovely...I've been wanting to make some anyhow :)

[VintagePleasure]

I think I might join you. I have a few cushions to make. Not sure I'll manage one a day but I can try.

[amy h]

I have a pile of old clothes and sweaters waiting to be made into pillows for our basement remodel. Maybe next week is the time to work on that!

[Jess]

I'm in!

[Grace]

Oh, that looks like so much fun!I might try to swing a pillow next week. We'll see....

[kate]

i'm in too! perfect chance to do some de-stashing and present making.

[tammie]

hmm, i think this will be a great way to fill up 7 of my 30 days of crafting in november. i love pillows!

[Sarah Jackson]

Yay! I'm ready for this. Placed an order for pillow forms and everything.

[Penny]

Sounds good to me! My son is just learning how to sew and we bought him a book on sewing pillows and that is what he has chosen to make for his Dad for Christmas so I will let him know that we are "pillow blogging" along! He will think that is cool!

[Beth]

You've got me thinking !

[emily]

you know i've been thinking about an alabama channin pillow. maybe this is the moment. since my machine is d.e.a.d.

[leslie]

i should really make some pillows. yep. i should.

[Lina]

My sofa is crying out for some new pillows, so I'm in.

[Heather]

I am so excited for this! My 18 month old son loves to climb up and sit on every pillow in our house. I want to make him one with some fun boy fabrics. I would like to learn to make an envelope closure for the back because zippers are a bit beyond my talents at this point. I'd also love the basics - like how much bigger the pillow sham should be than the pillow form, etc. Thanks for organizing this!

[Molly]

**deep breath** I'm in. **panic attack archived for later** over and out.

[Darla]

Thank you!! I so desperately need a sewing tutor and you're hired. I don't know what I need to make a pillow or two, but I'll try to keep up and at least make one or two. The kitchen curtains, napkins and place mats are still laying on the sewing table waiting for me to stitch them together. Maybe this will be the jump start I need and I might get something creative accomplished.

[Kristin]

I think I just might take this on...Thank you for inspiring me! I have many pillow needs. Leather chair in living room, studio sofa, art desk chair and such.
Thanks!

[amisha]

i need some new pillows... the season is finally changing over here and it's time to freshen things up :) i'm in!

[Sarah]

SOOOOOOO EXCITED ABOUT THIS! I have the perfect pillow project in mind! :)

[kathy]

Great idea to spruce up the house for the holidays. Now you've really got my brain swirling with ideas.

I have a free pattern posted on my website for a small envelope style pillow. I recently had a friend come by and show me a pillow she made with the pattern that substituted scrap patchwork for the gathered center strip. Totally gorgeous.

Let me know and I can send you links to flickr photos and the pattern.

[Erin]

Thanks for offering Kathy! If you don't mind, that would be great! - E

[Andrea]

Can't wait to get cracking on some new pillows for my house, just in time for the holidays.

[nannergirl]

Oooh I can't wait to start. I'd better start digging through my stash!

[Suzanne]

I shouldn't commit but I think I will. My couches are getting much more use now that it's Fall and we need pillows for a little extra comfort with the quilts. Great idea!

[Deborah]

I would love to make some pillows. Mine never seem to look professional. The material is always larger on the corners than the pillow insert. I'd really love to learn how to do them correctly.

Great idea!! Love it!

[Kim]

Can't wait to get started! I have several ideas floating around in my head. I also have committed to making a few pillows for friends and family. This challenge should be just what I need to get started.

[Mama Urchin]

I'm in! You know I love pillows.

[Leila]

Fantastic! I just found this and am so excited! I have several pillows I've been putting of finishing for about a year so this is absolutely perfect for me. I'm totally in!

[Miss chris]

Let's do it! I'm going to aim for three. Hear that, nappy old shams ??? I'm talking to you! :)

[Mary Margaret]

Sounds like Fun!! I have had some pillowy ideas in my brain for a while; this will be a great time try them out! Thanks for hosting!

[Theblueberryboutique.blogspot.com]

Hummmm, this might be the week I actually tackle the reading pillow from Sew Liberated... Maybe I should look for that pattern in my stash and get ready... Thanks for the nudge! Kelly

[Amandajean]

I love this idea. I was just drooling over glittergoods pillows today. I need to play along. I have some king size shams that need to be done, too. This is perfect timing.

[Care]

Hi! I just popped over from Wee Wonderfuls. I love the idea of a pillow week!

I have a tutorial for a simple to make, classy-looking pillow cover, if you're interested: http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2010/04/shirred-pillow-tutorial.html

Can't wait to see more pillows! :oD

[Jenny L]

Perfect timing! I have 2 pillows ready to be covered, hopefully using a zipper, and hopefully with piping. We'll see if they turn out as pretty as they look in my head...

[Annee]

I am super excited! I'm only a little nervous about the part where you mentioned re-vamping your "how to put a zipper in it" tutorial. It is such a perfect tutorial. I have used it so many times, and have referred countless others to it. I don't know what I would do without it! This last round of pillow making, I thought I almost had it memorized, but I always come back for a refresher course. Thanks for the inspiration as always!!

[Ruth Yoder]

I think i'm gonna have to be in! I saw you on Noodlehead, so a thanks to her for introducing you to me.

[Erin]

oh, don't fret! i'm just going to bring it front and center for a day. it'll still be there. it's my favorite way to put zippers in.

[Jenn]

fun fun fun!! I hope I can join in. super busy that week, but hopefully I can squeeze in some sewing time :)

[alayne]

I've been meaning to make some pillows for our living room, but have been putting it off and off and off... I'm going to try to join you! Looking forward to some ideas for stuffing and such as I have (essentially) no idea where to begin on that one.

Thanks for the inspiration!

[vanessa]

This sounds like so much fun! I think that I am in.

[Carol]

This looks interesting, just popped over from Noodlehead. I made a couple of cushions using Amy Butler fabrics on the weekend, posted on Monday. I haven't entered one of these challenges yet, maybe you'll let me just observe!

[sewkatiedid]

I need to post about my pillow class coming up and I'll link over to this nice little idea.

[Sarah]

Hey! I'm busy cutting out fabric for this Pillow Challenge! Are you having a Flickr group for this so we can see what other people are up to? Thanks!
Sarah