DIY Hide-A-Way Pillow

DIY Hide-A-Way Pillow

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As moms, we are constantly trying to find things to keep our little ones happily (& quietly) occupied in the car, at sporting events, gatherings, in the grocery store, and at church. This simple little pillow (yes, simple!) combines activity, storage, and comfort all in one great, straightforward project. It is a pillow for rest and comfort, and a secure storage pocket for crayons & a coloring book, a favorite toy or book, a video game…you name it! The options are endless. Let’s sew!

Items needed:

• 4 – 20 X 20 pieces of fabric of like composition (all flannel, all knit [use a stretch needle on your machine], or all cotton broadcloth…if you choose fleece for the outer 2 layers, you may want to go with something less bulky on the inside like flannel or cotton calico)
  
• Sharp Scissors
  
• Fabric Pencil or Evaporating Marker
  
• An 12″ Zipper (not invisible)
  
• A Hand Sewing Needle (ball-point for knits)
  
• Coordinating Thread
  
• Pins
  
• Machine (Straight Stitch and Zigzag Stitch)
  
• Poly-Cotton Batting/Stuffing
  

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Cut all pieces in any shape that you want your pillow to be. We chose a square for simplicity. Be sure to cut a total of 4 pieces, two for the inner (hidden) pocket and 2 for the outer pillow.

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Stay stitch (long, machine basting stitch using 3-5 spi) along the upper side (choose which of the four sides will be your “upper” side) and zigzag stitch along the same edge to prevent fraying.

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Center the zipper along upper edges that you just zigzagged and mark.  Return to the machine and straight stitch at 5/8″ seam allowance from each mark to the outer corner.  Then, press that seam open.

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Baste the opening closed by hand. This will assist you in properly lining up, and sewing in, the other side of the zipper. (These stitches will be removed later, so don’t worry about whether or not they look pretty.)

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Place zipper on the basted-closed opening.  Pin in place.

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Straight stitch (5-8 spi) the zipper in place overtop of the basted opening. Remove the basting stitches.

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Pin the remaining three sides together.

(Right now, you have 4 layers of fabric sewn together with a zipper at the top: inner | outer | outer | inner, and three open sides.)

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Straight stitch at 5/8″ seam allowance, beginning at upper right corner, pivot (raise your presser foot with your needle down, turn the piece, then lower the presser foot) and stitch part way across the bottom. Lock your seam (backstitch, or sew in reverse, at the end of the seam just a few stitches). Leave a 5 to 7 inch opening to stuff your pillow, and begin your seam again.  Pivot at the corner, and straight stitch up the other side to the end corner.

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 Zigzag Stitch along those same three edges to finish the seams and keep them from fraying.

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Turn the pillow right sides out, fold in the edge to match the existing seam allowance, and whipstitch the inner pocket closed by hand.  Add Stuffing between the sewn pocket and the outer layers on both sides.

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Just like you whipstitched the inner layers of the pocket together, whipstitch the outer two layers of the pillow closed as well.

You DID it! Here is the finished Hide-A-Way Pillow showing the zippered pocket.

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Here is the finished pillow with a few toys peeking out.

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Here is the finished pillow, with the toys concealed in the Hide-A-Way pocket.

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This is a great travel anywhere accessory! Want to modify it? Go ahead – Have fun with it! I could see this on a smaller scale being a fantastic tooth fairy pillow!!!! (I know an adorable little boy with matching PJ pants who might just use it for a frog or two! {Let’s hope not!} LOL!) What might you use this fun storage pillow to hide?  

***Click HERE for a PRINTABLE version!

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