It is difficult to imagine modern life without such a wonderful thing as a pillow. It's no secret that a properly selected pillow will give you good and bright dreams.
In stores you can find a huge number of different pillows, including toy pillows. Let's figure out together what they are and how you can make them yourself.
- What is a toy pillow
- Choosing an idea for a pillow
- Pillow filler
What are pillow toys
How often do parents notice that their children love to hug their favorite toy and fall asleep with it. This picture is touching. But you can combine an interesting design and give your child a toy pillow.
A decorative pillow for a children's room can become a child's favorite toy if it has the shape of a car, a cartoon character or an animal.
At the moment there are a lot of offers of this type in stores and markets. But you can save money. You need to learn how to sew a toy pillow. To do this, you should use old material, realize your imagination and give your child a nice gift.
Round and rectangular pillows are in second place in popularity. The choice in favor of such models may be determined by the shape of the furniture and the features of interior design solutions.
Worth taking into account! Fabric and filling should be selected from natural materials. This will help avoid allergic reactions in children to synthetic components.
This pillow can have different shapes. It can be in the form of animals: a bunny, a unicorn, or reflect the child’s favorite hobbies: a doll, a car. The brighter the colors, the more interesting this thing will be for the baby. For older children, there is no need to sew a product with a bright color. It could be a pale yellow smiley or an abstraction sewn from scraps.
Small models will look natural on children's furniture, and large ones will look natural in large rooms surrounded by massive furnishings.
If you are not from Russia, then follow the link to buy patterns
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MaranisBabyPattern?ref=l2-about-shopname
Hello, this is the Maranis company. In this article we will look at how to sew the sides of an animal with your own hands.
These soft pillows are ideal for a newborn's crib and will give it a great look. They also have a functional affiliation:
- They will protect the baby from injuries from the bed bars.
- Will protect from wind and drafts.
- They will be true friends for the entire period of the baby’s growing up. He will quickly begin to understand what this or that animal looks like.
We will teach you how to sew animal bumpers into a crib for a bunny, fox, cat, dog, moose, owl, unicorn, fish, sheep, hedgehog, pig, dragon. This is not difficult to do if you have at least some seamstress skills. All you need is an ordinary household sewing machine, fabrics and a great desire to do something with your own hands.
But we will need patterns which you can find by following the link:
Varieties
The pad can be for different purposes. Based on this, it is necessary to select the right fabrics and filler. Let's look at the most common options:
- For sleep. This pillow should be sewn without top decor and numerous seams. Such elements can create discomfort during sleep. The smooth surface will ensure a calm rest for the baby. The filler should be soft, which will ensure the desired position of the child's head. The thickness of the product should be no more than 14 cm.
- For sitting on the floor. How nice it is to watch a cartoon and sit on a soft, elastic pillow. To do this, you can sew a voluminous version. The child will love the bagel or octopus.
- For travel. It is very convenient to place a pillow under the child’s head while traveling in a car or bus. But for comfort, it must have a special crescent or bagel shape. This pillow can be used for 12 months or more. This product is small in size and weight.
- For room decoration. The sofa option is a decoration for the nursery. For this item, you can use all your imagination to the fullest, experiment with shape and decor. It is worth choosing the right shade to match the overall design of the room or making bright accents when the room has a discreet atmosphere.
There are very small toy pillows that fit in a baby’s hand.
And sometimes mothers sew a pillow almost the size of their child. There is also another division between the pillows: for a boy or a girl. For a mischievous tomboy, you can choose the design of a car, a superhero or a giant robot. Do you have an old sweater or jacket with a patch on it? You can use it to make your favorite toy pillow. To do this, you can carefully cut off such an image and sew it onto the surface of a new product. You can make a sword pillow from several pieces. My son will really like this.
A handmade pillow can be a wonderful gift.
Girls are little princesses. They love soft and fluffy toys. You can make a pillow in the shape of a doll or cat. A fluffy trim made of white or pink fur will look beautiful. It is worth choosing delicate shades: pink, yellow, lilac, beige, etc.
This designer pillow will decorate the room of a capricious fashionista or become the highlight of your living room. And she will lift your spirits just by looking at her.
How to make it yourself
You can find original DIY toy pillow patterns on the Internet. Or you can come up with them yourself. The first thing to start creating an original gift is choosing an animal or object that will be the basis. To do this, you can take your child’s favorite character as a basis or dream up your own.
Decorative pillows are an almost integral part of a child's room. They make the space cozier, visually safer and warmer.
It's worth trying to create a sketch or diagram. To do this you need to take a piece of paper and a pencil. That's it, you can start creating. Mom can draw the head of a bunny with a funny face or a dog with its tongue hanging out. The most important thing is to make this thing with love and put your soul into it.
A children's room often has to be created from scratch: sewing pillows helps out, especially if the mother is not averse to handicrafts.
Design selection
The size of the pad does not have to be large. It could be an element of a character or a flower with petals. It is important to carefully select the future design of the product.
With their own hands, mothers sew soft pillow toys that decorate the room, delight the baby, and protect him from injury when falling.
If you want to embody an animal, then you shouldn’t take a complex option for something you’ve sewn for the first time. You can only make the head of a cat or a hare. After the sketch has been drawn, it is worth translating the chosen idea into a pattern.
The list of tools and materials is standard; everything that the needlewoman already has in her bins is suitable - scraps of cotton fabric, soft braid, and, of course, threads, a machine, scissors.
If there is no ready-made template, you should make it yourself. To do this, you need to take paper or newspaper and apply a drawing on it. It is important to decide on the connecting seams. This needs to be done in the initial stages of design development. A baby pillow can be flat or have side walls. Then you should think through these details more carefully before sewing.
The pattern picture needs to be downloaded, printed and transferred to paper. If it is not possible to print it, you can simply redraw the pattern.
Machine diagram
Any boy, including the one who stubbornly refuses to sleep during the day, will be happy to take a nap in his own car.
The machine template diagram is shown in the figure.
Such a machine can decorate a baby’s crib and is sewn like a pillowcase so that it can be easily removed and washed if necessary.
Selecting Tools
If the creator of a children's pillow toy does not have the skills of a seamstress and the appropriate equipment (sewing machine, overlocker, etc.), then it is worth trying to create this product using thread and needle by hand. To do this, you need to prepare these tools.
It is possible to create toys from a variety of materials and things.
The thickness of the needle must be selected in accordance with the thickness of the material. If you are sewing thin cotton, silk, or linen, then you should choose a sharp, thin needle. It is also worth choosing a needle that is not thick for your sewing machine. No. 60-65 is the best option. For thick fabrics, you should choose stronger needles; they should not break when sewing.
Sewing a decorative pillow yourself is very simple. To do this, you do not need any special knowledge in the field of sewing skills.
Threads for thin fabrics can be used as thin, 100% polyester. For thick fabrics, you can use cotton threads. You will also need to prepare a place where cutting will take place, scissors and an iron.
The best materials for filling are considered to be holofiber and synthetic fluff. Both are made from the finest polyester fibers.
What fabric is best to use for covers?
It is, of course, better to make covers from natural and dense fabrics.
You can use linen, all types of cotton materials, satin, silk, felt, jacquard, velor, corduroy. They do not require special care, are quite durable, dry quickly after washing, and are easy to iron.
The choice of color scheme for each model depends, first of all, on its functional purpose.
If accessories will serve as additional decor for living rooms and bedrooms, then the color and texture of the fabrics should be combined with the general tones of textiles and furniture upholstery.
Products for children's rooms can be made from materials of any color, because they can have the most unexpected embodiment. The main thing is that they are colorful and funny.
Selection of material and filler
You need to sew a toy pillow from natural fabric. They are easier to wash, they will not fade or lose shape during use. If you will be washing frequently, then you should choose felt or fleece material. You should also pay attention to the following natural fabrics:
- Cotton. This fabric is soft, does not cause allergies, is easy to care for, and is affordable.
- Linen. This material has a beautiful structure and does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight.
- Silk. Delicate and pleasant to the touch. But when choosing this fabric, it is worth considering that it is easy to care for.
- Wool. Soft, warming. Disadvantage: requires washing in cold water using special detergents.
The filling for such decorative pillows can be anything - whatever is found in the house will be quite useful.
For filler it is best to use synthetic fluff and holofiber. They are hypoallergenic materials and soft. Pillows will not change shape after washing (should be washed in cold water). Sintepon, foam rubber, down, feathers can cause allergies.
Purchase filler in specialized departments of furniture or construction retail chains.
Colors
The style of the interior dictates preferences in the choice of color, style, and fabric of the product.
Possible options:
- Selecting a color tone that matches the furniture and accessories of the room.
- Sewing a cover for the palette of the main color of the room.
- Combination of the color of the thought with one of the accent colors.
The most interesting choice: matching the tone of the material of the pillows and curtains.
An accent to the monochrome of the room can be a combination of the color of the pendants and a bright carpet.
The color of the product can match the color of the wallpaper pattern.
Important! The color of the product cover should not match the color of the sofa upholstery - a darker or lighter tone is preferable.
Color
Making a pillow
The first thing you should do is cut out life-size toy pillows. After this, it is worth transferring the future appearance of the product onto the fabric. To do this, spread the material on a flat, clean surface. You can use a table for these purposes. You can transfer the pattern in the following way:
- Spread the material.
- Place a paper pattern on top of the fabric.
- Pin them together with thin pins.
- Outline the edges of the pattern with chalk or a thin piece of soap.
- Cut the fabric along the line with scissors.
Important! You should leave seam allowances on the fabric. It may be 1-1.5 cm. - Next, you should sew the product.
To do this, fold the parts of the future pillow with the right side inward and pin them together with pins. Sew the fabric on a machine, and if necessary, finish the edges with an overcast stitch (this may be necessary if the fabric is classified as “loose”). There is no need to finish stitching the seam on one side. Through this hole you can turn the pillow inside out and fill it with filling. After this, you should smooth out the product, fill it with synthetic down and manually carefully sew up the hole with a hidden seam. Straighten the toy and knock it down well with your hands.
To sew, you need to arm yourself with the appropriate tools.
Recommendations:
- If the pillowcase and the base with filling are sewn separately, then it is worth making a difference in size between them. This can be from 1 to 2 cm on each side.
- If the surface of the decorative pillow will be decorated with embroidery, applique, or decorative elements, then this must be done before sewing the main parts.
- It is best to process appliqué parts along the edges with an overlock stitch, which will prevent the fabric threads from fraying.
A knitted pillow can be of any shape.
If the product looks like an animal with legs, paws, and a tail, then they need to be sewn separately and attached to the base.
A knitted pillow in the shape of an owl will make the interior unique.
Star pattern
The star pillow pattern consists of:
- 2 star pattern parts;
- 1 rectangular facing.
The width of the facing is equal to the height of the pillow, and its length is the length of all the rays. During the sewing process, the facing is connected into a ring, and then sewn to the rays along the entire perimeter of the future pad.
The corners where the rays end are slightly rounded when stitching. The sharp edges of the protruding triangles do not need to be trimmed .
At the end of the work, one of the rays is left unstitched - the product is turned inside out through it, filled with padding material, and only then the resulting slit is finally sewn up.
Features of pillow decor
Any fantasy can be translated into the creation of this unusual thing. Decoration can be done by embroidery, appliqué, or combining several types of fabrics of different shades. For example, if you want to create a nautical style in a boy’s room, you can sew together several stripes of white and blue. If you sew an anchor or rudder with applique, then this will give more marine flavor.
The sofa in the children's room can be decorated with decorative pillows.
For a girl, you can sew butterflies made from fabric or bows or flowers onto the surface of the pillow. If your daughter is no longer little and loves shiny things, then jewelry made of beads, beads or rhinestones will help this decorative item “shine” in a new way. You can additionally sew on hair for the doll. Anyone can make them from thick knitting threads and you can unravel an old, unnecessary sweater.
Decorative pillows can come in different shapes and configurations.
What to sew from
Since the dimensions of bedding for a doll are not large, finding the material that serves as the basis for sewing will not be difficult. These could be old towels or any items. To choose the right one, decide what material you need. If you are sewing a pillowcase, it is better to use natural fabric taken from old things. A terry towel is suitable for sheets and duvet covers.
In general, sewing such linen accepts any old things that can be cut up and put to use.
A simple doll set for a crib made from pieces of fabric
Pillow toys in the interior
You can place such decorative elements not only in the nursery, but it is also possible to decorate the living room, kitchen or balcony loggia with them. But it is advisable to select them according to the color scheme; you should not place more than one or two of them on the sofa.
Pillows embroidered with decorative stitches are among the most favorite among needlewomen.
For the living room you can sew a cat or a bunny, for the kitchen area you can make an applique. Such things will not only make the apartment more comfortable, but will also create a certain mood in the room.
Rules of care
Like any children's toys or various objects, pillows need to be cleaned constantly. They can accumulate dust, dirt, and bacteria. It is very beneficial to have a pillowcase that can be easily removed and washed in a washing machine. This procedure can be carried out regularly.
An anti-stress pillow requires special care. When washing, use liquid powder and delicate cycle.
Important! The “filling” itself should not be washed using conventional methods. This may clump the filling together. If there are stains on the surface of the pillow, then it is best to remove them manually using an aerosol stain remover or take them to the dry cleaner.
It’s so nice when a child’s eyes light up because he received a new toy. It is especially pleasing when the soul of his parents is invested in this gift; it is made of safe material and the filler cannot cause allergies.
Padding
Soft natural fillings for pillows (wool, feather, down) have a number of disadvantages:
- They don't hold their shape well.
- They provoke the occurrence of allergies.
- High price range.
- They collect dust and require systematic cleaning.
Synthetics
The best choice are artificial materials:
- Holofiber.
- Comforel.
- Silicone.
- Synthetic fluff.
- Expanded polystyrene.
Reference! Inexpensive padding polyester is a bad choice (due to its low elasticity, it quickly breaks down).
Unusual fillers, for example, buckwheat husks and cherry pits, have the following characteristics:
- Absolutely natural.
- They are characterized by hypoallergenicity.
- Noisy.
- Not washable.
- Have low orthopedic properties
Herbs give a unique aroma to the pillow and have a service life of one to two years.
Fillers can be orthopedic (latex, viscoelastic foam, polyurethane foam).
