Tutorial: Bow Pillow

Tomorrow I am going to be helping the Gems girls at church to make a throw pillow as part of their Home Decorating badge.  Inspired by the many bow purses, clothing and accessories I am seeing I decided to make a bow pillow.  Please tell me that 11 and 12 year old girls will like this project because I am a little nervous.  My girls love it, but they are 8 and 10.

Because I was doing all the figuring I thought I'd snap a few photos along the way and share the details with you.

You will need:

1/2 yard of main fabric
FQ of fabric for the bow
14" pillow form

1/4" seam allowances throughout unless otherwise specified.

 Cutting:  Cut a 14 x 14" square and 2 - 10 x 14" rectangles out of the main fabric.  Cut 2 - 4.5 x 14" rectangles and 1 - 4.5 x 4" rectangle out of the bow fabric.

 Making the bow.  Stitch the two 4.5 x 14" rectangles on the long sides with your fabric right sides together.

 Flip it around so your right sides are out and do a good job of pressing it flat.

 Now take your 4.5 x 4 inch rectangle.  Fold it in half so it's 2 x 4.5" and stitch that side.

 Flip it around and press it so the seam runs down the middle.

 Tuck the one side in about 1/4" and press it.  Loop the unfinished side into the pressed under side to form the loop of the bow.

 Hand stitch it closed.  Then slide it onto the other bow piece (forgot to take a photo but you can see it on the next photo.)

 Pin your bow onto the 14 x 14" piece of main fabric.  To center it, measure 5" from the bottom or the top and pin it on.  Then stitch it in place about 1/8" from the edge.  It should look like the photo above.

 Now prepare your back pieces.  We are doing an envelope closure for the back.  Press one side of each piece over 1/2 inch, then another 1/2 inch so your raw edges are hidden.  Stitch it down with about a 3/8 inch seam.

 Close up of the stitching.

 Now we are going to pin the back rectangles onto the front side of the pillow.  Place one on the left with the finished seam toward the center.  Then place the other one on top also with the seam toward the center.  They will overlap about 4 inches.  Pin it all the way around.

 Stitch it all the way around then clip off the corners.  Be careful not to clip the stitches!  Now flip it all the right way out, poke out your corners (with something with a dull point) and stuff your pillow form inside.  You have yourself a cute pillow!  Mine is going to Deanna for her bed.