Every week when that estatesales.net email hits my mailbox I scroll through all the local sales and my heart pounds seeing all of the incredible antiques and vintage goodies that are being offered for sale. Over the last several months, my daughter, Elizabeth, and I have come across dozens of vintage quilts and linens, sparking tons of inspiration and project ideas.
One of the best parts of gathering all of these textiles is that Elizabeth asked me to teach her to sew. Needless to say, she’s hooked and now we both look for great linens when we are thrifting or hitting up estate sales. A few weeks ago, I walked into the bedroom at a sale and practically dove on the bed (and would have wrestled anyone in my way) to grab the vintage red and white chenille coverlet I use in this blog post. What a perfect piece to make a sweet, heart-shaped pillow with.
I know many people are intimidated by sewing but this piece can be done by machine or hand and I’m going to explain just how easy it is.
I used a heart-shaped cake pan to trace out the perfect heart pattern and then just deepened the cut at the top to create more definition. You can download my pattern for free from my website www.oohilovethat.com.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Fabric (good rule of thumb: about 1/2 yard for a standard 18×18-inch pillow so you would need a 1/3 to ½ depending on the size you want to create)
- Pillow stuffing (polyester fiberfill)
- Fabric scissors (I used pinking shears)
- Pins
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
- Iron and ironing board
- Paper for a pattern (optional)
Step 1: Designing Your Heart Pillow
Size: My heart pillow is about 16” at the widest part. Just keep in mind that you’ll need to add a seam allowance of about 1/2 inch all around the edges.
Fabric Choice: Pick a fabric that complements your space and is durable enough for pillow use. Cotton, linen, and canvas are great choices, and don’t forget cutter quilts, vintage linens, or textiles.
Step 2: Cut Your Fabric
Simply pin your pattern to your fabric and the backing and cut both at the same time if possible. If your fabrics are too heavy or thick, cut them separately. I used pinking shears for more texture around the edges.
Download an easy printable heart pattern for your own project here!
Step 3: Sewing the Pillow Together
I wanted the ruffled, raw textured edge so I pinned my front and back pieces together and sewed a ½” seam allowance all around, and left a section open that was large enough (3”-5” on one side) to put my hand into to stuff the pillow.
If you want to hand-sew your pillow, use a nice strong thread and use a running stitch around the heart at about ½” in from the edge. Be sure to leave an opening large enough to fit your hand for stuffing.
Step 4: Stuff the Pillow
- Choose Your Stuffing: The type of stuffing I recommend for this pillow is polyester fiberfill. It is light and fluffy and you can easily shape it to get the density you need for your pillow.
- Stuff Slowly: Start by stuffing small amounts of your chosen filling into the pillow through the gap. Make sure to distribute it evenly so that the pillow fills out without lumps or uneven areas. You can add more stuffing as needed until it reaches your desired firmness.
- Fill the Corners and Curves: Use your fingers to gently stuff the filling into the corners and edges of the pillow, making sure it’s filled out all the way.
Step 5: Close the Pillow
Once your pillow is stuffed to your liking, it’s time to close up the opening.
- Machine Sewing the Edge: When I was satisfied with the amount of fill and shape of the pillow, I pinned the opening closed and ran the edge through the machine to close the pillow.
- Hand Stitch the Gap: Use a needle and thread to hand-sew the gap closed using b blind stitch or slip stitch. These stitches are nearly invisible and will give your pillow a polished finish.
- Final Touches: Give your pillow a final fluff and make any last adjustments to the stuffing. Your pillow is now ready for display!
