Make Your Own Bolster Pillows

This idea isn't new. I remember seeing something like this on another blog I found at a link party but I wasn't able to bookmark the site.

I needed to buy Andrea bigger bolster pillows but I remember that someone gave her this thick  baby comforter (not sure what it's called but it looks like this, like a very thick comforter). I wasn't able to take 'before' photos of the comforter but it's like really thick comforter stuffed with polyester stuffing inside. Since we disposed of her baby wooden crib, we don't use that comforter anymore. 

To turn it into a bolster pillow... I simply cut it in half, rolled it (keeping the open edge inside when I rolled), and hand stitched the sides.

Roll half of the futon/comforter

Two halves of the comforter rolled to make bolster pillows.

Stitched both ends to keep the shape.

I then made simple bolster pillow cases from some fabric I have in my small stash (note to self: need to buy more fabric to keep in stock for quick projects like this).

It's a rainy day here in Manila today... non-stop heavy rain since yesterday and some areas are already flooded (fortunately, not the area where I live), government offices already sent their employees home (me hoping our company will do the same). Here's me hoping for a great weekend anyway. Hope you guys have a great weekend too!

Edited (06-28-2011):
Kelley of Kelley Highway left a comment saying that Rie of Home and Harmony has a project like this (Makeshift Bolster). I visited Home and Harmony and saw that that was the project I saw before that gave me this idea. Thanks for the info Kelley! :)

I am linking up to the following link parties:

Catch a Glimpse at A Glimpse Inside | Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge | Friday Favorites at Inspiring Creations | Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes | Keep It Simple Sunday at The Tattered Tag | Sundae Scoop at I heart Nap Time | Sunday Showcase Party at Under the Table and Dreaming | Not Baaad Sunday at Lamb Around | Take a Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts | Craft-O-Maniac Monday at Craft-O-Maniac | Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative | Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T. | Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple | Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do | Inspire Me Monday at Singing Three Little Birds | Marvelously Messy at A Marvelous Mess | Amaze Me Monday at Dittle Dattle | Handmade Tuesday at Lady Bug Blessings | Tuesday To-do Party at The Blackberry Vine | Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie | Tuesday Party at Running with Glitter | Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog | Tuesday Confessional Link Party at Confessions of a Stay at Home Mommy | Your Whims Wednesday at My Girlish Whims | We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado | Hoo's Got Talent at Night Owl Crafting | Wicked Awesome Wednesday at Handy Man, Crafty Woman | Link Party at Tea Rose Home | Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts | Sugar & Spice at  Seven Thirty Three | Creative Juice at Momnivore's Dilemma | Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple | Get Your Brag On at Gluesticks | Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage | A Crafty Soiree at Katie's Nesting Spot |

Butterfly Pillow from Ruffles and Stuff

This project has been in my 'to-do' list for a while since I saw it on Ruffles and Stuff last year.

Butterfly Collection Pillow

I have these pillow covers:

I only realize now that they look a little retro. But I bought them because they're really soft and they fit my color motiff of blue, yellow and yellow green at the time. I wanted to make the yellow green match the blue pillow so I decided to use Disney's butterfly patterns to make butterfly appliques.

And here it is after I finished:

I'm not really happy with the colors... and please ignore my faded sofa. I plan to make pastel-colored pillows after I get my sofa re-upholstered (or if I manage to make a cover for it).

Click here for the tutorial and the butterfly pattern.

I am linking up to the following link parties:

Show Me What Ya Got at Not JUST a Housewife | We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado | Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Design | Your Whims Wednesday at My Girlish Whims | Will See It Wednesday at Fabric Bows and More | Link Party at Tea Rose Home | Sugar & Spice at Seven Thirty Three | Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts | Hoo's got Talent at Night Owl Crafting | Wicked Awesome Wednesday at Handy Man, Crafty Woman | Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple | Creative Juice Thursday at Momnivore's Dilemma | Thrilling Thursday at Paisley Passions | A Glimpse Inside at Catch a Glimpse | A Crafty Soiree at Katie's Nesting Spot | Commercial Break Thursday at Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom | Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge | Friday Favorites at Inspiring Creations | Saturday is Crafty Day at I Am Along For The Ride | Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes | K.I.S.S at The Tattered Tag | Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime | Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming | Not Baaad Sundays at Lamb Around | CraftOManiac Monday at CraftOManiac | Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative | Making Mondays Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T. | Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple | A Round Tuit at Creating My Way to Success | Inspire Me Monday at Singing Three Little Birds | Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff | Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do | Sew Cute Tuesday at Creative Itch | Take-a-Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts | Handmade Tuesdays at Lady Bug Blessings | Tuesday To Do Party at Blackberry Vine | Tuesday Party at Running with Glitter | Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog |

Buttoned-up Pillowcase

I had a very productive weekend! (In spite of a very bad case of cough and colds... aargh!) And I'm so excited to show you what I've been working on.

don't you just love my new pillow? I know I do!

I was most excited about this one because I love the way it turned out! I almost violated my "No-Internet-On-Weekends" rule to post about this one the moment I was done.

You see, a few weeks ago, my mom gave me this blouse and told me I can do whatever with it:

She only recently bought it but after a couple of sessions in the washing machine...

Uh-oh... the fabric tears easily... this hole was along the hem at the bottom of the blouse. I initially thought of creating an applique or a patch... but it just seemed so obvious and I know I will never be able to wear it like that. I've been playing around with the idea of chopping the entire bottom half and sew in the bottom half of a t-shirt... but in my head, I don't think it's something I will be able to wear in public :)

So this blouse ended up on my stash and stayed there for a couple of weeks until inspiration hit me last week (don't you just love it when that happens?). I was admiring some pillow projects online and I was thinking of buying fabric to make some new pillow cases for my throw pillows when that blouse popped into my head. It's a perfect match for my current color scheme of cream and gray!

Last weekend, I got to work. I have already worked out the process in my head by this time and this project was so easy... literally only took a few minutes to make.

STEP 1: I laid out the blouse (size 14... though sizes run a little smaller here in Asia) and used one of my pillow cases to see if I have enough fabric for the case I wanted to make (my pillow cases are 16" x 16"):

I did!!! Great!

STEP 2: I pinned my 'pattern' (i.e. pillow case) on the blouse and started cutting around it. I put in around 0.5 inches allowance for the seams.

STEP 3: I now had the front and back pieces of my pillow case. I turned both sides inside-out and sewed along all sides.


STEP 4: Pop open the buttons... turn right side out... insert pillow inside and... I was done!

I admit... I did not hem the edges before I sewed the seams. I thought about it... but I was too lazy and I figured I didn't mind if it frayed inside.

Hope you all had a great weekend. More projects to be posted, this week so stay tuned! :)

Since this is link-party-worthy... I joined these link parties:

CraftOManiac | Sumo's Sweet Stuff | Sew Chatty | It's So Very Cheri | The Tattered Tag | Tatertots & Jello  | Tea Rose Home | Somewhat Simple | The Girl Creative | Sew Can Do |