Red Heart Pillow Tutorial

Hi U Create fans!  I’m super honored to be here today.  Kari always seems to round up the most fun sewing projects from around blog land.

I’m Anna, my blog is noodlehead, I’ve got two little girls, am a working mama, and am trying to find the balance between my hobby, my job, and my family.  I’ve got lots of tutorials and even a few patterns if you want to stop by and check them out!

Red Heart Pillow Tutorial

Lately, I really have been enjoying collecting vintage kitchenware, so this pillow is inspired by a vintage enamel bowl designed by Kaj Franck.  Valentine’s day is one of my favorites, so here we go!

Materials:

20″x 20″ pillow form

2/3 yard white fabric (for background)

20.5″ by 20.5″ muslin for lining (optional)

20.5″ by 20.5″ piece for back of pillow

fat quarter (18×22) for heart

18″ invisible zipper, I just shortened a 20″ zip  ** if you don’t want to try an invisible zip, you can do a simple envelope closure

thread

templates: white background, red heart

Directions:
Cut out pieces, you’ll need two of the half-heart shaped pattern pieces and two of the white background pieces.  I would err on leaving plenty of wiggle room on the white pieces, then after completing the heart, just trim down to 20.5″ by 20.5″. You’ll also need to cut two additional pieces 20.5″ by 20.5″.  One is the pillow back the other you can use muslin, it’ll line the font of the pillow and hide the heart seams and make it sturdy and durable for washing, etc.

Ready for the curves?
Don’t be scared. Watch this video for piercing the heart.

Sorry, both parts I say wrong sides facing, guess I was nervous, it’s supposed to be right sides facing!  🙂

Once you complete both halves of the heart, you’ll have to pieces like this (they’ll be mirrored though, obviously, to complete the heart shape):

Press all seams towards red part of the heart.  I like to use a little spray starch to make things nice and crisp.

Trim heart halves, making sure you have room for the 1/4″ seam allowance.

Place RIGHT sides facing and sew together.

Press center seam open.

Install the zipper:
(You might also want to check out this invisible zipper tutorial too, it’s how I learned to install one.)
I really recommend an invisible zipper foot, they should be relatively inexpensive (between $2-8), but you can also use a regular zipper foot.  Press the zipper if you’re using a zipper foot, it’ll let you get close to the zipper teeth.

Align the edge of the zipper tape with the serged edge of the bottom of the pillow front, zipper open, zipper teeth, and zipper pull facing down.  Sew close to zipper teeth.

Align remaining zipper tape edge with serged edge of bottom of the pillow back.  Sew close to zipper teeth.

Place pillow front and back RIGHT sides facing, pin, being sure to pull out the zipper tape ends (those zig zaggy things) and pin them out of the way.  Be sure to open the zipper at least half-way at this point otherwise you won’t be able to open it up!

Sew starting at the point where you stopped sewing the zipper using a 1/2″ seam allowance all the way around, ending where the other side of the zipper had been sewn.

I like to taper in the corners to more of a 5/8″ seam allowance, it gives the pillow and nice shape and the corners look nicer.

Using a pinking shears, clip the corners.  Turn right side out, insert pillow form.

Thanks, Kari for having me!