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Upcycle Pants into a Quilted Pillow!

April 28, 2012 by FaveQuilts 7 Comments

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This guest post was written by Phyllis Dobbs from Phyllis Dobbs Art & Design Studio.

*This giveaway is now over. Please enjoy the free tutorial below.

Hi, I’m Phyllis Dobbs.  I was delighted to meet Jessica Nichols, the editor of FaveQuilts.com at the International Quilt Market. I was even more delighted when she asked if I would write a guest blog. Since Earth Week is celebrated this month, I created a pillow that is repurposed from an article of clothing.

 

Upcycled Floral Pillow

I love shopping thrift stores where you can find fantastic treasures just waiting for you and your imagination. Don’t shop with just the thought of reusing something; shop thinking of how you can turn it into something else. Yard sales are another treasure trove. Another place that I look for treasures is my own closet. If I love the fabric or accents on a piece of clothing or accessory, I add it to my stash for repurposing that is tucked away in my attic (and a step away from my studio). A former resident of my closet is the source of this project – a pair of capris that I bought a few years ago and have never worn. (I think it had to do with the thought that they made me look fat.) I loved the fabric so I had added them to my stash.

Materials :

  • Pillow form (I reused a form from a pillow I had also discarded).
  • Cotton batting
  • Beads (an old necklace is great for recycling beads).
  • Surface threads – both metallic and non-metallic
  • Fabric for pillow back

 (The threads were furnished by Gutermann and the batting by The Warm Company.)

1. Determine the size of the pillow and add a couple of inches to the width and height. Cut the clothing to get fabric this size – it’s okay to include seams. From the pants, I cut across one leg, then opened one side seam.

Cut Off Pants

2.  Spread the fabric over a piece of cotton batting that is a little larger than the fabric. Pin or baste together.

Pillow Quilt Sandwich

3.  Sew wavy lines across the fabric and batting top to bottom multiple times as desired.  I used 2 colors of non-metallic Gutermann thread – light and dark coral, and 3 shades of metallic for sparkle – light and dark turquoise and black.  Stitch the lines using long stitches, criss-crossing over each other.

Quilting Upcycled Pants Pillow

4. Sew beads randomly on surface. I used 2 different size turquoise beads to sew randomly, then sewed small red beads to the flower centers. Large yellow teardrop beads were sewn to the flower centers.

Close-Up of Quilting

5. Lay the finished top face down on backing fabric and cut back. Pin right sides together, and then sew, leaving a 7” opening along bottom edge. Turn right side out and press. Insert pillow form and hand stitch the opening closed.

Have fun! Choose your fabric and make your pillow adding your personalized touches with your wonderful thrift or closet finds!

Phyllis Dobbs

Phyllis invites you to visit her blog www.phyllisdobbs.info to read about her new quilt book “Asymmetrical Quilts” and to get a sneak peak of her newest fabric collection “Celebrate”.

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FaveQuilts

Editor at FaveQuilts at FaveQuils.com
Whether you're just learning to quilt or you're a seasoned veteran, FaveQuilts has the free quilting patterns and charts you need! Create Jelly Roll quilts, tote bags, baby bibs, even quilted jewelry.We have a bustling community of quilters just waiting to share their ideas with you and welcome you into the family.

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Filed Under: Full Project Tutorials Tagged With: Earth Week, Full Project Tutorials, Green Crafting, Guest Post, pillows, Quilting, recycled crafts, Sewing

Comments

  1. Barbara Dodson says

    April 28, 2012 at 3:02 pm

    I have a comment and you might not like it. I do plastic canvas crafts and thats it. But you send me everything else but that! Either send me stuff for plastic canvas or stop sending all of it!!!

  2. Lynn G. says

    April 22, 2013 at 9:12 am

    No way! That is an awesome pillow.

  3. michelle says

    April 22, 2013 at 9:20 am

    We’ve done this using old t-shirts that were too small. A great idea.

  4. Ellen Gaynor says

    April 22, 2013 at 11:48 pm

    That’s just gorgeous. Great idea.

  5. Renate Gilliland says

    April 20, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    Beautifull pillow! I just finshed a rag quilt, purse and patchwork skirt from repurposed clothing I have been collecting! They all look great!

  6. BArbara NIcholson says

    April 21, 2014 at 12:08 am

    I use repurposed clothing for doll clothes—Great idea—

  7. Betty says

    April 21, 2014 at 7:44 am

    Barbara Dodson, why don’t you just unsubscribe?

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