This is Pillow number 6, and the last one for now, of the SYTYC thrift store challenge.  This is the only one that I used fabric for that wasn’t from a thrift store.  It pillow form was, and the fabric wasn’t new.  In fact this is the drop cloth from when I painted the boys room (still yet to be revealed)  and spilled an entire gallon of BLUE paint in the middle.  I was just going to throw it away, so not even good enough for a thrift store, so I hope you are all okay with it!

For this one I wanted to play with the fun triangle shape a bit.  At first I considered tons of really small ruffles (a different fabric of course) but when I tripped over my drop cloth it spoke to me.  And so I decided to go with pleats!

This pillow actually had a removable cover, unlike the other ones I’ve been using.  So I took it off, who knows, I might find a use for a small bit of purple corduroy.  The form inside is what I wanted.

I started by folding and ironing my fabric.  I didn’t precut it, because I wasn’t sure how much fabric I’d need, so I just kept on folding and ironing.  I decided to go with a more random placement, rather than keeping it even.  So I just kind of did it whenever it felt right.

THEN, using  a thick needle and canvas thread I sewed from one end of the fabric to another!  I used this handy magnetic thing (any REAL sewers out their know the name) to keep my fabric in place as I sewed.  I just kept going until it was long enough to cover the pillow.

Then, folding it in half and placing the right sides together I sewed down the side, matching up the pleats.  Here you can see how close and how far some of the pleats are.    Now you should have a tub!

Then opening up the tube and centering the seam I sewed across the top.  Turn it inside out and shove the pillow down inside!

now folding the rough edges inside sew the top closed!  For me I got lucky, and one of my pleats ended up being right at the top, so I just sewed along the pleat line to close it up!  (don’t look too closely, you might see that my lines go a bit crooked in places.  Oops!)

And finished!  Oh… before I sewed it up I ironed the pleats both ways to get a nice strong fold in either direction.  When I sewed along the seam I folded them all in the same direction, but when playing with the pillow they fold either way.  It’s actually a really fun pillow!  One of the kid’s favorites!

Don’t forget to check out the tutorials for the other pillows

1. rosette sweater pillow

2. elastic gathered sweater pillow

3. ruffled pillow

4. satin pintucked pillow

5. denim herringbone pillow

6. drop cloth pleated triangle pillow

Here’s my 5th pillow from my SYTYC Thrift store challenge.  I have to say this is one of my favorites!!!  I love denim, I love working with it, and I tend first think of denim as a medium when I’m starting a project.  I don’t always MAKE everything out of denim, but I do think of it first.  I especially like working with twin needles and denim, making whatever I’m sewing look more like jeans.

The funny thing is?  I hate blue.  I really don’t like blue AT ALL.  There is NO blue in my house anywhere, but I do love denim, so even though the color doesn’t match the rest of the room, denim always works!  Also my large family pictures hanging on the wall we’re wearing denim, so I guess there IS a bit of blue in the room…

Initially I had an old denim dress I found at the thrift store I was planning on using, but then I found this old denim fabric at one store!!!  TREASURE!  And now I can save the dress to try to do something else with.

First I cut out the fabric for the front of the pillow, a nice rectangle.  Then I cute 2 inch strips.  I folded back 1/4 inch and ironed it of every strip.

Then I found the center of my rectangle and started laying down my ironed strips.

Using my twin needles and denim thread I sewed right over the folded edge down to the center.  I started at the outside and worked my way just past the center.  Then I cut the strip.  This way I didn’t have to pre measure every strip.

Using my guide I measured 1 inch between each row, going back and forth from one side to the other creating a herringbone effect.

Here is the front finished…

And the underside!!!  I cut the rectangle back, getting rid of all the edges…

Then, right sides facing each other I added the back pieces for an envelope closure.  I had previously folded back the edge of each envelope side, ironed it and sewn it with the same twin needles as the front.  Fold it right side out and SHOVE the pillow into the case!!!

All finished!

Don’t forget to check out the tutorials for the other pillows

1. rosette sweater pillow

2. elastic gathered sweater pillow

3. ruffled pillow

4. satin pintucked pillow

5. denim herringbone pillow

6. drop cloth pleated triangle pillow