Another Braided Pillow, this time with Gathers!

I have been sewing up a storm this week, and today was no different. I am attempting to get ahead of my workload for the bedroom makeover, which probably would have been a better plan had I started earlier. Oh well, but at least this gives me a good segway. Enter two new pillows. This time they are braided and gathered. :)  I had some 14" pillow forms lying around. Now they are sitting pretty on my bed.

The instructions are the same as the original braided pillow, but the measurements are different as the pillow is 2" smaller than the original pattern. This is also going to make 2 pillows instead of 1. So on to the show!


Stuff you'll use:
1 yd fabric
1 yd contrast fabric (or not, your choice)
Ruler
Scissors
2 - 14" pillow forms
Sewing Machine
Serger (but you don't have to have one)
Iron

What you'll do:

Cut out 4 - 15" squares of your main fabric. Cut out 8 rectangles that are 15" by 20" out of your contrasting fabric.

You will not have much left over, but at least your scrap pile will be happy!

Mark a line a 1/2" in from the edge of a panel, and then make a hash mark a 1/2" in from each end of the pillow. From those marks measure 3-1/2" in and make another hash mark. Measure 3-1/2" from one of those marks. This last mark should be in the center of the pillow. Repeat on the opposite of the panel. Repeat markings on another panel.

Since I used a sheer for my contrasting fabric, I sewed my strips for the braid using a french or flat seam. I could have used my serger, but the french seam looks nicer and you don't need a serger. If you're not using a sheer then you can ignore this step, but you don't have to ignore it. This seam will encase the raw edges of your fabric, which is a plus when working with a sheer, because most sheers fray if you look at them wrong.

Fold a rectangle in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, sew in a 1/4" seam. Trim the seam, if needed.

Turn rectangle inside out, so that the seam is now on the inside. Align the rectangle so that the seam is on one edge, make sure to flatten the edge. Encase the seam with another 3/8" seam.

Please ignore my cracked, un-manicured fingers.....this is how they usually look. :-( 

Turn right-side out, and press the rectangle flat, positioning the seam in the center back of the rectangle. Repeat with the other rectangles.

This is a view of the seam after you turn the rectangles right-side out. You can see how nice the encased seam looks, especially with a sheer. 

Using a long basting stitch, stitch the ends of the strips 1/2" from the edge and then again 3/8" in from the edge. Be sure to leave long tails on your threads to gather up your strip. Repeat for each end of your strips.

Now, I experimented with a few different ways of gathering up the edges and then pining them down on the panel, and the following way was the fastest and most efficient.

Lay your first strip down so that the top right corner edge is aligned with the upper most right mark. Pin down. Align the opposite corner (lower left corner) with the 4th mark down from the top on the left (just like with the original). Pin the opposite sides. You will have a lot of fabric in the center. Take two threads (either both top threads or both bottom threads) on one end of your pinned down rectangle and pull. Make sure not pull to much, because you can pull these threads completely out. You just want to gather your fabric enough  so that it lies flat between your pins. Pin down your gathers. They like to move. Repeat the weaving process as mentioned in the Braided Pillow. Repeat your gathers in each strip. After everything is pinned down, baste the strips to the panel on either side.

Your pillow will look like a hot mess, right now, which is where the serger will come in handy. Serge each edge of the gathers and panels, making sure not to cut much if anything off of your panel. Just cut the rectangles. If you don't have a serger, I would zig-zag stitch your edges inside the seam allowance then trim the edges even.

Pin panels, right sides together, and sew in 5/8" seams. Make sure to leave an opening for turning and stuffing.

Finish your pillow with turkish corners, if you like, or leave them plain. Trim your seams, and turn right-side out. Stuff with your pillow forms and then hand stitch the opening closed.

For some reason this pillow looks fluffier. I couldn't get the form to fill it out nicely, even tho both pillow were made the same way. Even punching the pillow a bit wouldn't help flatten it and even out the stuffing. 

The two braided pillows right next to each other. :) 

Yes, my bed pillows are missing their cases. I have plans for them. Maybe I'll show you tomorrow :) 

Oooooh, shiny! 

You can see where one pillow is better formed than the other. Same brand pillow forms, but for some reason the one is fuller looking. Oh well. I'm sure after the boys play with them some, it'll flatten out a little. :) 

I am participating in my these parties! See the new tab in my menu!

I hope you enjoyed this variation and have a wonderful day! Oh and I almost forgot.....Here's a parting shot of how my quilt is coming!