The Pillow Mattress - Method II - Using 44/45" wide fabrics

Back in August, I posted my version of a Pillow Mattress that was all over Pinterest.  Since then, there has been a lot of interest in that tutorial.  I have received a lot of positive responses, which floored me!  Thanks Pinterest!!!  During the last two weeks, emails have been pouring in.

A lot of those emails & comments were asking how to modify it for 44/45" wide fabrics like quilting cottons & flannels.  When people ask, as always, I like to see what I can do to help.  Plus, there is an abundance of fun quilting cottons & flannels out there and most are much cheaper than knits.  In the first tutorial, I chose knits because, in all honesty, I didn't want to piece anything together or make any elaborate cuts.  I was just going to make these for the girls at home.  Also knits stretch so if I wasn't as accurate as I wanted to be, no biggie.

I'm a professional seamstress and have a great set up at my studio: embroidery machine, professional sewing machine, serger, large cutting table, large cutting mat, rotary cutters, etc.  However, at home I have a cheap home machine and very few supplies.  I don't even have a rotary cutter or cutting mat.  If I want to do something that requires more, I would rather just come to my studio.

Which leads me to this new tutorial.  I am going to make it completely different than the first version for two reasons: 
1)  I'm at my studio with access to more equipment. Don't worry, I won't be using anything special.
2)  Quilting cotton handles completely different than knits.  It doesn't stretch and is very easy to handle.  It also doesn't require the extra strength stitches that the one made out of knit required.

So here we go! 

Materials Needed:
2 1/2 yards 44/45" wide fabric* for the top
2 1/2 yards 44/45" wide fabric* for the bottom
Rotary cutter
Cutting mat
Straight edge used for rotary cutters
Thread to match
Sewing machine
Mark-B-Gone pen
Straight pins
Iron

*Use a quilting cotton or flannel that doesn't stretch.  Prewash and dry both fabrics to allow for shrinkage. 

Start with the top fabric piece.  Iron the fabric smooth and fold in half with wrong sides together with selvages touching.  DO NOT iron a crease in the fold.  Lay the fabric on your cutting mat with the selvage edge aligned with a grid line of the cutting mat.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off some of the length to create a smooth edge.

Next make several markings with your straight edge and marking pen down the length of the fabric until you reach 82".  Make another cut at 82", perpendicular (at a 90°angle) to the selvage.  Make sure you check that your selvage edge is alined with the grid lines to achieve a perfect 90°angle.  It is important that you get as straight as possible.

This next part is going to sound a bit weird, but most people don't have as large of a cutting mat as I do.  This technique will work great on smaller cutting mats.  Unfold your fabric and then refold it the opposite direction.  (In the above photo, one selvage edge is at the top and one selvage edge is at the bottom.)  Carefully accordion-fold the fabric until you reach a width that your straight edge fits.  Make sure your selvage edges match up evenly or your edge will be zigzagged when you open it up.  It is crucial that the selvages are lined up perfectly.

Line up one end of the selvage edge and the bottom edge of the folded part with the grid lines on your cutting mat.  You are essentially making sure that the fabric is "squared-up" on your cutting mat.  Cut off about 1" of the selvage.

Measure across 28" and make another cut.  Save excess fabric for another project or make some tie straps for travel.

Now move on to the bottom piece of fabric.  Iron the fabric smooth.  Fold in half with wrong sides touching making sure the selvages align perfectly.  DO NOT iron a crease in the fold.

For the backing fabrics:

-Follow the same steps as the top fabric to achieve an 82" length. 

-Follow the same steps as the top fabric by carefully accordion-fold the fabric until you reach a width that your straight edge fits. 

-Follow the same steps aas the top fabric, EXCEPT, cut two 20" sections.  Discard the remaining.

Now you should have the following fabric pieces:

One (28"x82") piece of the top fabric

Two (20"x82") pieces of the bottom fabric

Now grab your two bottom pieces.  Carefully iron a 1/2" hem down the length of one side of the fabric.  Repeat with other piece.  If your fabric has a directionality to it, be sure to put the hems on opposite sides.

Stitch the hem closed.  Repeat with other section.

Take the top piece and one of the bottom pieces and pin together the raw edges down the length with WRONG sides touching. I know that may sound weird, but it will come out right in the end.  Pin every 5-6" to keep the pieces from shifting.  Take the time to pin, pieces this long are bound to stretch or shift even with a high-dollar sewing maching.

Use a 1/2" seam allowance and stitch the two pieces together. 

Remove the pins.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off 1/4" of the seam.

Flip the fabric inside out with RIGHT sides touching.  Carefully iron the seam flat.

With RIGHT sides touching, sew another 1/2" seam down the lenght of the fabric.  Congratulations, you have just created a french seam!  This is perfect for a lot of you all that don't have sergers and want to create a smooth seam with no raggy edges. 

Repeat the above steps with the other bottom piece on the other side of the top fabric.

Note:  If you have a serger, you can easily use it.  Just shorten the overall width of the top and bottom fabrics by 1" each.  The top section should be cut to 27" and the back pieces to 19".

Turn the fabric right sides up and iron the crease flat.

Now onto the bottom seams.  With the top facing down fold the bottom sections inward, overlapping one side.

Pin the edges together.  Two of the pins should be holding the hemmed edges.  Again, don't skip pinning to keep the fabric together to prevent slipping.

Sew a 1/2" seam.

Remove the pins.  Use your straight edge and rotary cutter to cut off 1/4" of the seam.

Flip the edge outside in.

Iron the crease flat.

Add a pin on each section where a hemmed edge is.  This will help you to remember where to backstitch.

Sew a 1/2" seam.  Be sure to backstitch when you hit a hemmed edge.  This will provide extra strength on the seams.

Repeat on the other end.

Lay back out the fabric and smooth until all the fabric has no wrinkles.  You don't want to accidentally sew over creases.  Align the seams with your grid lines.  Use your marking pin and straight-edge to draw a line perpendicular to the bottom edge at 20", 40", and 60".

Pin along the lines every 2-3" and at the hemmed sections.

 Sew along the marked lines, backstitching when you reach the hemmed edges for added strength.

Remove pins and spray the marked lines with water to remove the ink.

Add pillows in the sham-style openings and you are finished!!

 

Even though it took longer to make than the first, I absolutely LOVED this version so much more than the original version.  I think it is because I was able to get more precise cuts and the cottons didn't stretch allowing the seams to be straight.  I'm very much a perfectionist...it's a gift and a curse.

I hope you enjoyed this new take on the pillow mattress cover from before and hope you have fun making your own.  Feel free to blend the two tutorials to come up with a technique that works for you and the equipment/supplies you have on hand.  Don't hesitate to send me an email (jacey@leahashley.net) or leave a comment if you have any questions about any of the steps or see a place that I need to provide a better explanation.

Happy Sewing!
~Jacey

Be sure to fan my facebook page, Leah Ashley, to get updates on specials, new products, new tutorials and blog postings.

In case you missed it, here is the link to the first tutorial:  Pillow Mattress - Method I - Using 58/60" wide fabrics

©2011 Jacey Martin, DBA Leah Ashley, All rights reserved. 

This is my design, please respect the copyright and the hard work that went into creating it.  Feel free to make these as a gift or for yourself but you cannot sell the finished product without expressed written permission from me.  This pattern cannot be reproduced for sell as well.

Fiesta Chowder

It's finally starting to cool off in my neck of the woods.  That means one thing in my house...soup's on!  It's my favorite thing to eat in the cold months.  In fact, my family loves soup so much, I make it at least two times a week.  My dream is to write a cookbook devoted completely to soups.  Now, while I love making things from scratch, September through December is my company's busy season.  I turn into a "Semi-Homemade" kinda cook most days.

This soup, well it's more of a chowder because it is thick and hearty, is one of those.   This is a staple recipe in our house.  Pretty much every ingredient can be kept in the pantry or freezer and can be pulled out at a moments notice.  While there are a lot of ingredients, it comes together very fast.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.  Make two batches while you are at it.  One to eat and one to freeze.  Usually I freeze the second batch into single serving "glad-ware" containers.  This makes packing lunches for my husband and I a breeze.

Fiesta Chowder

1 (12 oz) bag frozen seasoning blend (onions, celery, peppers)

2 (12-15 oz) can cooked chicken, drained and shredded OR 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 1/2 Tbsp Fajita seasoning

2 Tbsp Caldo de Pollo seasoning

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 can corn, undrained

2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained

2 cans Rotel tomatoes

1 can (4.5oz) chopped green chilies

2 cans cheddar cheese soup

1 can chicken broth

4 cups water

1 cup instant rice

1 Tbsp lime juice

½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup Mexican-blend shredded cheese

Tortilla chips

In a large soup pot, heat 2 tbsp oil.  Add seasoning blend and cook until tender.  Add chicken, fajita seasoning, Caldo de Pollo and minced garlic.  Saute’ until heated through.

Add corn, black beans, Rotel, green chilies, cheddar cheese soup, broth and water.  Stir until blended and heat on medium until a low boil.  Add rice and cover until rice is cooked.  Add lime juice, fresh cilantro and shredded cheese.  Stir well until cheese is melted.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened.

Serve with tortilla chips. 

Special Notes:

• The frozen seasoning blend can be found in most grocery stores in the freezer section with vegetables.  The entire bag is about $1.00, well worth the small cost in timed saved.  If you can't find it, you can substitue 1 medium onion, 1 bell pepper, and 3-4 celery sticks chopped. 
• The fajita seasoning is in a packet, similar to how taco seasoning is packaged.  I buy several packets at a time and open them into a small airtight container.  Then I can measure out just what I need and save the rest for later.
• Caldo de Pollo (chicken boullion) is a Mexican seasoning usually found in the ethnic food section of your grocery store.  It is made by Knorr and has yellow and green packaging.  I use it in almost everything I cook and substitute it quite often for recipes that require chicken boullion cubes or granuals.  Trust me, once you try it once, you'll find yourself using it often.
• If you don't like a lot of spice, consider using just 1 tbsp fajita seasoning and the mild Rotel.  You can always add more fajita seasoning in the end if you need more kick.  Since I have small kids, I always use the mild Rotel anyways.

Leah's Lego Themed 3rd Birthday Party

My sweet Leah LOVES Legos so it was only fitting that she have a Lego themed birthday party.  While I unnecessarily stressed out the week prior, it was actually the easiest birthday party I've ever decorated.  Primary colors are everywhere and we have plenty of Legos to round out the theme.  And...Pinterest doesn't hurt either.  I got many of my ideas from there and I only was able to use a few.  There wasn't enough hours in the day to incorporate all the ideas I found into her party.  That site is pure addiction!

It all started with her invitation. I made the "3" from a bunch of Legos.  That was an adventurous undertaking.  But, it took me back to my childhood.  Legos were a favorite of mine, maybe that's where she gets it from.  I had her stand in front of our fence and gave her the 3 and let her show her personality.  This was one of my favorite shots. 

I added some text and a few Lego blocks and her invitation was ready.

Did you notice the 11:00 PM??  That is my M.O.  I always make some mistake on my kid's invitations.  I proof it 15 times. Then have my husband proof it before I send it to the printer and I still manage to make a mistake.  I'm going to start making a game of it and give the first person who spots the mistake a prize.


Next was her birthday outfit.  I made the shirt and bow then borrowed the red pettiskirt from a friend.  She was such a ham when she revealed her outfit.  Of course we were all waiting with our cameras. 

I got the "3" applique here and the Lego applique here.

And the bow...I attached actual legos to the center to round out the whole outfit.  E6000 is a must for this to work.

Lego shaped cookies were a must.  My neighbor makes the most precious cookies.  Here is her facebook page:  Miss Mo's Swanky Sweets.  She does the cookies for all my girls' parties.  I give her the theme and she works her magic.

Various jars filled with Legos and a Lego Man flashlight help pull together the sweets table.  My original plan was to use the jars as balloon weights but it was WAY too windy, the balloons would have been everywhere.  Simple cupcakes with red, yellow, green, and blue icing was super easy instead of a cake.  I added a cookie to the top cupcake for that extra touch.

Loved this idea from Pinterest.  I bought colored construction paper.  Cut it in 4" strips and use double sided tape to attach.  Make sure to take the straws off first.  Then tuck the straw in the back when you are finished.  I used a paper punch to make the circles and attached with glue dots.  I used a 2" punch because I didn't have a 1 1/2" circle punch.  If I had to do it over again I'd use the 1 1/2" punch, but it turned out super cute anyways.

Another great idea from Pinterest.  I bought a dozen pack of small gift sacks from Hobby Lobby for $4.99.  The colors were perfect.  I used card stock from the scrapbook section for the dots instead of the construction paper used for the juice boxes.  I attached the dots in the same way as the juice boxes.

Before I forget, I must give a shout out to my mother-in-law.  She helped me assemble all the treat bags and juice boxes.  We were up way late the night before her party finishing these up. 

Just a few more pictures to round out the whole party.  I wish I could show you more of the pics, but for privacy sake I opted not to post all of them here.  We had two places where Duplo Legos were dumped out for the kids to play.  The party was originally supposed to be a swimming party since we had been having record-breaking temps all summer.  The Monday before her party it was in the 100's.  Then we got a rainy, cold front and with temps in the 50's.  However, by Saturday morning the sun was out, the breeze was cool and the weather was PERFECT!  The water was freezing but we still had a few kids swim.  It amazes me how kids just don't care how the water feels, they just want to swim.

Leah unwrapping gifts

Momma & Leah 

Family Shot (Leah was screaming, "No more pishures!" by this point) 

 Leah ate about a dozen cookies.

Mimi & Granddad with Ashley.

Leah & Gramma

Here is a quick tip to keep those cheap, but handy plastic tablecloths from flying everywhere.  Tie the corners to the table legs with curling ribbons.  It was so windy, so this was a must!

It was such a fun day!  Great weather, great company, great food and one precious little girl!



Pillow Mattress - Method I - Using 58/60" wide fabrics

Pinterest...Pinterest...oh Pinterest.  I had read the hype about Pinterest all over facebook, but because I know myself too well I resisted for a very long time.  I just knew I would get sucked in.  A whole website devoted to people sharing things they like would be something I would get addicted to very fast.  This website is like crack to creative-types like myself.  The guys who created this little slice of Heaven are geniuses!

A week ago I finally crossed over and joined Pinterest after seeing the picture below on my friend's facebook page a few weeks before that.  "Sucked in" is a vast understatement as to what has happened to me since. 

I fell in love with this pillow mattress and set out to see if it was better to purchase one or make one.  That may sound strange to you being that I sew for a living, but sometimes by the time you factor in material and labor costs you are better off just buying one. I found it here for £90.00 but they don't deliver to the US.  So, this time I had to make it myself.

The picture below is my version for a pillow mattress cover that will allow you to use standard size pillows that you can find for cheap.  The version above measures 190 cm (74.8") long by 62 cm (24.4") wide.  Standard pillows are 20"x26" so I decided to use 4 standard pillows that would give me overall dimensions of 80" long by 26" wide.  Forgive the pictures...My house doesn't have the best lighting during nap time. :)

Materials needed:
3 yards of knit fabric (58/60" wide) - make sure it is this wide to account for shrinkage
Thread to match
Sharp scissors
Mark-B-Gone pen
Straight pins
Sewing machine
Metal measuring tape (trust me, this works better than the typical measuring tape used for sewing)
Iron
4 standard size pillows (20"x26")


SIDE NOTE:  I have another tutorial for the same pillow mattres but using 44/45" wide fabrics.  Click here for the Pillow Mattress - Method II.  If you are using 58/60" wide fabric that doesn't stretch, use the measurements and seam allowances on the "Method II" tutorial but the folding technique of "Method I" tutorial.

Here we go....
The materials for this project are minimal but knits can be expensive.  This fabric was $12.99 per yard, not the cheapest of fabrics but I loved the pattern.  It cost me around $40.00 per cover.  I know I could have used cheaper fabrics, but I just couldn't resist the owls. ;o)

You can use fleece but I don't recommend it.  I'm not a fan of fleece, it starts to pill with the first washing and if you have pets, forget about getting out the pet hair.  Remember, these are meant for the floor and will have to be washed a lot.  Get something good quality that will last.  One last suggestion is to buy a twin sized flat sheet.  Follow the same directions for "Method II" but the folding technique of the "Method I" tutorial.

Now for the how-to.  Pre-wash your fabric, knit can shrink by as much as 10% or more.  While you really only need 82", I'm glad I bought 3 yards for each cover.  I barely had 7"-8" left after I cut the piece.  Mine must have shrunk by more than 10%.  After your fabric is dry, fold it in half with wrong sides together, the selvages should meet.  Iron a crease along the fold.  This will save you measuring later.

Lay your folded fabric out straight on the floor and cut one of the edges perpendicular (at a 90°angle) to the selvage. Basically you are cutting of a small portion of the length to achieve a straight edge so your length measurements will be accurate on both sides. If you need to, you can use your measuring tape to achieve a straight line.  Next, measure down the length of the fabric and mark at 82" with your Mark-B-Gone pen.  Repeat this on the other side.

Connect the two marks and draw a line with the marking pen along the tape.  Cut along the line.

Transfer the fabric to the sewing maching.  Using the selvage as a guide, sew a 1/2" to 5/8" hem along both long sides.  You can iron a hem in.  However, because you are using the selvage end of knit fabric, I just turned the hem as I sewed.  I saved a lot of time doing this.  Remember, this doesn't have to be perfect and when using knit that stretches a lot, it is very hard to be.

Once hemmed, lay the fabric out on the floor with the wrong side up.  You will be using the middle crease you ironed in at the start.  I marked my crease with the marking pen to make it show up on the picture.  Unless you are having a hard time seeing the crease, you don't have to mark it.

Next, lay your ruler (you can also use the measuring tape) along the crease line and mark with your marking pen several marks 13" from the crease all the way up and down the fabric.  Repeat this on the other side of the crease up and down the fabric.  Essentially you will have 26" between the marks with the crease in the center.  These marks serve as a fold guide.

Next, fold one side over (wrong sides will meet).  Use the marks you just made as a guide to where the fold needs to go.  Again you don't have to be perfect, it just helps you get close.  Repeat with the other side, overlapping the fabrics as pictured above.  If you notice that your edges don't match up (which is likely because knits stretch a lot), trim until you create an even edge perpedicular to the sides.  Pin along both edges every 2" or so.  Again, knit stretches, so the more pins the better.

Next, sew a 1" seam down each pinned edge.  I know this may seam backwards, but I promise it will all come together in the end.  Throughout the next few stitiches, each time you get to one of the hemmed edges, backstitch over the edges to provide extra strength when going through additional layers.

Now, sew another seam, this one approximately 3/8" to the right of the first seam.  Repeat on the other edge.

Trim fabric to within 3/8" of the second seam.  Repeat on the other edge.

Turn the fabric inside out to expose the finished edge.  Smooth and straigten out the fabric making sure the seams are even.

Making sure the seams are smooth and the edges are straight, sew a 1" seam along both sides.  Sew another seam, this one approximately 3/8" to the right of the first seam, just like you did previously. Repeat on the other side.  You have just created a french seam.  This hides all raw edges. Turn inside out to have the right sides facing out.  I added another seam on both edges to add extra strength.  You can see the stitches in the finished product shots at the bottom.  Now, lay the cover on the floor and straighten out, making sure the overlaping hemmed edges are parallel to the sides.  If you are having trouble getting the folds back in the right place, take a peak at the fold marks you put on the wrong sides of the fabric. 

This is probably the tricky part because the knit fabrics probably stretched a bit.  Get back out your measuring tape to get a length measurement of the cover then divide that number by 4.  You will probably get anywhere between 19-20".  Be sure to NOT include the top and bottom seams in the measurement, you just need the measurement where the pillows will go. 

Use your marking pin and mark that measurement down both edges.  For instance, if you got 20", you will mark at 20", 40", & 60".  Use your measureing tape to connect both markings and mark with your marking pen.  Pin along the marked line every 2" to keep the fabric from slipping when sewing.  Sew along all three blue markings to create 4 separate pockets.

Slip your pillows in the sham style openings. 

Flip over and you are finished!!!

 Fold under one edge to create a double pillow to prop your child's head up while lounging.

Fold for easy storage.  Use a 60" piece of ribbon to tie together for travel.

These came together so fast, I was able to get two done while my girls were napping.  Ashley & Leah woke up to a treat, a movie while lounging on their new pillow mattress. 

Leah quickly requested, "Momma's blankie" to snuggle up with. 
I hope you have fun making your own.  Feel free to send me an email (jacey@leahashley.net) or leave a comment if you have any questions about any of the steps or see a place that I need to provide a better explanation.

Happy Sewing!
-Jacey

Be sure to fan my facebook page, Leah Ashley, to get updates on specials, new products, new tutorials and blog postings.

In case you missed it, here is the link to the second tutorial:  Pillow Mattress - Method II - Using 44/45" wide fabrics

©2011 Jacey Martin, DBA Leah Ashley, All rights reserved. 

This is my design, please respect the copyright and the hard work that went into creating it.  Feel free to make these as a gift or for yourself but you cannot sell the finished product without expressed written permission from me.  This pattern cannot be reproduced for sell as well.