***Love pillows??? Love wonderful causes??? Love quick & simple tutorials???
Keep reading because Ladybird Ln has a treat for you today!
I am so happy to be here at Naptime Crafters! I am always amazed at Amy's creativity! And I don't know about you, but I was on the edge of my seat watching the American Crafters Competition! So many inspiring projects and bloggers!
Every month on our blog, we feature a charity, service organization, etc... and a project we crafters/bloggers can unite in to help with that cause!
This month I am featuring a project very near and dear to my heart. I have a great friend, Malynn, who is 14 years old, and has undergone some tough TOUGH medical stuff recently. She has been in and out of the hospital for the past 6 months. One might expect after all the medical problems she has endured she would be bitter and resolved. But not Malynn, she is amazing in so many ways. Instead of focusing on her issues she wants to help others. Malynn is an incredible seamstress, at the age of 14 she far surpasses my sewing ability! Just look at one of her latest purses.. 
PILLOW FIGHT! It is called Pillow Fight--For a Cause! Essentially this is a pillow contest where you can enter your homemade ruffly throw pillows, your sweet decorative pillows, your fleecy flower pillows, your bedazzled pillowcases... pretty much anything pillow related, that you have made. THE CLINCHER IS, in order to enter this contest you must donate a pillowcase, one pillowcase per entry! A bright, cheery, fun pillow case! You can either send it to me, and I will let Malynn donate it, or you can donate it to a local hospital, womens shelter, etc. You just have to let me know that you donated one!
We have some FABULOUS prizes for this contest. HUNDREDS of dollars worth of prizes! We will have guest judges narrow down the pillow field to ten, and then open it up to voting. The top three pillows will receive some amazing prizes. You even have a chance to win a pattern from AMY! Sponsors for this event include... Kati Cupcake, Cap Creations, Sew Obsessed, Vinylize It, Funky Polkadot Giraffe, Naptime Crafters... And Malynn and I are even going to throw in some prizes. We will also have one random prize for anyone who links up--sound terrific, I think so! For more information click HERE!
So are you in? What is that you say, you don't know how to make a pillowcase? Well, let me show you! Creating a pillow case is simple, fast, and fun. It is a great beginner project, for any age. This would be a great project to teach your child how to sew! It took me less than an hour to complete this pillow case, and that was taking pictures as well!
Basic Pillow Case
Cutting List: Main Body Fabric: 3/4 yard fabric {or 27 inches by Width of Fabric (WOF)} Band Fabric: 1/4 yard fabric {or 9 inches by WOF} Trim Fabric: (Optional): 1 strip, 2 inches by WOF
Instructions:
All seams are 1/4 inch, unless otherwise noted.
With wrong sides together, fold the band fabric in half lengthwise and press. Do the same with your trim fabric.
Baste together the folded trim piece to the folded band fabric. 1/8 inches from the raw edges along the length of the strips. 
Basting, simply means create a long running stitch, so that the two pieces stay together. Don't worry if they do not line up perfectly at the ends, we will fix it later on!
Pin the band/trim to the right side of the pillowcase panel along the long edge, raw edges together, with trim sandwiched in the middle. 
Sew together. Zig zag, serge, or overlock raw edges together (To help prevent fraying).
Trim up the uneven layers of your pillow. I used a rotary cuttery, ruler, and mat. But you could just use scissors!
Your pillow case should look like this now!
Fold the pillowcase right sides together. Pin together, making sure to match the band seam line. Sew a strait seam along raw edges. Zig zag, serge, or overlock raw edges.
Turn right side out; Press! You are finished Easy Peasy right! Below is some pillow case inspiration, all of these pillow cases are ones that I made, or that were given to me. Pillowcases make great gifts!
I tried to make this tutorial as strait forward as possible, but you can email me with any questions!
Please come join the Pillow Fight, on our blog! You can link up your pillow creations June 15-22!
I am trying to spread the word about this contest, I would love to donate 100 pillow cases! I can not imagine what it would be like to have a child in the hospital for extended periods of time. I hope these pillowcases can be a comfort, and reminder of home! Please put a button on your blog, or contact me, I would love to come to your place and guest post about it!
Thank you so much for letting me come to your blog today! I appreciate all you do to help support your fellow bloggers!
Thank you so much for helping me spread the word about this contest! It is an honor to be on Naptime Crafters!
ReplyDeleteCarlee