Washcloth LOVE Pillow Tutorial

To make this washcloth LOVE pillow, that I previously mentioned here, you will need 2 washcloths or 2 pieces of material cut into 2 squares, ribbon about 13 inches long (or long enough to have aobut 1/2 inch hanging over each side of the material, letter buttons and other decorative buttons (opt), polyfill stuffing and some sewable plastic (found mine at JoAnn’s).

Take one of your washcloths and on the right side of the material pin your ribbon so that it is about 3.5 inches from the bottom of the material (or wherever you like it best).

Sew the ribbon, on the right side, in place along the small groove on the edge of the ribbon. Be sure to back stitch at the beginning and end of the ribbon. Turn and sew along the other side of the ribbon. Sew a button, with a needle and thread, in the middle of the ribbon centering it. I also added a small flower that I had left-over from some hair ribbons I had made. I found that specific flower at Wal-Mart.

Next take your buttons and to spell L-O-V-E. I glued with E6000 glue (Ben Franklin) the O onto a flowered button and the E onto a small fabric flower. Then take your plastic and cut out 8 squares about 2.5 to 3 inches square (make sure your button has ample room and you leave room for a seam to be sewn).

Then I cut out 4 peices of a different scrap fabric to the same size of the plastic squares. These will go underneath the plastic squares so you do not see the stuffing inside of the pillow. Then sew around the two layers of plastic and the material around three sides (remember to backstitch) and then insert your button. Finish sewing the final edge to complete the square.

After all 4 squares have been sewn turn the washcloth over so that the wrong side is up. Find the center of the material and determine where you want your letters to be placed. Now pin your letters in place with the button face down on the wrong side of the material. Also remember to lay your word down BACKWARDS so that when you turn it over and cut away the material the word will be going the right direction. Does that make sense? In other words, Lay down the letter E on the left side first followed by the V, O and then the L. Pin all the squares into place.

Sew around each square and remember to backstitch. When you have sewn around them all, turn the washcloth so that the right side is facing you and carefully cut away the material in front of the letters. DO NOT CUT YOUR PLASTIC or your seam! When you have cut away all your material you should be able to see all of your letters. I then did a zig-zag stitch around each square to reinforce the material and to prevent it from unravelling.

Pin your two washcloths together with the right sides facing one another. Leave the ends of the ribbon hanging out in between the two washcloths.

Sew just inside the hem of the washcloth all around, but leave a space big enough on one of the sides so that you can turn the pillow inside out.

When you are finished sewing turn the washcloths inside out and stuff with polyfill stuffing to your desired thickness. Whipstitch by hand the open seam tucking the raw edges inside the pillow, and you are finished!