Buzzings from a quilter who bumbles her way through life!

Monday, September 30, 2013

Simple "Rag Striped" Throw Pillow Tutorial

 
Do you want a simple project that will use up scraps , make up quickly, and add a punch of color to your decor? How about a throw pillow made of fabric strips sewn to a fabric base? You can use any color you want! You can also make it any size you want!



Start out by cutting a fabric base the size you want your pillow to be.The base will show between the strips after you fringe your raw edges, so use something that will look good with the fabrics you choose. I actually used a lightweight canvas for mine, but quilting cotton works too. You will need 2 pieces - one for the front and one for the back.
It doesn't have to be square. Rectangles work just fine.  Pull out the strips you want from your scrap pile. They can be different widths or the same, whichever you want. Use a glue stick to stick them in place. Glue them all down, sides touching, before you sew. 

After gluing all the strips down, you're ready to sew. 
Sew each strip down 1/4" from each edge. 
 Trim the edges.
 
Place your backing right sides together with the top.
Sew around all sides, leaving an opening in one side for stuffing.
Wash and dry to fringe the raw edges. This will produce a lot of stray threads. You can also choose to use a chenille brush to fringe the edges instead of washing.
Turn right sides out, push out the corners, and press if necessary. If pressing flattens your strips, just dampen them and fluff them up with your fingers.
Stuff with polyester fibers, stuffing corners first and then the remainder of the pillow. Sew the opening closed.
That's it! You're finished! You don't have to use different colors. You can use all one color or alternate between two colors. I used a "jelly roll" and cut the strips into narrower strips.
This can be a lot of fun! I think it could be fun for a grandchild. Hmmm........maybe a future project for a bedroom? 
Until next time....
 

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7 comments:

  1. This is such a fun pillow and would be sew perfect for young children to toss about and use on the floor or just be kids with. The more raggedy the better. Your how-to's are always very well done and I thank you. I may not make them right away but keep them in my mind for a later gift idea. Creative Stitching Bliss Dear...

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  2. This is cute Linda. Great use of scraps : )

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  3. What a fun pillow Linda! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. That's a fun idea for scraps. I've only done one raw edge quilt and I liked the frayed edge effect

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  5. What a great idea! My scraps overfloweth so I'm going to do this! Blessings, Marlene

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  6. Very fun! I'd never thought about using the raw edges to their best ability--a bit of fringe!

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