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Activity: Decorative Pillow

Make a decorative pillow with either a zipper or button closure.

Materials:
14 inch pillow form
1 yard tightly woven designer fabric
One12 inch zipper OR three decorative buttons (3/4” to 1”in diameter)

Buttoned Closure

Cut pieces:
Pillow front: 1 – 14” square
Back bottom flap: 1 – 14” X 14½”
Back top flap: 1 – 14” X 9½”
Finished top flap will measure 14” X 5½”; finished bottom flap 14” X 10½”

Sewing Instructions for back bottom flap
1. Fold under 2” of the 14½’ length piece and press.
2. Fold 2” again, encasing the raw edge.
3. Sew 1/8” from the first fold you made, creating a self faced interfacing (the bottom edge of the upper pillow flap will match this stitching line).

Sewing Instructions for back top flap:
1. Fold under 2” of the 9½” length piece and press.
2. Follow Steps 2 – 3 for back bottom flap.
3. Mark the horizontal buttonholes. Evenly space 3 buttonholes across the top flap. Center buttonholes between folded edge and the stitching line. The end of the buttonhole should be at least half the diameter of the button from the folded edge. Stitch buttonholes by following sewing machine instructions.
4. Overlap top flap 2” over bottom flap, matching stitching line, and baste the two pieces together at 1/4” on the outside edge, to form the pillow back.
5. Mark the button position on the bottom flap at the bottom end of the buttonhole, towards the center of the pillow. Center button on button mark and sew in place.

Zipper Closure

Cut pieces:
Pillow front: 1 – 14” square
Back bottom flap: 1 – 14” X 10”
Back top flap: 1 – 14” X 6”

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