What are pillow toys
How often do parents notice that their children love to hug their favorite toy and fall asleep with it. This picture is touching. But you can combine an interesting design and give your child a toy pillow.
A decorative pillow for a children's room can become a child's favorite toy if it has the shape of a car, a cartoon character or an animal.
At the moment there are a lot of offers of this type in stores and markets. But you can save money. You need to learn how to sew a toy pillow. To do this, you should use old material, realize your imagination and give your child a nice gift.
Round and rectangular pillows are in second place in popularity. The choice in favor of such models may be determined by the shape of the furniture and the features of interior design solutions.
Worth taking into account! Fabric and filling should be selected from natural materials. This will help avoid allergic reactions in children to synthetic components.
This pillow can have different shapes. It can be in the form of animals: a bunny, a unicorn, or reflect the child’s favorite hobbies: a doll, a car. The brighter the colors, the more interesting this thing will be for the baby. For older children, there is no need to sew a product with a bright color. It could be a pale yellow smiley or an abstraction sewn from scraps.
Small models will look natural on children's furniture, and large ones will look natural in large rooms surrounded by massive furnishings.
Making decorative pillows for a children's room: important nuances you need to know about
Pillow toys for children, first of all, should be safe and environmentally friendly. This means that for their manufacture it is worth using high-quality natural fabrics and hypoallergenic filler.
The best option is pillows with removable covers with hidden zippers. This will allow them to be cleaned and washed in a timely manner, and the child will not be able to get hurt on the hidden clasp.
All details on children's decorative pillows must be firmly sewn. This is especially true for small decor: buttons, beads and sequins. If the product is used for sleeping, then it is better to make the animals’ noses and eyes from a piece of fabric for safety and convenience.
Varieties
The pad can be for different purposes. Based on this, it is necessary to select the right fabrics and filler. Let's look at the most common options:
- For sleep. This pillow should be sewn without top decor and numerous seams. Such elements can create discomfort during sleep. The smooth surface will ensure a calm rest for the baby. The filler should be soft, which will ensure the desired position of the child's head. The thickness of the product should be no more than 14 cm.
- For sitting on the floor. How nice it is to watch a cartoon and sit on a soft, elastic pillow. To do this, you can sew a voluminous version. The child will love the bagel or octopus.
- For travel. It is very convenient to place a pillow under the child’s head while traveling in a car or bus. But for comfort, it must have a special crescent or bagel shape. This pillow can be used for 12 months or more. This product is small in size and weight.
- For room decoration. The sofa option is a decoration for the nursery. For this item, you can use all your imagination to the fullest, experiment with shape and decor. It is worth choosing the right shade to match the overall design of the room or making bright accents when the room has a discreet atmosphere.
There are very small toy pillows that fit in a baby’s hand.
And sometimes mothers sew a pillow almost the size of their child. There is also another division between the pillows: for a boy or a girl. For a mischievous tomboy, you can choose the design of a car, a superhero or a giant robot. Do you have an old sweater or jacket with a patch on it? You can use it to make your favorite toy pillow. To do this, you can carefully cut off such an image and sew it onto the surface of a new product. You can make a sword pillow from several pieces. My son will really like this.
A handmade pillow can be a wonderful gift.
Girls are little princesses. They love soft and fluffy toys. You can make a pillow in the shape of a doll or cat. A fluffy trim made of white or pink fur will look beautiful. It is worth choosing delicate shades: pink, yellow, lilac, beige, etc.
This designer pillow will decorate the room of a capricious fashionista or become the highlight of your living room. And she will lift your spirits just by looking at her.
Choosing the shape and size of a pillow
To ensure that the product is comfortable to use and helps to relax your neck rather than straining it, you should take a very responsible approach to choosing the shape of the pillow. An important component is the correct size. In order not to make a mistake with the choice of parameters, you need to take into account the following factors:
- First you need to decide who the pillow is intended for - a child, a driver or an adult passenger.
- The size and shape of the seat, where the user will mainly sit, are taken into account. You need to determine the width and height of the desired part of the backrest.
- Then a more specific version of the shape is produced: a bone, a roller, a month, a three-dimensional rectangle.
- If the product will only support the neck, then you need to determine the size, which will determine the volume of the neck and its length.
You might be interested in this Basic rules for forming a chest dart
The principle of determining the dimensions of a horseshoe pillow
Additional Information ! The size of the product is also determined by anatomical needs.
To get inspiration regarding the choice of decorative finishes, you can look at ready-made sketches that are offered by specialized stores. If this is a children's option, then a variety of animals will become relevant.
How to make it yourself
You can find original DIY toy pillow patterns on the Internet. Or you can come up with them yourself. The first thing to start creating an original gift is choosing an animal or object that will be the basis. To do this, you can take your child’s favorite character as a basis or dream up your own.
Decorative pillows are an almost integral part of a child's room. They make the space cozier, visually safer and warmer.
It's worth trying to create a sketch or diagram. To do this you need to take a piece of paper and a pencil. That's it, you can start creating. Mom can draw the head of a bunny with a funny face or a dog with its tongue hanging out. The most important thing is to make this thing with love and put your soul into it.
A children's room often has to be created from scratch: sewing pillows helps out, especially if the mother is not averse to handicrafts.
Children's room decor ideas using decorative pillows
Toy pillows are a wonderful type of decor for any children's room. You can verify this by looking at various interior design options in the photo gallery.
Toy pillows are a creative and original solution for decorating living rooms, bedrooms and children's rooms. They will not only please the eye, but will also give a lot of positive emotions to the child. After all, you can sit on them, and lie down, and jump, and play with them, like with ordinary soft toys. And making pillows together with your child will give him and his mother great pleasure!
Design selection
The size of the pad does not have to be large. It could be an element of a character or a flower with petals. It is important to carefully select the future design of the product.
With their own hands, mothers sew soft pillow toys that decorate the room, delight the baby, and protect him from injury when falling.
If you want to embody an animal, then you shouldn’t take a complex option for something you’ve sewn for the first time. You can only make the head of a cat or a hare. After the sketch has been drawn, it is worth translating the chosen idea into a pattern.
The list of tools and materials is standard; everything that the needlewoman already has in her bins is suitable - scraps of cotton fabric, soft braid, and, of course, threads, a machine, scissors.
If there is no ready-made template, you should make it yourself. To do this, you need to take paper or newspaper and apply a drawing on it. It is important to decide on the connecting seams. This needs to be done in the initial stages of design development. A baby pillow can be flat or have side walls. Then you should think through these details more carefully before sewing.
The pattern picture needs to be downloaded, printed and transferred to paper. If it is not possible to print it, you can simply redraw the pattern.
What is it like?
Scops owl pillow - bedding in the form of a toy. Craftswomen sew secret pockets into them to put herbs there with a calming, soporific effect. A children's scops owl pillow must meet many criteria, so the materials for it are chosen carefully.
Basic requirements for the product:
- hygroscopicity;
- breathability;
- environmental Safety;
- hypoallergenic;
- safety;
- comfort.
Selecting Tools
If the creator of a children's pillow toy does not have the skills of a seamstress and the appropriate equipment (sewing machine, overlocker, etc.), then it is worth trying to create this product using thread and needle by hand. To do this, you need to prepare these tools.
It is possible to create toys from a variety of materials and things.
The thickness of the needle must be selected in accordance with the thickness of the material. If you are sewing thin cotton, silk, or linen, then you should choose a sharp, thin needle. It is also worth choosing a needle that is not thick for your sewing machine. No. 60-65 is the best option. For thick fabrics, you should choose stronger needles; they should not break when sewing.
Sewing a decorative pillow yourself is very simple. To do this, you do not need any special knowledge in the field of sewing skills.
Threads for thin fabrics can be used as thin, 100% polyester. For thick fabrics, you can use cotton threads. You will also need to prepare a place where cutting will take place, scissors and an iron.
The best materials for filling are considered to be holofiber and synthetic fluff. Both are made from the finest polyester fibers.
Selection of material and filler
You need to sew a toy pillow from natural fabric. They are easier to wash, they will not fade or lose shape during use. If you will be washing frequently, then you should choose felt or fleece material. You should also pay attention to the following natural fabrics:
- Cotton. This fabric is soft, does not cause allergies, is easy to care for, and is affordable.
- Linen. This material has a beautiful structure and does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight.
- Silk. Delicate and pleasant to the touch. But when choosing this fabric, it is worth considering that it is easy to care for.
- Wool. Soft, warming. Disadvantage: requires washing in cold water using special detergents.
The filling for such decorative pillows can be anything - whatever is found in the house will be quite useful.
For filler it is best to use synthetic fluff and holofiber. They are hypoallergenic materials and soft. Pillows will not change shape after washing (should be washed in cold water). Sintepon, foam rubber, down, feathers can cause allergies.
Purchase filler in specialized departments of furniture or construction retail chains.
Choosing an idea for a pillow
A creative approach to work and a flight of imagination from a needlewoman will allow you to come up with and bring to life the most original and creative ideas. When choosing the shape and color of the future product, you must definitely take into account the style of the room whose decor it will become.
For example, for modern interiors you can sew bright pillows of unusual shapes. And for apartments in a classic style, accessories with a traditional style in a calm color scheme are suitable.
It is better to make children's pillows taking into account the age and preferences of the child, and also take into account what they are intended for.
Scops owl pillow
Modern designers have come up with a special type of decorative accessories for daytime naps and called them Scops Owls. Children especially loved them. After all, falling asleep hugging a soft and cheerful bunny, sheep, hippopotamus, turtle or favorite cartoon character is much more pleasant and sweeter. The most popular among them are cat pillow toys, which are liked by both children and adults.
Cushion cushion
Pillows in the shape of a bolster or a crescent are simply irreplaceable during long trips, and can also be used for relaxation in the nursery. They can be in the form of a boa constrictor, a dog, a train, a caterpillar or a fish. It is better to sew such products from soft and pleasant to the touch fabrics, for example, fleece, velor or flannel.
Sleep pillow
Pillows that are intended to be used exclusively for sleeping should be quite large and soft. They should be decorated with a smooth decor so as not to scratch the delicate skin of the face. Of course, it is better to use natural materials for sewing covers. Such products can be made in rectangular, square, oval or round shapes.
Important! Sleeping pillows and head cushions should not be decorated with buttons, beads or other hard elements, so that the child does not get hurt while resting.
Seat cushion
Toy pillows are great for sitting on. As a rule, they are quite flat, and harder than other varieties of these products. It is better to sew them from dense and durable fabrics, and they can be decorated with any decorative elements. Children can be pleased with knitted pillows and toys in the shape of animals, the sun, diamonds and squares of different colors.
Floor pillow
Floor pillows for babies can be sewn in the form of construction kits or puzzles. They will not only be comfortable to sit on, but also assembled into a single composition to build houses and pyramids.
Older children will like large products of various shapes. These can be geometric shapes, letters, animals, stars, clouds.
Making a pillow
The first thing you should do is cut out life-size toy pillows. After this, it is worth transferring the future appearance of the product onto the fabric. To do this, spread the material on a flat, clean surface. You can use a table for these purposes. You can transfer the pattern in the following way:
- Spread the material.
- Place a paper pattern on top of the fabric.
- Pin them together with thin pins.
- Outline the edges of the pattern with chalk or a thin piece of soap.
- Cut the fabric along the line with scissors.
Important! You should leave seam allowances on the fabric. It may be 1-1.5 cm. - Next, you should sew the product.
To do this, fold the parts of the future pillow with the right side inward and pin them together with pins. Sew the fabric on a machine, and if necessary, finish the edges with an overcast stitch (this may be necessary if the fabric is classified as “loose”). There is no need to finish stitching the seam on one side. Through this hole you can turn the pillow inside out and fill it with filling. After this, you should smooth out the product, fill it with synthetic down and manually carefully sew up the hole with a hidden seam. Straighten the toy and knock it down well with your hands.
To sew, you need to arm yourself with the appropriate tools.
Recommendations:
- If the pillowcase and the base with filling are sewn separately, then it is worth making a difference in size between them. This can be from 1 to 2 cm on each side.
- If the surface of the decorative pillow will be decorated with embroidery, applique, or decorative elements, then this must be done before sewing the main parts.
- It is best to process appliqué parts along the edges with an overlock stitch, which will prevent the fabric threads from fraying.
A knitted pillow can be of any shape.
If the product looks like an animal with legs, paws, and a tail, then they need to be sewn separately and attached to the base.
A knitted pillow in the shape of an owl will make the interior unique.
Pillow with sharp corners
This method will be new for many; it is not entirely standard and always gives an ideal result.
Take a template from checkered paper and cut it out as square as possible
, not forgetting about seam allowances.
Next, press all seam allowances, tucking them in. Try your best to keep the sides as square as possible to ensure a perfect pillow.
Now make another flap, the second side of the pillow. For the back, it is better to take a simple fabric, leaving beautiful shreds for the front parts of the pillows; An old pillowcase will do.
Cut the sewing thread, about 35 cm. Tie a knot at one end, thread the thread and insert the needle into the corner on the back of the fabric.
We start sewing from this point, from the corner. Connect the two pieces using a needle and thread:
Now that the two parts are connected, we begin to sew the pillow. Place the needle under one or two threads of the fabric. Do not sew the inside folds (otherwise you will get a rough, thick seam), work on
them.
When you are almost back to the beginning, you can start filling the pillow. Best micro glass beads, beads
, pour it into the pillow with a teaspoon.
Beads are in any case an ideal filler for a doll pillow, regardless of which sewing method you choose.
This is why the stitches must be tiny and strong: so that the beads do not spill.
Now, holding the pillow carefully, sew the hole all the way up.
Then pass the needle through the corner several times, securing the seam. But don’t cut the thread (it’s always visible). Push the needle through the pad until it pops out somewhere on the other side. And cut the loose thread right at the root. This trim will disappear inside the pillow.
The only downside to this method is that the stitches will be a little more visible than if you used the inside-out method. But you have complete control over the shape and angles. By the way, you can glue a thicker thread around the pillow (or hem it), this way you will get a decorative edging
.
Features of pillow decor
Any fantasy can be translated into the creation of this unusual thing. Decoration can be done by embroidery, appliqué, or combining several types of fabrics of different shades. For example, if you want to create a nautical style in a boy’s room, you can sew together several stripes of white and blue. If you sew an anchor or rudder with applique, then this will give more marine flavor.
The sofa in the children's room can be decorated with decorative pillows.
For a girl, you can sew butterflies made from fabric or bows or flowers onto the surface of the pillow. If your daughter is no longer little and loves shiny things, then jewelry made of beads, beads or rhinestones will help this decorative item “shine” in a new way. You can additionally sew on hair for the doll. Anyone can make them from thick knitting threads and you can unravel an old, unnecessary sweater.
Decorative pillows can come in different shapes and configurations.
Methods for decorating pillows
Decorating a pillow is a complex and exciting activity. Here are some finishing options that are feasible even for a novice craftsman.
Attention! It is more convenient to decorate the front fabric of the product before sewing it to the back side.
You might be interested in this: How to sew beautiful fabric wallets yourself
Decoration
Using bows
Accommodation options:
- Corner of a pillow.
- In the middle.
- At an angle.
- Similar to a gift (crosswise).
- Make it a butterfly by embroidering antennae.
Making: carefully tie a ribbon or 3 pieces of fabric (connect the bow and tails with a belt loop).
Relevant in interior styles:
- Provence.
- Vintage.
- Country.
Placement of ruffles
How to place ruffles:
- Sew a strip of fabric (1.5 times the required length, the edges are turned).
- Pull the thread.
- Make the folds even.
Applicable in Rococo interiors.
Idea! A ruffled flower will perfectly decorate a pillow.
Decor with flowers
How to make this decor:
- Cut an old T-shirt into ribbons.
- Fasten them in a circle.
Embroidery decor
Sashiko embroidery is simple; large stitches repeat the outline of the design.
Decoration with ribbons is possible (the direction of attachment depends on your imagination)
Pillow toys in the interior
You can place such decorative elements not only in the nursery, but it is also possible to decorate the living room, kitchen or balcony loggia with them. But it is advisable to select them according to the color scheme; you should not place more than one or two of them on the sofa.
Pillows embroidered with decorative stitches are among the most favorite among needlewomen.
For the living room you can sew a cat or a bunny, for the kitchen area you can make an applique. Such things will not only make the apartment more comfortable, but will also create a certain mood in the room.
Step-by-step master class on sewing a Scops Owl toy:
creativecommons.org
Cut out all four pattern elements: body, ears, head and the second part of the head. Many people recommend making a nose and other parts of the muzzle out of large buttons, but we strongly recommend that you abandon any accessories and spend time embroidering some elements (eyes, nose, mouth, paws and other elements that you want to detail).
- Fasten two types of fabric (plain and colored) with pins and cut out the required number of parts. You should get a pair of ears each made of cotton and fleece, three parts for the head cut, and two for the body (made of cotton and fleece).
- Fold the ear pieces in pairs with the right layers facing inward (one side of the ear should be fleece and the other cotton) and sew them together.
- You need to sew the side parts of the head to the ready-made ears.
- Next, the resulting ears with already sewn parts of the head need to be attached to the main part of the head of the scops owl toy.
- Turn the entire head right side out, stitch individual parts and embroider the details of the muzzle.
- Using the same principle, sew the body.
- Connect the parts of the toy, leaving a small unstitched area.
- Fill the toy with safe stuffing.
- Finish the details, seal the tips of the ears and stylized arms and legs so that the child can chew the ends.
“Sheep” applique from napkins/cotton wool in the preparatory group: how to make
Sew toys from scraps with your own hands: pattern, diagrams and description
Rules of care
Like any children's toys or various objects, pillows need to be cleaned constantly. They can accumulate dust, dirt, and bacteria. It is very beneficial to have a pillowcase that can be easily removed and washed in a washing machine. This procedure can be carried out regularly.
An anti-stress pillow requires special care. When washing, use liquid powder and delicate cycle.
Important! The “filling” itself should not be washed using conventional methods. This may clump the filling together. If there are stains on the surface of the pillow, then it is best to remove them manually using an aerosol stain remover or take them to the dry cleaner.
It’s so nice when a child’s eyes light up because he received a new toy. It is especially pleasing when the soul of his parents is invested in this gift; it is made of safe material and the filler cannot cause allergies.
Tips for caring for decorative pillows
Like any textile item, pillows need to be washed periodically. In order for them to serve for a long time and retain their shape and color, you should follow the recommendations for caring for one or another type of fabric. Pillows that do not have removable covers can be washed together with the filling in warm water. Modern materials, even after spinning in a washing machine, take their original shape, so you don’t have to worry about this.