{Flower Pillow}
Class taught by Becky Nelson 
Pillow form = $10
Bring your own pillow form = $Free
  *You can also bring a covered pillow and make the slipcover to go on it.

Supplies needed:

Fabric to make slip cover (14” pillow – 14” x 32”)

                                              (16” pillow – 16” x 36”)

                                              (18” pillow – 18” x 40”)

Thread to match your fabric

8 sheets of felt (or equivalent size cut from a bolt of felt) for flower petals

1 big, decorative button for flower center

Hot glue gun

Glue sticks

Fabric scissors

(we will have sewing machines, iron, ironing board, cardstock, and measuring tools)

Instructions:

STEP 1 – MAKE AN ENVELOPE SLIP COVER TO FIT YOUR PILLOW/PILLOW FORM

Here is a link with instructions for sewing the slip cover for your pillow:

http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/envelopepillow.htm

STEP 2 – CUT OUT FELT FLOWER PETALS

You will need a copy of the templates for the petals.  Pick one up from Becky Nelson 801-310-0555. (you can cut out the petals BEFORE Super Saturday if you really want to speed up your project time!)

STEP 3 – GLUE PETALS ONTO SLIP COVER

Insert a piece of cardstock or cardboard inside the slip cover to prevent glue from seeping through and gluing the front and back of your slip cover together. 

You’ll be building your flower from the outside in, so start with the large petals.

Use round “template for large petal placement” to guide you as you glue the large petals in place first. (note: DON’T glue down the template)

Just squeeze a thin line of hot glue along the back side of the short, straight, bottom edge of a large felt petal.  Press it in place.  Repeat x 16.

Now repeat that whole process for the medium petals x 13, except there is no template to guide you, so you may want to place them down dry first (with no glue) to get things right.

Repeat for small petals x 11.

Repeat for tiny petals x 7.

A few important notes:

1 - I wanted my flower to be more 3-dimensional than flat, so I pinched the glue line of each petal progressively more with each row of petals, so, the large petals I glued down mostly flat, the medium petals with a little pinch in the center (you have to hold the hot glue in place with each pinch until the glue have a few seconds to set), more of a pinch with the small petals, and the tiny petals tightly pinched.  If you want your flower more flat than fluffy, you will probably just have to leave out some of the petals.

2 – The size of the open space you want left over in the center after placing your tiny petals can vary depending on how big your decorative button is.  Just try to leave enough space so you can sew your button on, but not too much space or there will be a gap between your button and the flower exposing all your hot glue secrets!!

3 – No one is going to count your petals to make sure you followed the instructions exactly. :) If you come up short as your gluing on a row, cut another petal and fill in the gap.  If you have extra, hide it fast, and look innocent!!

STEP 4 – SEW ON CENTER BUTTON

By hand, with needle and thread is the most sturdy way, but I won’t tell Martha if you want to just hot glue it down, too.

STEP 5 – PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

Remove cardstock from inside your slip cover.  Put your now flowered slip cover onto your pillow.