A Request

So, yesterday my sister emailed me a link to an Etsy shop that sells super cute tooth fairy pillows, and she asked me "can you make this? I'll pay you." My reply was "um yeah I'll make it but you're not gonna pay me for it."

So this is how I spent some of my evening last night.  Working on my sisters request, drawing up a tooth template, sizing the eyes and mouth (pocket) and whipped it all together.  I even had fuzzy yarn that I was able to use for the hair.  (Sorry about the lighting of the pictures....I took these with my phone to send to my sister, then decided to share with you.)

Tooth pillow.  Mouth is pocket to store tooth for tooth fairy, and gift from the tooth fairy.    

The Beatles looked a little too serious this morning.  Thought I cheer them up with the smiling tooth.  

Not too shabby for a random request.

You want one?  Go check out the Etsy shop that grabbed my sisters attention.  The cat and bunny tooth pillows are so super cute.

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Tooth Fairy Castle Pillow with Drawbridge Tooth Pocket

Original unfinished pillow.

At Sew, Mama, Sew!  it was February pillow month , and I had great expectations to create a pillow or two and enter their contest, but that did not happened.  However, I did create a bolster pillow made out my daughter's outgrown pajama pants.

Anyways,  daily I've checked out Sew, Mama, Sew! to see the pillow creations and tutorials.  One day they  had a Tooth Fairy pillow up for display.  This reminded me of an incomplete Tooth Fairy pillow I made for my daughter years ago.  She, maybe, only used it once or twice, but she kept it on her shelf with all her other favorite little things she loves.

So as soon as I saw the tooth fairy pillow on Sew, Mama, Sew! I grabbed my daughter's castle off her self so that I could create a tutorial for the one that I made (about 5 years ago).  The first picture of the pillow is the incomplete one.  Aside from polyfill inside the castle I never added the back side of the pillow, so this is probably why it's more shelf art (like my daughter has used it) instead of a pillow.  Plus I never added the elastic to hold the drawbridge closed (shame on me...I know), but you know how the saying goes... "Better late then never".  Eh.... well  in this scenario this saying doesn't work, since my daughter no longer has any baby teeth left.  Sigh...  sniff... 

Well with no further delay here for you is a PDF pattern along with some pictures on how I put together this Tooth Fairy Castle Pillow with Drawbridge Tooth Pocket.  Finished pillow is based on the PDF pattern, slightly different then the original unfinished pillow.

Cut out felt pieces from pdf pattern.

I started off by sewing the tower to the bottom portion of the castle.

Next I started to sew the side triangles to the drawbridge.  Small flat side of triangle will be in center of drawbridge.

Both side triangles are now sewn onto the inside, front of drawbridge.

Next sew other side of triangle to drawbridge, at the same time sewing it to the bottom portion of castle.  Sew around top of drawbridge then back down sewing triangle on other side of drawbridge.

Sew door, and tower crown onto tower.  Sew along one side, and top of tower.  Add optional polyfill.

Pin remaining sides down to hold in stuffing, and sew remaining sides of castle.  Lay back piece of felt on top of castle.  Sew the pillow leaving small opening to turn pillow right-side out.  Stuff with polyfill and sew opening closed.

Add button and string or elastic to hold draw bridge closed.  I also cheated and glued the windows on.

Voila!  You now have a Tooth Fairy Castle pillow with a drawbridge tooth pocket.

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Pajama Pants Drawstring Bolster Pillow

So as I have other sewing projects lying around in my room I, of course, decide to start a third.

Salvaged, from garage sale death, pajama pants.

About a week ago my daughter comes to me wearing her, too snug, pajamas asking if she can put them in the garage sale bag.  Sigh.  They are such cute pajamas. I didn't want to get rid of them and see them sell for $1 in our next garage sale.  So I tell her maybe we will make something with the material.  A huge smile forms on her face, and she leaves them by my fabric stash.

I already had in mind what I wanted to do with them....make a pillow, but incorporate the existing shape, somewhat, and make a bolster.  This was a no brainer. Well... until I get to the point on how to figure out the circumference of the pillow to cut out pieces of fabric for the ends.  Hmmm?   How about I hem the ends and use a drawstring, just like the goodie bags I previously made?  Sounds like a plan, and low and behold it worked.

This was a very easy project to work on.  The most time consuming part was taking photos of my progress.  Yes. I know.  Once again taking photos in the bad lighting of my bed room, but ugh this is when I do my sewing, at night.  I work during the day, so taking step by step photos during the day is not much of an option. Sorry.

Measured and cut pant leg

Pinned right sides together.

Sewed long side of pant leg

To prevent the slippery fabric from fraying I ran the long side through my serger.

I hemmed the ends of the bolster.  First measuring 1/2 inch then rolled it down and measured 3/4 inched.  Pressed and sewed.

I prefer to use paper clips in lieu of safety pins.  Safety pins, for me, always pop open while running through  the hem.  Stuff with polyfill and pull drawstring.

Tah Dah!  Finished bolster with pretty bow.

Bolster modeling on chair.

More bolster modeling. 

From now on I'm gonna rethink giving clothes up for garage sales.  There is so much more rewarding things I can do with the fabric.  Let's see what I can dig out of my closet next.

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