Wednesday, August 28, 2013

reading pillows


A few weeks ago, I offered to make pillows for an old friend's kindergarten classroom. One of her biggest challenges as a kindergarten teacher is teaching her students to read. She works so hard to get them excited about it, so I thought some cozy pillows for her reading area might help. 

Most of the fabric for these came from my scrap bins. It was fun to include some hard-to-find stuff, like original Flea Market Fancy and fish-in-bags Munki Munki, knowing that I'm the only one who will recognize it as such. The backing is an Ikea canvas that I've had forever. 


I enclosed the pillows with invisible zips for the first time. I used Katie's tutorial, which was clear and perfect. But if I do it again, next time I'll buy an invisible zipper foot. 


I'll admit that after so much time lately of not sewing, it felt foreign. Like I had to relearn my machines. I couldn't find my bobbins, extra feet, etc. Part of it was a failed sewing room rearrangement that I thought would make things more efficient. Then things just kept going wrong. My serger pooped out on me. I used a yellow chalk pen for some quilting lines on the blue pillow when I set my hera marker down and couldn't find it, and now that yellow chalk won't come out. Anyway, not my finest sewing. 

But I think the kids will like them. 


19 comments:

einfach bunt said...

Oh, your pillows are cute!
I would like it to read snuggled against them (after having had a close look to the great fabrics)!

Dianne said...

Great pillows Krista! I especially like the view of your little guy reading to his baby sister. Too cute!!

pippinsequim said...

I love these - and I bet the kids will too!

I had the same thing, yellow chalk on blue fabric. If it's not been ironed, rubbing it with a toothbrush will take it off. After ironing, a pencil eraser worked for me, though it took a while.

Poppyprint said...

The pillows are fanastic (too bad the kids won't appreciate the HTF prints!). Berene lent me her invisible zipper foot and I've gotta say: awesome. Sorry your sewing room wasn't working for you, how frustrating! Hope next time things go smoothly for you. Just think, soon enough you'll have 4 days all to yourself to sew 18 hours a day if you want! C'mon Loon Lake!!!!

Angela said...

I need to get an invisible zipper foot. Maybe I will right now. No time like the present right? lol

I would love to read there personally. Maybe I need to make myself a reading nook of rainbow pillows!

Jolana said...

Oh, it is the cutest reading place!!! And of course: your pillows are so pretty too :)
Jolana

Rachel at Stitched in Color said...

Of course they will love them! It's cool that you made them monochromatic. That's the kind of thing kids will enjoy (as you know!)

Tamie said...

I love your pillows and would be happy to cuddle up in them and read. I would appreciate the special fabrics too.

Margarete said...

Beautiful!

Teje Karjalainen said...

Oh, these are so beautiful and wow how big! Adorable colours and I'm sure kids love to sit with them and learn to read! x Teje

Anonymous said...

I think the kids will love them! These sort of homey touches are so great for classrooms. The colors are great and I am sure any "flaws" are noticeable only to you. I am always inspired by Gee's Bend quilts--never perfect and always gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

So cute! I love seeing the scale of the pillows next to those wee kiddos.

Yvonne Campbell said...

Your pillows are beautiful. The fabrics are awesome! I would love to read next to one of these pillows.

Anna said...

love the pillows! those a big too!!! perfect for reading. I know what you mean about not sewing for a while. I've done hardly anything for weeks and my stitches feel all wobbly. ha. Back at it!

charlotte said...

They turned out great and you know the kids won't notice any of the small stuff you do. Great colors too.

Franziska said...

Great colourful pillows. They will brighten up the space for the children.
Not much sewing has happened over here, too. Too tired, too exhausted, too little time, not motivated, children not sleeping, to early to bed. And then I decided that some cutting would be nice to have "something" done... well, measure twice cut once came to my mind... oh well...
Not mentioning that the desk is a mess and there's really little space to cut or sew... ;)

Dianne said...

Hi Krista;
I have a couple of veggie/vegan/gluten free newsletters that I thought you might be interested in looking at but don't have your EM addy. Can you send it to me?
We are suffering under a blanket of water soaked clouds at present, I hope the sun is shining where you are.
Hugs,
Dianne

Dianne said...

Hi Krista;
I have a couple of veggie/vegan/gluten free newsletters that I thought you might be interested in looking at but don't have your EM addy. Can you send it to me?
We are suffering under a blanket of water soaked clouds at present, I hope the sun is shining where you are.
Hugs,
Dianne

Unknown said...

oh what pretty pillows. i love pillows but everytime that i make one my hubby or kids ruin it. they woad it into balls or sleep and sweat all over it!!