The Lolly Dolly Pillow Tutorial

**This was a guest post for Riley Blake Designs.  In case you missed it, I thought I would share it here with you on The Cottage Home.**

Hi, I'm Lindsay from The Cottage Mama and I'm thrilled to be back with you again today sharing my most recent design team project.  Deciding which fabric line to use for this tutorial was so darn difficult as I wanted to use just about all of the new lines that were coming out.  So I decided to post the lines I was considering on The Cottage Mama Facebook Fan Page and let the fans vote for their favorite.  It was a pretty close call, but we finally settled on 'Dress Up Days'.  I think this line is absolutely adorable in every way and I'm thrilled to be able to share this project with you today.......The Lolly Dolly Pillow.

'Dress Up Days' has this wonderful panel in three different colorways that is meant to be used to make a doll that you can dress up in several different outfits (so cute).  But I wanted to try to use this panel in a little bit different way and decided to turn it into a pillow.  I hope you like what I came up with today.

The Lolly Dolly Pillow

by The Cottage Mama for Riley Blake Designs

Supplies:

1 Panel from 'Dress Up Days' by Riley Blake Designs

Fat Quarter or 1/2 yard ~ 3 different prints 

Fat Quarter ~ Cream colored fabric

Double sided fusible interfacing

1-2 yards rickrack trim

Fiberfill or other stuffing
Basic sewing supplies

Instructions:

Cut your pieces.  

For the doll:

From the panel, you will need to cut out the front and back of the doll as well as the front and back of both arms and legs.  Also, cut out the head sash piece if you would like to use that.

For the ruffle:  

Cut 4 strips 3" x Width of the fabric.

For the pillow:

Cream Fabric: Cut 1 piece 12" x  8"

Purple Fabric: Cut 2 pieces 8" x  5"

Chevron Front: Cut 2 pieces 20" x 6"

Chevron Back: Cut 1 piece 20 x 18"

To make the ruffle around the edge of the pillow.  Cut 4 strips of fabric measuring 3" x width of the fabric.  Sew each of the strips of fabric together at the short ends to make one long round of fabric.

Press the strip in half with the wrong sides facing each other, lining up the raw edges.  Run a gathering stitch around the entire ruffle piece and gather to fit the back of the pillow.

If you are not familiar with a gathering stitch, you need to set your stitch length to the longest setting (mine is 5.0) and increase the tension on your machine.  Run a stitch about 1/4" from the edge all the way around the fabric and then pull one of the threads to gather.  Make sure you do not back stitch at the beginning or end otherwise your fabric will not gather.  Another note......make sure you are using polyester thread for this project as cotton thread will break when pulled for gathering.

To construct the pillow front.  Place one piece of the purple fabric with the right sides together against the cream fabric, lining up the raw edges.  Sew using a 1/2" seam allowance.  Sew one piece to the top of the cream and the other to the bottom.

Press open the seams at the top and at the bottom.

For the sides of the pillow front.  Place a piece of the chevron fabric with the right sides together against the center panel (purple and cream).  Line up the raw edges and sew using a 1/2" seam allowance.  Do this for both sides.

You will end up with a piece of chevron fabric on each side of the center panel.  Press your seams open.

If you would like to add some trim, this would be a good time to do so.  I added some orange rickrack trim over the seam between the chevron fabric and the purple and cream.  You could use ribbon or buttons or whatever embellishment suits your fancy.

Now for the doll, place all the 'limb' pieces with their right sides together and sew around the edges using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Do this for both arms and both legs, leaving the short edge open for turning right side out.  For the body, place the right sides together and stitch all the way around, but leave a small 2" opening for turning.  Clip around any curves to remove bulk and to make sure the curves are smooth.  Turn all pieces right side out and press.

Use fiberfill or any stuffing material you like and stuff each one of the limbs.  Try to get them pretty full.  This will take a lot more stuffing than you would imagine!  Do not stuff the body piece.

Sew the raw edge of the limbs closed so none of the fiberfill will escape.

Cut a piece of double-sided fusible interfacing the exact size of the doll body and apply it (according to package directions) to the back of the doll.  If you are going to use the head sash piece, fold it in half with the right sides together and stitch down both short sides and the long side, but leave a little opening in the middle of the long end for turning.  Turn right side out and press.  Edge stitch the head sash piece to close the opening

Position the doll on the front of the pillow.  Her smile should be right about where the purple and the cream fabric come together.  Place the raw edges of the limbs under the body and place the head sash under her head.  Make sure you like the angle of the head sash and the way that it ties before this next step.

Using your iron, press the doll body to the pillow front as this will fuse it to the pillow.  This might feel a little trick, but do the best that you can trying to work around the limbs.  Pin the limbs and body to make sure nothing moves for the next step.

Sew using an 1/8" - 1/4" edge stitch all the way around the body.  Leave the head sash open until you've sewn around the body.  Make sure to catch all the raw edges of the limbs under the body.  Then place a few hand stitches in the very tops of the hands to hold them in place.

Pin your ruffle around the edge of the pillow front or back (either is fine), lining up the raw edges.  Baste stitch to hold the ruffle in place using a 1/4" seam allowance.

Place the pillow front on top of the pillow back with the right sides together.  Sew all the way around the pillow using a 1/2" seam allowance, making sure to leave a 4" - 5" opening for turning the pillow right side out.  Clip corners, turn right side out and press.

Stuff your pillow with fiberfill or other stuffing material making sure to work the stuffing into all the corners.  Close the bottom of the pillow by hand sewing it shut.

Isn't she just so sweet?

This is such a fun and different addition to a little girls bed.  This pillow is pretty generously sized, but you could make it even bigger if you want to.

Thanks so much for letting me share The Lolly Dolly pillow with you today.  I hope you will try to make one for a special little lady in your life.  

And don't forget to check out 'Dress Up Days'......it is just too cute!

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Fat Quarter Tote for Riley Blake Designs ~ 'Seaside' Fat Quarter Bundle Giveaway

Today you can find me guest blogging over at Riley Blake Design's blog sharing my tutorial for the Fat Quarter Tote made from one of my favorite fabric lines, 'Seaside'.

To check out the Fat Quarter Tote Tutorial click HERE.

And guess what?

 I am giving away a FULL Fat Quarter Bundle of 'Seaside' from Riley Blake Designs to one of you!

The Bundle includes 25 Fat Quarters from the 'Seaside' collection.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment answering the following question:

If you win, what will you make with the fat quarter bundle?

For additional entries, leave a separate comment if you:
1) Are a Fan of The Cottage Mama Facebook or Twitter Page
2) Are a Fan of the Riley Blake Designs Facebook Page
3) Are a Follower of The Cottage Home Blog (email, RSS Feed or Google Friend Connect)

Giveaway is open until Friday, July 27, 2012 at midnight (CST).

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Woodland Cottage Pincushion ~ Free Pattern and Tutorial

Today, I've got a really fun, whimsical pincushion that I hope you all love as much as I do.

I was inspired to create the Woodland Cottage pincushion by our home.  We live in a 1930's cottage style home and it has been a great source of inspiration for me in a lot of my design and sewing projects. Here is our home......

So today we will be making an adorable Woodland Cottage pincushion from Riley Blake Designs 'Woodland Trails' fabric line.  Even if you don't want to use it as a pincushion, you could hang it somewhere in your home or even on your Christmas tree, but for me, mine will be sitting right next to my sewing machine!

Let's get started..........

Woodland Cottage Pincushion

by The Cottage Mama

Blog: www.thecottagehome.blogspot.com

Website: www.thecottagemama.com

Free Printer-Friendly Woodland Cottage Pattern Pieces

(Click HERE to print)

Materials:

Fat 1/8th of 4-5 different coordinating fabrics

1/2 yard Riley Blake Designs rickrack trim

1/4 yard Riley Blake Designs crochet trim

Embroidery floss and needle

Fiberfill or stuffing

Basic Sewing Supplies

Woodland Cottage Pattern Pieces 

Instructions:

Print your pattern pieces and cut all pieces.  

Main House: Cut 2

Door: Cut 2

Window: Cut 2

Shingles: Cut 38

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, place the shingle pieces with the right sides facing and sew around the curve.  Turn the shingles right side out and press.  You may need to trim the curves a bit to get them to lay flat.  You will end up with 19 completed shingles.  This is the most time-consuming part of this pincushion, but it's what gives it some charm.  So turn on some music and take your time.

Add some embroidery to the window and door.  This does not need to be perfect as imperfections add character.  Even if you don't know how to embroidery, just go for it.  I did a basic backstitch on the window and a large french knot for the door knob.

Place the window and door pieces with their right sides together.  For the window, you will sew all the way around the square, but leave a little opening for turning your window right side out.  For the door, sew around the curve and turn right side out through the bottom opening.  Press the seams out for both the window and door.

Pin the window and door in place.  You can eye-ball this step.  Just place them where you think they look nice.  Make sure to line up the raw edge of the door with the raw edge of the main house piece.  Edgestitch these to the main house piece (this will catch the little opening left in the window).

Now for the fun part, the shingles.  I like to use Wondertape for this step because pinning in straight lines can be a little tricky with such small pieces.  Wondertape is a double sided tape used in sewing and quilting and will disappear when washed.  I use it a TON when working with trims.  If you don't have this, you can try pinning or using a quilting basting glue.  

Lay your first line of tape 1/4" up from where the roof and the house join.  Pull off the paper backing and lay your shingles with the straight edge in line with the tape.  Stitch 1/8" from the edge to secure the first row of shingles in place.

Measure up 1/4" from the first row of shingles and put down another row of tape.  Pull off the paper backing and lay another row of shingles.  Stitch in place.  Continue to do this same technique until you reach the top of the roof and it is totally covered with shingles.

You should end up with two shingles at the top of the roof of the house.

Now if you would like to add some rickrack, just line it up with the edge.  Again, I used my Wondertape (yes, I am obsessed), but you could certainly pin it.  At this point baste the rickrack in place 1/4" from the edge.  If you use a smaller rickrack or larger you will need to adjust your seam allowances to make sure only a little part pokes through.

At this point, if you have a label for yourself or your business, sew it onto the back of the main house.

Also, I used a piece of Riley Blake Designs crochet lace to kind of look like a chimney coming off to the side of the house.  You could omit this piece or make it larger for a nice hook to hang your cottage over a door handle or even on a Christmas tree.  Sew the crochet lace in place by lining up the raw edge of the lace with the top of the house.

Place the cottage front and cottage back with the right sides together.  Stitch all the way around using a 1/4" - 1/2" seam allowance (depends on the size trim you are using).  Leave a 1"-2" opening at the bottom.  Clip the corners to remove bulk and turn the cottage right side out by pulling it through the opening in the bottom.

Next, grab some fiberfill and stuff your pincushion.  Make sure you fluff the fiberfill as you go and really get it tucked in nicely to the corners.  Close the bottom by hand sewing with coordinating thread.

And, you're finished!  

Now step back and admire your adorable Woodland Cottage Pincushion!

Fabric Line: Woodland Trails by Sheri McCulley for Riley Blake Designs

Happy Sewing!

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