Outdoor Pillows and Sling Chair

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Sewing machine
• Zipper foot
• Iron
• Rotary cutter or scissors
• Pinking Shears (optional)
• Cutting Board
• Marking Pen
• Quilter's Rule
• Pins
• Zipper
• Seam ripper
• Velcro®
• Home Decor Fabric
• Painters tape (optional)
• Tape measure

DIRECTIONS:

1. Pillows with zipper closure:
2. Use 1/2" seam allowance. Measure size of pillow form. Add 1" to length and 1 1/2" to width (side with zipper). Cut fabric. Place fabric RST. Lay zipper centered along one width edge. Mark on the fabric, the metal stop locations on either end of the zipper. Sew 1" in from the edge of the fabric, from the outer edges to the stop marks. Baste (wide stitch that will be removed) between the stop marks. Open the fabric and press the seam flat, away from the seam. Pin the zipper RS down on the back of the fabric, centered over the baste stitch. Use zipper foot to sew zipper in place. Turn over fabric and use a seam ripper to remove the baste stitch. Open zipper. Place sides of pillow fabric RST and pin around three raw edges. Sew a 1/2" seam allowance. Angle cut all corners. Turn RSO. Press out corners. Fill with pillow form.
3. Thick cushions with Velcro closure:
4. Use 1/2" seam allowance. Measure size of pillow form length, width and depth. Top and bottom panels: length plus 1", width plus 1". Three side panels: length plus 1", depth plus 1". One side panel (made up of two panels attached by Velcro): half of depth plus width of Velcro plus 1/2" for seam allowance, length plus 1". On RS of length of Velcro panels mark 1/2" from ends. Pin and sew Velcro between marks lining up Velcro with raw edge of fabric. Fold panel with fuzzy Velcro so section with Velcro lays on the back of the panel. Sew close to the edge to secure in place. Line up the ends of the two panels and press the Velcro together to join.
5. Pin two opposite side panels to top panel RST lining up corners and raw edges. Mark 1/2" from corners. Sew beginning and ending at the 1/2" mark. Repeat for other two side panels. Fold back first sides to keep from getting caught in stitching. Repeat to attach the bottom panel to the sides.
6. Line up the short ends of the side panels. Pull out the top and bottom panel fabric at an angle to prevent catching in stitching. Start and end 1/2" SA at length stitching.
7. Trim corners. Turn RSO. Press out corners. Fill with pillow form.
8. Pillows with envelope back:
9. Use 1/2" seam allowance. Measure pillow form. Cut one piece of fabric: width x 2 plus 8" (for 3" overlap), height plus 1". Lay fabric WR up. Double fold one short side, 1/2" then another 1/2". This will encase the raw edge. Sew. Repeat for other short side. Turn fabric RS up. Fold both short sides toward the center, overlap. Adjust sides in or out to create the width of the pillow. Pin the raw edges and sew 1/2" SA. Turn RSO. Press out corners. Fill with pillow form.
10. Bolster pillows with Velcro closure:
11. Use 1/2" seam allowance. Measure pillow form. Cut two circles: diameter plus 1". Cut one panel: length of pillow plus 1", circumference of pillow plus 2 x the width of Velcro. Lay panel RS up and mark length edges ½" in at corners. Pin and sew Velcro to the two length sides, starting and stopping at the 1/2" mark. Fold over fuzzy Velcro and sew close to the edge to secure in place. This will place the Velcro strips on either side of the one panel. With the WS out line up the two sides of Velcro and press in place. This will create a tube. Fold the ends of the tube to mark the circle opening in quarters. Repeat for the other end. Fold one circle in half and in half again and mark the folds, this will divide the circle in quarters. Repeat with the other circle. Fabric RST match the marks on one circle to the marks on one end of the tube panel. Pin and stitch a 1/2" SA. Repeat for second end. Trim excess fabric from seam. Turn RSO. Fill with pillow form. Press Velcro together to close.
12. Pillow with Velcro closure:
13. Use 1/2" seam allowance. Measure pillow form. Cut two pieces of fabric; length plus 1", width plus 1/2" plus width of Velcro. On RS of fabric mark 1/2" in from corners on edge that will have Velcro (width). Sew Velcro strips on RS of fabric starting and stopping at the 1/2" marks. Fold the Velcro edges over to the back of the fabric panels. Pin to secure 1/2" from ends of Velcro. Place fabric panels RST. Sew 1/2" SA around three sides without Velcro. Angle cut bottom corners. Do not cut Velcro side corners. Turn RSO. Fill with pillow form. Press Velcro together to close.
14. Sling chair cover:
15. Lay out the new fabric RS up on a flat surface. Lay the original cover on top of the new fabric. Line up the old fabric centered on the new fabric pattern. Add weights or pin fabrics together so they do not slip. Lay 1" painters tape along the long sides of the old fabric onto the new fabric. The outside edge of the Painters tape will be the cut line for the new fabric, 1/2" seam allowance, double folded hem. Measure the fold over on the short sides of the original cover. With a quilters rule, measure out the fold distance plus 1/2" from short sides. Lay painters tape at that mark. Cut out the fabric. Remove the tape. Fold over the short ends 1/2" and sew. Double fold the two long sides and sew. Fold the short sides to the desired pocket width and sew. Press with iron.

CRAFT HACK TIPS & TRICKS:

• If fabric frays: After sewing cut raw edges with pinking shears or prior to sewing add a zig zag stitch around all raw edges.
• For crisp corners push out corners with chopstick or dowel then pull out and press all seams with an iron.