Everyone loves getting postcards. There is nothing quite like knowing that someone who cares about you is thinking of you while they are off exploring new places. A great way to preserve that sentiment is by creating a pillow replica of your favorite postcards. You can even create your own original postcard pillow to keep or send to a friend.

Required Materials:

• The 2 fabrics you want to use for your pillow (I recommend canvas for the side you will be writing on)
• A sewing machine (if you want to hand stitch your pillow, that is fine too)
• A pillow form insert
• Needle
• Thread
• Scissors
• Soft/ hard rulers
• Fabric Markers
• Pins
• Chalk or light fabric marker

 

Step 1: Measure your pillow’s length and width. The pillow insert that I used was 15 1/2 inches by 11 1/2 inches.

Step 2: Measure the cloth that you want to use for your pillow but be sure to give yourself at least an extra half inch so that when you are sewing you have some wiggle room. I cut my fabric to be 16in x 12in.

Step 3: Trace where you want to cut with chalk or light fabric marker.

Step 4: Cut out your pieces of fabric.

Step 5: Design your postcard using your fabric markers. This is the best part about making the postcard pillow. I kept my example simple, but feel free to add button, ribbon, and anything else you can think of when creating your design. You want to do this now before you sew as opposed to after so you have an even surface to work on. Just be sure that you don’t draw too close to the edge; it might interfere with sewing.

Step 6: Repeat steps 2 through 4 with the other piece of fabric you are using for your pillow case.

Step 7: Align your two fabrics so that the sides that you want facing out for your end result are facing each other.

Step 8: Pin your fabric together so it does not slip while you are sewing it.

Step 9: Sew together three out of the four sides of your fabric. Sew about a 1/2 inch in (if that is the extra amount that you allowed yourself while cutting your fabric).

Step 10: Sew 1/3 of the way in on both sides of the fourth and final side of the pillow.

Step 11: Turn your pillow inside out so that the decorated side of the ‘postcard’ is facing out.

Step 12: Insert your pillow form in the remaining hole.

Step 13: Hand stitch the hole that the pillow form went into.

Step 14: Decide what you want to do with your adorable new postcard pillow!

Pillow postcards are not only great gifts, they are the perfect thing to make with kids. They can make their own or make them to exchange with each other! Either way, the pillows are something that they can have to treasure from their childhood as they grow.