How to Make a Toddler Pillow & a Toddler Quilt

March 3, 2009

Several of my Dear Readers asked how I made Grace’s bunny quilt.

To tell you the truth, I cheated.

Bunny quilt

In January of 2006, I was five months pregnant and feeling the need to craft. Flannel was on sale, and I’d decided to make some fun receiving blankets.

Next to the flannel were insta-blankets, finished panels that could be made into blankets simply by adding a matching backing. This one caught my eye. I liked the bunnies, and I liked the different textures.

Here’s how I made the bunny quilt:

With the right sides together, pin the panel to the backing. Sew all the way around, leaving only a small hole for turning. Turn the blanket right side out and stitch the hole shut.

I was feeling fancy, so I tied little pink bows at the corners of the blocks of my bunny quilt. You could do the same, but you don’t have to.

Toddler pillow

I mentioned yesterday that I have a bath pillow that seemed like it would be a good size for Grace’s little head – if only it weren’t so fat. I used it to make a template for her toddler pillow.

1. I measured the bath pillow and found its dimensions to be about 9×14 inches.

2. I cut a large rectangle of the flannel that was 18 inches long and the full width of my fabric remnant.

3. Fold the flannel rectangle in half (right sides together) so that the long sides match. Sew around most of the pillow, as shown in the diagram below, but make sure you leave a hole for turning.

In the diagram, the dotted lines are seams, the dark line is the fold, and the circles are places where you need to be sure to back stitch in order to reinforce your seams.

4. Turn the pillow right side out and stuff it to your desired thickness with polyester fiberfill (or whatever your desired stuffing is – I’m sure there are other options). Remember that toddlers have little necks, so they need pretty flat pillows. I think I could have stuffed Grace’s a little more, but I wanted to err or the side of too little stuffing rather than too much.

5. Hand stitch the seam shut. Your pillow is done!

: I love my puhdoh!

Happily submitted to Works for Me Wednesday, Whatcha Working on Wednesday, and Make and Tell Monday

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Lisa said:

LOVE your directions for these! I made something similar for my nieces (out of poly satin) and called them Princess Pillows. A total hit!

Lisa’s last blog post..LaundryTree SoapNuts make a wonderfully unique gift!

# 3 March 2009 at 11:49 pm

The 6 O'Clock Stitch said:

You should submit this tutorial in the Mr. Linky for “Make & Tell Monday”! Feel free to jump in every week! I love it!
http://the6oclockstitch.blogspot.com/2009/03/make-tell.html

The 6 O’Clock Stitch’s last blog post..Make & Tell

# 5 March 2009 at 7:15 am

Lauralee Hensley said:

When you buy the panels already done, you can also dress them the following way:
Trace around a pot or large bowl a circle (use light regular pencil to do the tracing with), that is around the picture in the cloth panel. Use that circle as a guide to attaching already ruffled lace that you buy at a fabric store. Cotton or Cotton/Blend ruffled laces work best. Simply sew the ruffled lace at it’s bound edge to the circle line. About one inch from finishing the ruffle circle, simply add about one more inch and slightly turn some under and lay it slightly over the cut edge where you started. That way it should cover the raw cut ends of the lace. Where the lace meets start/finish area, you can cover it with a sewn on bow. I like to use a straight stitch and go around twice, but you can use a contrasting zig-zag stitch if you like to secure the ruffle down around the panel pictures. It doesn’t have to be a circle either, if the panel picture kinda dictates it, it could be a rectangle or a square. You could use different colors of ruffled lace for each panel area, or all the same. I think it’s fun if there are different colors. Actually I did this not with already made panels, but around simple little embroidered animals and another around simple little embroidered circus scenes/animals for a friend’s baby shower many years ago. Everyone went Gaga over them. I think it’s the ruffles and bows that everyone thinks it takes such a long time or looks expensive. Yet I think anyone that can make the easy baby quilts like you described can embellish them with the bows and ruffles too, it’s easy.

# 5 March 2009 at 12:43 pm

Jenn Spencer said:

So cute! Love this!!

Jenn
http://www.LearnHowToMakeBows.com

Jenn Spencer’s last blog post..Great article on fashion trends – Hair Bows for Teenagers and Adults

# 10 April 2009 at 6:18 pm

Western Bedding said:

that's some good tips right there. I don't know if quilts are good for toddlers though. this might go really warm during the summer. anyway, I don't think any of you uses quilts for the summer lol

# 19 November 2009 at 11:07 pm