Hangin' by a Thread

Yet another how-to for you today.  I really put my sewing skills to the test this time around and made everything from scratch.  I started with a latch-hook rug kit from my local department store.

I can't really give an accurate time estimate of how long the latch-hooking takes.  It started out as a childhood hobby that I picked up from time to time (mostly during the summers) and therefore took me several years to finally complete.  The rest of the project, however, took less than a day (~5-8 hours).

Once the latch-hook is finished, cut off the excess mesh, leaving a 1-inch border all the way around, and secure the mesh to the back of the rug.  Select fabric for the back of your pillow (I chose fleece for extra comfy softness) and cut it about 1-inch wider than the latch-hook rug on all sides. 

To ensure a clean-looking stitch, place the two pieces with the "pretty" sides facing each other.  Fold the excess fleece back and sew to the rug.  I recommend stitching through mesh cross sections and knotted wool pieces of the rug.  Be sure to leave 2-3 inches of unstitched space. 

Once the two pieces are about 3/4 sewn together, reach inside and gently pull the fabric through the hole you have left in your stitching so that the pillow is now right-side-out. 

Then stuff the pillow with a pillow form or polyester-blend stuffing.  For larger pillows (like this one) I recommend stuffing rather than a pillow form as it allows more freedom for the shape and bulk of the pillow.  When using stuffing, however, be sure to gather more than you think you will need and be generous when stuffing all the "corners" of your pillow. This material is more likely to sag and bunch over time if not properly packed. 

Once the pillow is sufficiently stuffed, sew the remainder of the two pieces together and enjoy! In retrospect I would have left a smaller opening so that I didn't have quite so much of the pillow sewn together with a different stitch (from the outside as opposed to the inside). 

It was also more difficult to sew the pieces together once the stuffing was inserted (even with pins to hold the fabric in place).  I would suggest leaving a wide enough hole to turn the rug inside out and pass your hand-plus-stuffing through (so you have enough room to maneuver the stuffing where you want it), but not so large of a hole that more than a quarter of your pillow has a different stitch pattern. 

I've already gotten so much use out of this pillow and have even used it as extra floor seating for guests.  At first I thought I had been too generous with the stuffing, but it has proven to be a great balance of comfort and firmness.  Overall I would say this was an A+ project!

It's so fluffy!