Easier than pie flange pillow

This flange pillow is best suited to designs that are horizontal, like this sampler.  So I went through my stitched stuff and took out this JBW designs sampler from 19-something-or-other. 
OK, so your stitching is going to be the flange (flap) part of the pillow.  I like at least an inch all the way around my stitching, and that means that I must measure out 1.5 inches from my stitching (because we have to consider our  seam allowance).  In this case, my stitching is about 5” x 8”, so I cut the linen 8” x 11”.  Make sure that all of your corners are nice and square.  Now cut a piece of plain fabric (ie. muslin) the same size as your stitched piece.

Sew these two pieces together, joining them at the bottom of your stitching.  THE BOTTOM.  That’s very important.  Add the muslin to the BOTTOM.  Unless you enjoy looking at your pillow while standing on your head.
  Now fold the assembled piece in half, right sides facing out.  It will form a rectangle. Find your main pillow fabric and lay your stitched flap on top of the body fabric and eyeball how much fabric you want showing at the bottom of the pillow.  This is totally up to you. 
Hmmmm.  I liked the look of 3 inches showing at the bottom.  Measure from the top of your stitched fabric to the bottom of the pillow.  I measured this at 11 inches.  Now, add 1 inch to this measurement and double it.  So for the body of the pillow, I needed a piece of fabric 24 ((11 + 1) X 2) inches long and exactly as wide as my stitched panel- 11 inches. 

Make a 1/2 inch hem at one end of the pillow fabric. (no photo) Then place the folded flange on the other end, right sides together and matching the raw edges of the body and the flange.  (The right side of your stitching is facing the right side of the main pillow fabric.)  Sew together at the top.

Then fold the hemmed edge at the bottom of the pillow fabric up to almost meet the seam you just sewed. Make sure the flange is tucked inside the folded fabric.
Now sew up the right and left sides of the pillow.  You may want to clip the corners a bit to eliminate some bulk.

Then reach in from the top and start flipping and unfolding and you’ll have this!

Now you can either create your own custom sized pillow form and insert it, or you can just stuff it as is.  I’ve become lazy and I don’t fuss with the extra step of making a pillow form anymore.  And be careful about overstuffing it.  That’ll kind of distort everything.  You can also add buttons or a bow or whatever and ta-dah!  Finished!


Oh - no luck with yesterdays Daily Number. It would have been crazy good if 777 had hit!