Long Lumbar Pillow Tutorial

A couple weeks ago I showed you C's new extra long lumbar pillow.  It was created out of a need for color in his monochromatic room. 

Today I will share with you the steps I took to make this pillow.  As I said in my last post, this project is really not that expensive if you are able to sew, and if you can find a fabric you love, at a great price.  This pillow cost me less than $20 including the down pillow form.  However, if you were going to have one custom made, the cost would be well over $100 and depending on the work room you choose, perhaps even a couple hundred dollars.  As always, if you have any questions please ask me at the bottom of the tutorial under comments.  That way I can share my answers with everyone.  (Don't be afraid to ask me even the most obvious questions, I have been known to leave a step out here and there....) For this project I am going to show you the general steps to take so that you can make your pillow any size to fit your space.

Step 1:
Finding your inspiration fabric.  You will need approximately 2 yards for a pillow this size.

Step 2:
Cutting out your pieces. I like to use round household objects usually found in my kitchen to create circles...for this project I used a pie pan for the diameter of the circle.  Trace the circle with a fabric pencil, and then cut it out.  All other measurements come from this cut.

Cut out the rest of your pieces.  For this step you need to determine the circumference of your circle.  The first way you can do this is by measuring the diameter of the circle (the length of the entire circle through the center point) So in this case, 10 inches.  Multiply that number by pi (3.14) and you will have a length of 31.4 inches.  Add one inch for seam allowance so we need to cut our long piece of fabric 32.4 inches long.  The long strips are for the self cording.  (Cut them 2 inches longer than your circumference, and 2 inches wide)

If you are terrible at math like me, you can do it this way too...

Pin your circle to your remaining long piece of fabric.  As you follow your circle, you will be gathering the length of the rectangle. Add one inch to allow for seam allowance, then cut.

Step 3: 

Sew your cording.  Use your zipper foot, and put the needle in the left most position.  (I sew this entire pillow with my zipper foot in the left most postition so I can be right up on the cord).

Sew cord to the circle piece.  Repeat.

Sew your zipper into the long rectangular piece. I am going to assume you know how to sew in a zipper.  If you don't leave me a comment and I will write a zipper tutorial.

Sew long rectangular piece together.  (Sew fabric together on either side of the zipper.)

Sew rectangular piece to the round pieces.

Your pillow case is finished!  Now follow the steps omit the cording step to make the pillow form.  I always stuff with feathers. (I buy cheap down pillows and use the feathers in my custom pillow forms) Because this pillow is so large, I used two standard queen pillows to fill this one form.  I am able to buy pillow forms at Ollies for $6.99 each.  This is the most expensive part of the project.

Stuff pillow form in case, and ENJOY!

Rebekah

I linked up to the parties on our Where we Party Page!

Metal Basket Pendant Light

Last time Rebekah and I were out shopping at The Screen Door I found this super cool vintage basket for around $20. Industrial style is all the rage and I am a fan too! I brought it home and my husband said it was an old golfing range ball bucket which to me made it even cooler.  Am I the only one who buys something cool and unique, gets it home, and then cannot figure out where to put it?! 

It started out in Gray's room with stuffed animals in it.   Not good enough!

I even tried it in the bathroom with toilet paper in it.... uh, yeah, not good enough...

On my trip to Charlotte to the Southern Home and Garden Show we snuck out a little early and headed to Ikea! I told my husband I would be home by 5:00 and in the interest of enjoying myself to the fullest I pulled in the driveway at 4:59! SO  MUCH   FUN!!!  You will eventually see a few project using little goodies found there but when I stumbled upon this little $3.99 item I knew exactly what I was going to do with it!!

Ikea HEMMA Cord Set

And it really was $3.99!  That is just ridiculously cheap.  I had to go ahead and buy two just in case I might need one again in the future.  I knew I needed something more than just a regular bulb and remembered seeing this vintage style bulb last time I was at Home Depot. 

Home Depot:  The Original Vintage Style Bulb

I had to put this picture in because these bulbs are hard to photograph and I couldn't get its cool factor to come through in my pictures!  At $8.97 it cost more than both my new cords put together but I do think it was worth it!  It gives a perfect soft glow that is needed when you have an exposed bulb.

Here is all you need to know for this little project.  Make sure the bottom of your basket has an opening large enough to fit the end of the plug through or that you are able to make an opening.  That's it!  Your cord will come with hooks for the ceiling and these nifty little doodads to hold the cord in place at the exact height you want it. Those people at Ikea think of EVERYTHING... and did I mention for $3.99!

My cord is run right behind t curtain and plugged in behind it which worked out perfectly to hide it. 

This was about a 5 minute project and I feel like this is definitely good enough for my super cool vintage range ball basket! 

It couldn't be more perfect to light up this little reading nook in Gray's room.  There is a pretty serious amount of plaid in this corner but it doesn't bother me at all!  I would change this dino rug out for an awesome chevron print but we can't have it all! 

In a stroke of good luck for me my in-laws have graciously offered to keep BOTH OF MY KIDS this weekend!  They are more awesome than you might imagine.  I will miss my dear sweet children greatly... seriously, no sarcasm at all (especially after Harper pulled every single article of her clothing out of her drawers today... I thought she was sweetly playing babies in her room... they needed cleaned out anyway...) 

 Good thing she's cute!!

Instead of taking a trip or sleeping all weekend we are getting wild and painting our hall!  We are wild and crazy I know!  Wanna come hang out?  It does have at least 350 paint swatches on it so its necessary. Who knows, maybe I'll post more pictures of Will with crazy bed head and holey T-shirts.  Fun times!

Kandi

Linking up here. 
 

A Sneak Peak at my Little Man's Room and the Owl Winner!

We want to announce the winner of our Owl Friend Give away, but first I want to catch you up on my week.

Unfortunately, I did not meet my deadlines this past week.  My little ones were kind enough to share an awful stomach bug with me.  Yuck!  So unfortunately my deadline to share C's new room with you is going to be pushed back a few weeks.  That's right, a few weeks.  Thanks for your patience. At least I am on track with my foyer makeover, a project I am tackling at the same time.  As you know remodeling is rarely ever a smooth process.  Do you remember that dream headboard I ordered from Tues. Morning for $250? 

Well my Cyber Monkey stole it!  I really do think I have a computer curse on me!  Tuesday Morning has no record of me placing my headboard order, and to top it off, that headboard is now sold out!  All I can say is my budget is in serious trouble.  I have been looking online for other options, so if y'all have any ideas send them my way...I am looking for a simple upholstered headboard. Kandi is pressuring me to make my own....if I get desperate enough, I might be tackling yet another project for this room!  Please send me headboard options! 


Since I can't share my full remodel with you, I thought I would give you a little sneak peak at a corner in C's room.  Here is one of my Owl Friends on C's newly reupholstered chair. 

I love modern elements mixed with traditional hints in a child's room!  Don't you?!.  I bought this chair for C's room a few months back.  I loved its lines. And it's price tag, $35! The fabric was old, torn, and ugly so I new I would be taking it in for a redo.  I originally had it reupholstered in a great red fabric.(Sorry for the lack of before pictures, but I had this chair originally redone before I started photographing my every project. Then I was in such a hurry to meet this makeover deadline that I took the chair off the the upholstery shop and forgot to get a quick before pic.)As I was saying, the red fabric just did not look right with its black legs.  You know how you think you are going to love something, but it is just a little off?  Well it was just a little off. Thankfully I have a really laid back hubby who supports my crazy ideas, so he only half rolled his eyes when I asked him to help me reload this chair into the car and take it back to the re upholstery shop!  I still have not told him that it cost Woven Home another $175, to have it recovered.  (I bought the fabric as a close-out/flat fold for $3.50 per yard.) Pretty great price, but that still adds another $20 on so I am really at just under $200 for this chair.  Quite a big hit on my $1000 budget, but I think this chair was totally worth it. 

I could not resist this orange giraffe throw blanket, from Tuesday Morning ($39).  It is made from bamboo, and is unbelievably soft!  It does not make up for my missing headboard, but it is a step in the right direction!

 I made this owl friend specifically to match his room. Here is a link to my Owl Friend Tutorial. Do you see the curtains behind the chair?  I have been working on those for the past few days.  This is where I am going to save big on my tight budget.  Honestly if I can give you any advice, when it comes to decorating, if you can sew, then SEW!  Anyone can sew.  Don't be intimidated! I saved $125 per panel (I need 4 panels, so that is a savings of $500!) because I made these curtains my self. Even with that savings, I still had to pay for all other materials, (don't forget lining runs $7 per yard and you will need the same number of yards of lining as your front material). 

I had to make a "be mine" pillow for his room.  I know that this may seem like a Valentine's Day thing, but isn't that every mother's wish, for her child to be her little sweet heart?  I know I will have to let go of him someday, but he is only 3 so the way I figure it I still have a few more good years left.  These pictures are just a little teaser on what is to come.  I promise I am working hard to finish this project, and share the full reveal with you!


I want to congratulate our Owl winners!  I asked Jacob to pick the winner this week.  He was asked to pick a number between 1-24.  I thought this would be a good exercise for my kindergartner.  After choosing numbers 90, 75, 28, and 50 he settled on 6 because his birthday was last week, and you guessed it, he turned 6! So congratulations Elizabeth, you are our lucky winner!  Okay in the fullness of disclosure, I am going to have my hubby pick an additional winner, because you see, I have a feeling the Elizabeth, is non-other than my older sis!  Crazy how that worked out!  Thankfully my hubby passed kindergarten, and on his first guess picked 24! So we are going to have two winners this week.  My big sis Liz, and Ariebellsmimi.  Please email me your orders!

Thanks!

Rebekah

I linked up here...
http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/