Let's Get Crafty: Popsicle Pouf

One of my old co-worker's daughter is turning one this week.  I wanted to make her something original and came across pillow poufs on Living with Punks blog.  These two pictures show what Kendall will hopefully look like with her new pouf!  I hope that Merideth and Kendall love the pouf and don't think it is silly.

There are detailed instructions of how to sew the pouf on the Living with Punks but here is my copy cat tutorial :).

Materials Needed:

- 1 yard of fabric, the home decorator kind that is thick and sturdy.  This is along the back wall at most JoAnn stores.

- 2 packages of 1/2 " premade piping, I used Wrights Bias Tape Maxi Piping, this is near the thread.  It is in a display with all sorts of quilt edging and rick rack, I missed it the first time and had to ask someone where it was :)

-Thread, Living with Punks suggests using contrasting thread but I just used what I had on hand.

- Polyfill, I got a 32 oz bag and I have a TON left.  

- Compass

- Math Skills

- Approximately 2-4 hours

I bought a compass at Office Depot for 1.97, the largest marker on the ruler says 6 inches but if you open it as wide as it goes you can get a 7 inches radius, therefore a 14 inch circle.  You will need a 17 inch circle for the top and bottom of the pouf.  I used my mad math skillz (thanks Mom :)) and measured 1.5 inches out from the circle to make a new 17 inch circle.  Man, I'm smart. 

 Here are my supplies, minus the fiber fill.  One yard of darling popsicle fabric, I loved this for a little girl.  My two packages of piping, and my paper circle!  Now its time to get serious! Let's start cutting the material, you will need:

-2 17 inch circles

- 9'" x 51.5" piece for the side.  My fabric was only 45 inches wide so I had to sew on another 6.5 inch section.

-2 3"x12" pieces for the handle

All materials cut!

Close up of the piping packaging so you will have an easier time finding it :)

 Pin the piping to the pretty side of your fabric.  The 'puffy' part of your piping should be closer to the middle of the fabric and the flat side should match up with the edge of your fabric.  

Overlap the piping where they meet.  

 Start sewing!Make sure to sew AS CLOSELY as you can to the puffy part of the piping, otherwise it will look funny when the project is done.  

 Make sure to sew over both piping sections where they overlap.  Once they are secure you can cut the excess piping off at an angle. 

Take one handle piece and set the piping the same way you did with first circle.  Puffy side in, flat side on the edge of your fabric. Pin and Sew. 

 Once you have the piping added to one piece of the fabric you are ready to complete the handle.  Turn the pretty sides of the fabric together and sew as CLOSE as you can to the edge of the fabric and along the puffy piping.  Do not sew the edges shut and flip the fabric back out so the pretty side is showing again.

Take your side material (if you have a 45" fabric go ahead and add the remaining 6.5 inches of fabric to it now).  Place the side fabric so the pretty side is facing the pretty side of one circle.  Start pinning this together; crease the fabric like in the picture below.

Once you get done pinning the fabric around the edges the height sides of you fabric should meet up perfectly, pin these and sew this edge.

Apparently I forgot to take pictures of the rest of this process! Check out the Living with Punks tutorial for more pictures :) 

Sew around the edge of the circle, make sure to sew closest to the edge and beside the piping.  For some reason I sewed on the other side ("left" of the piping if the "right" is the edge) and had to spend an hour seam ripping to undo my mistake.  I did have a little help with this from a trusty neighb. 

Now it is time to attach the handle.  Flip the material back pretty side out (you will now see if you sewed properly, if you don't see your piping it is time to bust out the seam ripper -- it happens to the best of us).  I had a 45" fabric so I sewed on the opposite side of seam.  

I pinned the non-piped edges and made a clean seam on them.  Then I attached the handle by sewing over the edge seam and also adding a box with an 'X' to hold it down securely.  Make sure you don't sew this very taut so there is give to carry the handle. 

Almost done!  Flip the fabric back to the ugly side and pin on the remaining circle, pretty sides facing each other.  Leave a little pocket open so you can stuff the pillow.

Stuff the pillow with as much Polyfill as you think the pillow needs!

TaDa!

Hopefully I will have an updated picture soon of Kendall and her pouf :)