Falling for Leaves Pillows

Hi All,

Every year as the day's become shorter, weather becomes cooler, I start thinking about "nesting", making our home cozy for the upcoming winter months.

Our budget over the last few months has been feeling a bit of a pinch.  Partly due to adjusting to our retirement income and medical bills which hit us hard this summer.  That's OK, I like a challenge!  Thrifty it will be!

For this years fall projects I'll need to use last year's stash, leaves and more leaves (so many leaves?).   I made this buffet wreath using some of last year's leaves.

This was a quick, easy and inexpensive project.  Next, our pillows need a fall update too!

Can you guest what I'll be using?

Yep, leaves!  I used the same leaves that were in the wreath, but in very different ways.  I like how they add texture and interest!

The Flower Leaf  pillow.  Very easy to make, and so happy how it turned out. I cut up a never used a tablecloth  for the fabric and the leaves from my stash pile.

The Edge Leaf pillow.  I made this pillow first.  I thought it would be cute having the leaves on the edge of the pillow.  Click for tutorial.

The back pillow fabric is from Hobby Lobby, 30% off sale. All four pillows only cost $4.00 to make!  That's pretty thirty too me, and pretty!

Both pillows were made envelope style (tutorial).

Flower Leaf Pillow Tutorial

Supplies you"ll need:

1. pillow forms
2.  soft ply leaves (I used Jo-Ann's Autumn Inspirations (Oak & Maple Leaves, and Harvest Decor). I also cut leaves off a bunch.
3. material

Pillow form 16x16 (easily adjusted to any size you want).

Fabric: cut 1 piece 16x16, back side - 2 pieces: 16x12 (1/2 of 16" + 4" = 12")

1. Find the center of your front fabric (fold in half, fold in half again, mark center)

2. Start laying out the leaves in a circle, around the center dot, pin in place

3.  Sew over the bottom of the leaf tips (sewing in a circle)

4. Place  a second row of leaves over the first (leaf tips in between first), moving the leaves  in toward the center, then sew like the first row

5. Place the third row of leaves down in between the leaves in previous row and inward toward center, sew.

6. Lay the fourth row same as before, sew.

7.  To fill in the center area I made a small leaf flower using the Harvest Decor leaves. The leaves are very sheer and shimmery.

8.  Wrapped each leaf around each other, squeezed the bottom, took a few stitches, then wrapped thread around and stitch a few knots.

9. Next I hot glue the flower in the center.

10.  Finish the back side following this tutorial.

What do you think?   Have you been making any fall pillows?

Linking up to these par.tays.