Pop of Color

As Whitney has mentioned, my mom has an intense love for throw pillows. She is all about a pop of color on pretty much every couch and chair. And, she does have a point. A new pillow or two can really change the feel of a room. My couch started to feel a little drab, as the leaves were falling off the trees. Preparing myself to be surrounded by brown grass and brown trees meant livening up my brown couch. My couch came with matching brown pillows with polka dots on one side. It sounds hideous, but they really weren't really that bad.

I had to take action. I stole a few pillows from chairs that didn't really need pillows and switched out the ones on our bed. Then, I decided to make one. I just needed some fabric.

When I was teaching, I used anything I could to brighten up my classroom--fabric, photos, calendars, quotations, etc. In other words, I have a bunch of stuff in my basement that is not currently being put to use. One of my favorite wall hangings was an old, striped shawl that I found in my parents basement. (I found out later that my mom's aunt had woven it, while working at a women's prison and living in the mountains of North Carolina.) I used a portion of it for Lily's Christmas present, but the rest of it was perfectly sized for a large throw pillow. I was a little apprehensive about the colors at first, but now I love it!

If you're desiring a little color in your living room or bedroom or wherever, make a pillow. It is one of the easiest, most satisfying projects I can think of. Just in case you're feeling unsure about how to make one, here are the directions.

1. Choose your fabric. Try to find something in your house that you can make new--a sweater, a scarf, a button-down shirt.
2. Double the fabric over to see how big you can make your pillow. You might want to measure to get a perfect square.
3. Cut your square. If you have a rotary cutter, you can certainly cut through both layers at the same time.
4. Pin your fabric with the right sides facing in.
5. Sew around the square. Leave about half of one side open for stuffing.
6. Turn your pillow right side out.
7. Stuff it.
8. Using a needle and thread, sew the side that you left open closed.
9. Find the perfect home for your new creation.