my kids destroy my pillows. i've washed my decorative pillows so many times that they have completely lost their original color. the edges are frayed and they are definitely in need of a proper burial. i have a hard time, however, purchasing expensive pillow shams or new decorative pillows knowing that my life is currently filled with five young kids in the house.
i spend a lot of time wandering the aisles of target...usually just as a way to kill some time and get the kids out of the house (and get a starbucks while i'm at it.) during one of these trips, i happened by the table linen section of target and noticed a place mat that i really liked. it matched my living room colors perfectly and would go fine in my kitchen as well but place mats are not practical for my kitchen. after i looked further, i noticed the place mat had a back lining and i figured it could be made into a pillow with very little work whatsoever. so, in about 30 minutes, it went from a $4.00 place mat to a $6.00 pillow ($2.00 for the batting inside). now that's an investment i can handle.
here's how to do it:
find a place mat you like. it is easiest if it has a backing already sewn in.
you'll also need some type of batting. i found this for $2.00 at hobby lobby.
rip out a section of the seam. make the hole big enough to easily stuff in the batting.
stuff the pillow with the "fiberfill"
once the "pillow" is completely filled, use matching thread to re-stitch up the opening. i also tied the thread i had pulled out to make my opening to make sure the pillow stayed closed.
that's it! quick, easy and super cheap. if the kids ruin it, i'm only out six dollars. that i can handle.
