Ooh La La Heart Pillows by the Pair


Okay so prior to this recent holiday season, I very rarely got inspired by holiday projects. Like I always thought they were cool and cute and stuff, but I prefer to work on projects that feel like me and most of those projects didn’t. And then this idea popped into my head that allowed me to both try new things and create some uber rad pillows that most definitely feel like a crafty inhabitant of the Boudreaux household.
Oooh La La Denim Heart Pillow

Machine Used

Brother CS7130 Stitch Computerized Sewing Machine (AKA Chet)(Opens in a new tab)
Editor's Note: Mister Domestic is lucky to be using Chet before it hits the market later this spring. For a machine with similar features, please see the SQ9185(Opens in a new tab)
and the CX155LA(Opens in a new tab)
.

Supplies

  • For Pillow Front: Two 10.5” squares of pre-washed denim (one blue & one red)
  • For Each Envelope Pillow Back: Two 7.5" x 10.5” squares of pre-washed denim in the color of your choice - total 4pc (two blue & two red)
  • Two complimentary thread colors
  • Two solids fabrics (and cording if you choose to make your own piping) or piping that matches the thread choices
  • 8.5” square of card stock
  • Two 10.5” squares of woven fusible interfacing
  • Fray block
  • Rotary cutter or scissors

Mathew’s Choices

  • Reds: Art Gallery Fabrics(Opens in a new tab)
    Scarlet Brick Textured Denim & Aurora Red Pure Elements and Red 50wt Aurifil
  • Blues: Rainy Night Crosshatch Textured Denim & Nocturnal Pure Elements and Very Dark Navy 50wt Aurifil

Preparing the Heart

  1. Fold the card stock at the diagonal. Draw the curvy part of the heart.

Heart Pillow
  1. Following this line, cut through both halves of the heart.

Heart Pillow
  1. Open your heart and enjoy.

Preparing the Fabric

  1. Lay one red and one blue fabric square on top of each other, right sides down.
  2. Place the card stock heart, with the point and flat sides ¼” away from the fabric edge. Trace the curvy part of the heart onto the back of the fabric.

Heart Pillow
  1. Following the outline, carefully cut through both layers of fabric.
Note: Pinning the layers of fabric together will help keep the fabrics from shifting as you cut.

Heart Pillow
  1. Use fray block on the the both edges that you just cut and allow to dry per product instructions.
  2. Once dry, fit together like a puzzle the two mixed denim combinations on top of the fusible interfacing squares and press with a steam iron until set.

Heart Pillow

Stitching the Heart

Following the specifications listed below, use a zigzag stitch to outline the heart and join the fabric pieces together:
  • 0.2 stitch length, 6.0 stitch width. If your machine only goes up to 5.0, that's fine too. We're keeping this easy breezy.
  • Monogramming foot (N) – I like this one because it’s wider and it’s easier for me to keep the center opening directly in between the two fabrics.
  • Use the thread that is the same color as the heart.

Heart Pillow

Finishing the Pillows

So now this isn’t a post that is going to teach you how to make piping or finish a pillow, but I will share with you the choices that I made and why I made them. For these pillows, I chose to make my own piping using solids fabrics that matched the thread because I wanted it to both frame the pillow and continue the outline of the heart down. To see how to finish the edges of the 7.5" x 10.5" pieces of fabric for the backs and construct an envelope back pillow, please see this post.(Opens in a new tab)
Please note you will have to sandwich your piping between the front and back layers before you stitch it up. For information on how to work with piping, please see this month's foot of the month article here. (Opens in a new tab)

Heart Pillow Now if you aren’t feeling the piping for your own pillow, you can also bind the pillows using the solid fabric, like you would a quilt, which would similarly frame the pillow and finish the heart. You guessed it, there's a machine binding tutorial here.(Opens in a new tab)
However, these are your pillows, so whatever makes you happy at the end of the day, I 100% support whatever choice that is. If you have any questions about this project or any of the steps I didn’t go over, feel free to leave them in the comments because I’m always happy to chat with ya. Happy Valentine’s Day!
  • Solid Textured Denim & Pure Elements are Art Gallery Fabrics products and Brother International Corporation makes no representations or warranties regarding such product.

  • 50wt Aurifil thread is an Aurifil product and Brother International Corporation makes no representations or warranties regarding such product.