Folk Art America Pillow

Show off your American pride with this Folk Art America Pillow.  These patriotic throw pillows are a fun and festive way to get your home ready for July 4th...and you'll love how fun and easy these pillows are to make.  Embellished with lovely ruffles and stars, these American flag throw pillows could easily be completed over the course of a weekend...and they're the perfect way for using up any leftover fabric or denim scraps that you have taking up room in your stash.

Materials:

• Scrap fabric
• Pillow insert
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Instructions:

1. To start, I measured my pillow length x width and added 1″. (this added my 3/8″ seam allowance, plus some room for the fullness)
    
2. I created my stars in the upper left corner using the Reverse Applique technique.
    
3. To create the stripes, I alternated ripped strips of white and red fabric 1 3/4″ wide.
   
   
    
4. Using a straight stitch on the longest setting, I stitched down the center of each strip leaving long tails of thread on each end.  To gather the ruffles, I pulled the top thread from each side and “scrunched” to length.
    
5. Pin ruffles in place and attach with a standard straight stitch in matching thread color.  To keep things neat, I folded under each end.  Continue as needed to achieve design.
    
6. Sandwich front and back of pillow cover; right sides together.  Starting at one side, straight stitch all around pillow; leaving enough room to insert pillow form.
    
7. Clip corners; turn right side out; press and insert form.
   
   
    
8. Slip stitch closed with needle and thread.