Snuggle Up With a Good Book Pillow

Everyone loves a good book.... Or at least a good nap....

In this Instructable you will be able to sew an awesome book pillow, and a perfect gift for those readers... Or nappers.... In your life.

You will need:
- fabrics - main feature fabric 1/2 yard, 1/2 yard of stripes, and a fat quarter in a plain neutral.
- wadding and stuffing
- fabric paints and brush
- stencils for letters
- pencil
- sewing machine (or patience and a needle and thread)
- needle and thread
- scissors, pins, cutting mat
- A4 paper (I used scrap paper) and tape (masking tape is good)
- iron
- ribbon

Take your stack of A4 papers. Label 1 as the "front" and 1 as the "back".

Fold 1 sheet in half length ways. Label one side "spine". Tape the front and back to the spine as shown in the picture. Remember the front should be on the right hand side.

Take another sheet and fold it in just over thirds width ways. You want to create a strip that is the same width as the spine piece, but cut as the picture shows. Tape two stripes this size to the longways cut stripe... And label as top, side and bottom. Draw a few lines down the pattern piece as shown, this will help you to line up this pattern piece on the stripy fabric in the correct direction.

When you folded the piece in thirds (roughly) there was a smaller, thinner slice left. Label this as "spine title".

Take another sheet and fold it half, and then half again. Cut out 1/4 of this sheet along the fold lines. Label this as "front title".

You have now cut out and created your own pattern ready to make as many pillows as you like.

This is the most important bit... As getting it wrong here means that you won't be ready for the next steps.

Lay the cover pattern piece on your fabric and pin it out. If you have a design on the fabric, you will want to position your pattern piece so that the design is well centred on your book. My fabric is a medieval map, which made the theme of my book. Pin this down well, so that it doesn't move. Cut around your pattern with a 1/2cm seam allowance added.

You can practise your stencilling on the pattern pieces to see how to centre things or work on your design. Or you can wing it.

Lay your long piece down the stripes. Line them up parallel to the pattern. Pin it firmly, and cut out adding 1/2 cm all round for a seam allowance.

Pin and cut out the title pieces.

Leave everything pinned until you need to sew them.

Tape the title pieces down to your cutting mat or similar surface. Use your pencil and stencil to mark out your title designs. Use your fabric paints to colour these in. I find a small brush works well on the letters, whereas, to make the patterned background on my titles, I used a larger brush.

Allow the paint to dry for 24 hours.

After the paint has dried for 24 hours, take your pieces to a hot iron (with the steam turned off).

Iron all your pieces, especially the titles.

With the cover, fold the fabric down the lines where the taped sections join. Iron to create a straight crease on all these joints. Remove the pattern pieces, and iron those folded creases as crisp as possible.

Iron the title squares neatly. Fold 1/2cm on all 4 sides under and iron flat.

Position your titles and sew them on. Use a nice top stitch with your needle down in the corners to turn.

Cut a rectangle of wadding larger than the cover. Pin this down.

With the fabric facing upwards, stitch down either side of the spine. Do not remove any pins yet.

Now it gets a little tricky.

Cut a small length of ribbon, about 5cm long. Fold in half. Lay this loop in the top of book as the image shows. Lay the striped fabric, right side faceing the spine. Sew neatly between the iron lines of the spine.

Carefully trim the corners off by cutting a diagonal line as shown. Carefully negotiate the next edge of the striped fabric around the corner.... And pin it to the top of the cover. Sew between the 2 corners of the top of the book.

Work around the top, side and bottom of the book, leaving the section at the bottom by the spine up sewn.

Returning to the top section, work your way around the back of the book in the same manner.

When the only unsewn edge is left at the bottom of the spine, turn the book in the correct way through this hole.

Iron the edges flat. Holding the sides of the book carefully, sew a 1/2 cm edge around the top, side and bottom of the book, where the cover would normally open. Do this also on the back.

Cut a length of ribbon, approximately 15cm long, and fold in half. Pin it as shown in the pictures as the other end of the bookmark.

Stuff your pillow through the opening at the bottom by the spine.

Using the needle and thread, carefully sew up the gap in tiny stitches.

Your pillow is now reading for giving, napping or just showing off.