Crazy Strip Pillow Guidesheet
Name ______Period______Storage tray # ______
Supplies:
1-long strip of 3 ½” wide Muslin 20 – 4” (short) strips –both wide & narrow Stuffing
1-long strip of 4 ½” wide Muslin 20 - 5” (long) strips-both wide & narrow 1- square of fabric (pillow back)
Getting started instructions: 4- Backstitch at the beginning & ending of every seam.
1- Place a check mark in each as you start each step. 5- Sew a 1/4” seam allowances-presser foot against
2- These symbols are pictures of pins. edge of fabric, unless stated otherwise.
3- Fabric Key: = right side of fabric = wrong side of fabric
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Definitions: Seam: thread that stays in the fabric after sewing.
Backstitch: sewing forward and back in the same spot to secure the stitches.
Seam allowance: distance from the edge of the fabric to the seam.
Sewing Instructions:
1. Select 20 – 4” colored strips. Use both wide and narrow strips. 2-3” X 4” 3-4” X 4”
Press wrinkled fabrics. Wrinkled fabric is more difficult to work with.
2. Get 3 ½” muslin strip & write initials on back side. (use tiny letters).
Pin a 4” strip of colored fabric to muslin strip.
3. Sew across the long end of 3 ½” strip. Put edge of presser foot against edge of fabric.
4. Lay a 2nd colored strip of fabric on top of the 1st strip, with right sides (pretty side) of fabric together (touching).
Pin in place.
_____/5 Get Graded: Muslin Strip
5. Sew along the fabric edge (by the long end of the muslin strip).
6. Fold down the 2nd sewn strip so the right side of the fabric can be seen. Finger press seam .
7. Place a 3rd colored strip on top of the 2nd strip. Put right sides together. Keep edges even.
Pin in place.
_____/5 Get Graded: Muslin Strip
Strips 1 2 3
8. Sew along the fabric edge (by the long end of the muslin strip).
9. Fold down the sewn strip so the right sides of the fabric can be seen. Finger press.
10. Continue to pin and sew colored strips to the muslin until the strip is completely covered.
_____/10 Get Graded: 1st strip
11. Select 20-5” colored strips – use wide & narrow strips. Press if wrinkled.
Get 4 ½” wide muslin strip. Write initials on back side of muslin strip.
12. Using the 4 ½ ” wide muslin strip and the 5“ strips, repeat steps #2-10.
13. Iron both strips.
14. Bring both strips up to the cutting table, so the teacher can cut the edges even and the strips in half.
_____/10 Get Graded: 2nd strip
15. Pin EACH wide strip to a narrow strip -Put right sides of fabric together.
Match & pin the ends of each strip. Now put more pins in the center. Keep edges even
_____/10 Get Graded:
Narrow strip
16. Sew EACH wide strip to a narrow strip.
Sew STRAIGHT SEAMS – use a 3/8” seam allowance & back stitch. Wide strip
Iron seams to one side.
17. Pin the 2 sets of strips together. Put right sides of fabric together.
Once again, make sure a wide strip and a narrow strip is being matched & pinned.
_____/15 Get Graded: 1st set
2nd set
18. Sew strips together. Sew STRAIGHT SEAMS – use a 3/8” seam allowance & back stitch.
Iron seams to one side. Have teacher cut ends of pillow top so they are even.
Get fabric for pillow back. If embroidery work is desired, make sure it is completed before going on to step #19.
19. Pin pillow front to pillow back. Put right sides together.
Pin each corner first and then in the middle of each side.
20. Mark a 5” opening in the middle of a long side.
Cross 2 pins to mark the opening. (Make an X with the pins)
_____/10 Get Graded:
21. Start at one side of the opening. Backstitch.
Sew around the pillow. Pivot at corners.
Pivot by 1- lower needle into fabric. 2-raise presser foot.
3- rotate fabric. 4- lower presser foot. 5-continue sewing. Start 5” opening End
Backstitch at end of the seam.
22. Trim each corner, to reduce the bulk. CORRECT WRONG
Look at pictures-DO NOT cut too much off.
_____/15 Get Graded: DO NOT cut too close to pivot point !!!!! There will be holes in
each corner.
23. Turn pillow right side out.
Use point tuner to make corners square.
Stuff. Do not over stuff. It is too hard to sew shut.
_____/5 Get Graded:
24. Thread needle, tie knot in thread & start hand stitching.
Get approx. 45” of thread that matches the fabric and a needle.
Thread needle. Put needle in middle of thread - so there are 2 strands of thread. (ends of thread are even)
Pull thread through bees wax. DO NOT put needle through beeswax.
Tie knot in thread. *make smile w/thread *cross end of thread over needle *wrap 4-5 times around needle * hold
thread wrapped around needle & pull on needle
25. Put needle inside the opening (just like it is stuffing) and bring it out ¼” from the opening and right in the middle of the seam.
The knot will be hidden inside the pillow.
Pin the opening shut. Have a friend help.
_____/5 Get Graded: Pillow opening
26. Whipstitching by hand:
Keep the stitches small, close together and close to the fold. Push needle away from you, through the fabric.
bring needle & thread up and over the top of the folded edge of the pillow.
Take 3-4 whip stitches and get it checked (get teacher’s initials) before continuing. ______/
Continue sewing until opening is sewn shut. Sew 3-4 stitches past the end of the opening to help secure machine stitching.
27. Tying a knot & leaving tail of thread inside pillow:
Take a small stitch right next to the thread coming out of the fabric. Do not pull thread all the way through, leave a loop in the thread. Put needle through the loop of thread. Now pull the thread tight. Repeat in the same spot again to tie a second knot.
Right next to the knot, put the needle into the pillow. Push the needle into the pillow a couple of inches & pull the needle out. Tug gently on the thread and cut it close to the pillow. This leaves a tail of thread inside pillow so knot won’t come untied.
______/ 100 NAME: ______Period ______DATE ______