Pillow Napper (This Tutorial is Brought To You Courtesy of Ambien....)

I would first like to thank the fine makers of Ambien.  Last night I had planned to link with someone else's tutorial and leave it at that.  Then I took an Ambien.  For those that don't know what Ambien is, it is the BEST sleep aid in the world!  I don't take it often, but when I do, look out. (I have ordered things online, woken up in the morning with my pajamas on inside out and a very happy husband, and gotten up to eat. We now hide my phone because I have texted and made phone calls.  It can also make you have some very vivid dreams.)  I was looking on PINTEREST before I fell asleep and saw a popular pin for a sleeping mat made from pillows.  I clicked on it and it took me to a store and I could not for the life of me find the mat.  When I woke up this morning I had a very clear plan on how to make this! (Hopefully I did not see a tutorial and just don't remember it! If it is plagiarized and I get arrested please send me cigarettes.  I don't smoke but I have heard that they are more valuable than cash in prison.)

Today we will be making cute little travel mat using 4 pillows and 3-4 yards of fabric.

Supplies needed:
4 Pillows (or however many you need to make it as long as you want)
3- 4 yard of fabric (depending on if your fabric is directional or not)
Serger (If you have one, if not, a normal sewing machine will work) and sewing machine
Basic sewing supplies.

Are you ready???? I think I am

1- Choose your fabric.  This is a good place to use up fabric from your stash.  I used the same fabric for the whole mat but I think it would be really cute in several different fabrics. A couple of years ago I bought fabric to make quilts for my girls bed.  I am sure none of you buy fabric for projects that you never finish.  This fabric is  "Playdate" by Patty Young (Modkid) for Michael Miller fabrics.

2- Figure out the amount of fabric you will need.

I laid my pillows out, left about an inch on each end, and then measured. My pillows measured about 26x75.


3- My fabric is directional so I cute 4 pieces of fabric 26x45.  If you have a big piece of yardage you could just cut two long pieces 45x80ish.  Again, mine was directional so I cut 4 smaller pieces.

4- Piece the front and back.  I used my serger (If you enlarge the photo you can see my stitches on the blue stripe at the top) to piece them but a straight stitch on your sewing machine will work just as well.


5- Finish the raw edge of one side.  I chose to finish the left side.  This will be the side you will load the pillows from.  I serged the edge. I used the serged edge as a guide and ironed the edge under.  I top stitched the edge.

I did this to the top and the bottom.  Remember that the top piece will have the left edge (fabric facing right side up) finished.  The back side will have the right edge finished (fabric facing right side up).  I may have done this wrong and ended up picking out all the stitches on the back piece.


6- Lay your fabric out right sides together.  Serge or sew up the unfinished side of the fabric.  When you open it you will have a seam up the center (length wise) and the other outer edges (length wise) will be topstitched. (sorry I forgot to take a picture.) If you are having problems picturing this, it looks like a pillowcase.  The topstitched edge is the open end of the pillow case.


7- Lay your pieces out wrong sides together.  Fold them in half to find the middle. Iron a good solid crease.  This crease will be your sewing guide.

Use the crease as a guide and sew a straight stitch down the center of your fabric. Remember, WRONG SIDES TOGETHER.

8- Lay your fabric on the ground.  Fold the top edge down and line it up with your center seam.  Fold your bottom edge up to the center seam.  Pin. Iron a crisp line on both folds.

9- Using the creases as guides, sew a straight stitch on each crease.  Lay your fabric out and you will now have 4 "pockets."  They should look like 4 pillowcases sewn together. The top and bottom are still open. Turn the top pocket inside out so the right sides are together and serge or sew your top seam.  Repeat for the bottom pocket.

10- Insert your pillows! (I thought about adding velcro to keep the pillow from coming out.  Thing 6 laid all over it and moved around and the pillow stayed put.  I decided to leave it open like a pillow case.)

11- Find a really cute almost 7 year old to snuggle down on this comfy mat!

This mat is perfect for nights at grandma and grandpa's or for just laying on for movie night.  I will use it when we travel.  I have heard that some people will try to sneak more than 4 people into a motel room.  I am almost sure I have never done that but if I did, this would be perfect! It folds up really compact and the hotels always have extra pillows.  Then nobody would be whine because they had to sleep on the hard floor (again, I have just heard that people may whine if they have to sleep on the floor).

Thanks for joining us for "Tutorial Tuesday"! If you have questions email me.  Please remember that I am not a pro at this.  I am just learning so if I left out a step or didn't explain it well enough PLEASE let me know!  Please remember to pin this on Pinterest.

-Stephanie