Reclaimed Shirt Pillow

I know its been a while since I've posted but I made a quick project tonight that I love. Lately, thanks to our DV-R service, I've been watching Martha Stewart Crafts while I fold laundry. Martha did a project in episode 127 which involved making pillow covers out of men's button-up shirts.

So when I found this shirt at the thrift store, I knew what I wanted to make. I made a cover for the small pillow I sleep with: (its hard to photograph pinhead-sized houndstooth fabric and pearly snaps - click to see bigger, better shots)

The snaps make it a cinch to remove the cover for laundering. And I'm thinking the snapping pockets will be handy for keeping a few tissues and a chapstick handy. (I should clarify that I do not rest my head on this pillow. It is strictly for cuddling, a habit I got into when I had my first c-section.)

I'm also thinking that the buttons could become the back of the pillow if using decorative fabric for the front. I have some Christmas angel fabric that I was planning to make into pillows for the mother-in-law. Using shirts for the backs will make them look so much better and be much more functional.

It's genius of Martha to use the pre-existing plackets to make the cover washable. No zippers to set in, no velcro to trap pet hair, no blind stitching a pillow into its cover. Just cut two squares, sew them on all four sides, turn right side out, and you're done! Topstitching is a nice touch and its easy to add a flanged edge.