pocket pillowcase prototype
June 5th, 2009
I’ve been thinking about making this pillowcase for a long while now (a lot of my posts start like that I know, but it takes me a loooong time from coming up with an idea to actually executing it). It’s wrong in many ways: the size is off, the pocket is a little too small, there are too many pattern pieces, and for some reason my camera refused to focus on it. But at least the idea is out of my head finally. I wanted to make a small pillowcase with a patchwork pocket–my scraps box is literally overflowing–and a little friend to go in it. I made it in linen because linen pillowcases are awesome and because little heads seem to sweat a lot more then big ones, but if I sell these, which is the plan, they would be too expensive in linen. So maybe I’ll do some simple embroidered linen ones and do the pocket pillowcases in cotton. The pillow is about 15″ by 7″ (or something like that). I like to use these little ones for my kids. They fit nicely in a crib and my daughter, who is in a bed, likes to have a big one and a little one. Does anyone else use these? Should I not make little ones and just make the standard size? I need your insight here. Go all out and tell me what you think of this. Good or bad, it’s incredibly helpful.
I am still stuck on a name for the bag in the last post. I’m leaning towards “the finder’s keeper,” which 2 people suggested or the much simpler “the little bag.” I’m going to visit my family for 10 days, so while I’m internetless in the woods I’ll think it over. Thank you for all your suggestions: I think I might start calling my purse my “cache stash” because it’s so awesome.


June 5th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
arg…my reply just got eaten!
so, here it goes again.
i adore this size pillow. my girls were each gifted one when they were born. lily and eme (5.8 and 3.8 yrs old) sleep on theirs every night, along with a regular-sized pillow. we also take them along when we travel and spend the night away from home. i love the linen, too, but i agree on the cost aspect. the pillows that we have are super soft (high count cotton)…maybe a really nice kingsize sheet picked up at a bargain price at one of those stores would be a good way to go? did i say how much i love the linen one, though? ;)
June 5th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
this is too cute for words!!
June 5th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
I like very much!!!
June 5th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
My 3YO has a little pillow in her crib, and a standard-sized pillow in her big girl bed (which we’re about to migrate into). Will be interesting to see if she still wants the little pillow in her bed. Either way, she also a little pillow in her Phil & Ted’s travel cot, used for napping at pre-school.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
And these are brilliant, btw. Would be awesome if the sueded poplin used for Heather Ross’ Free Spirit lines and Prints Charming’s Marcus Brother lines came in a range of solids, like the Kona cottons.
June 5th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
I totally LOVE this pillow. And the little guy in it? Adorable.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
This is such a great idea. I don’t think anything is wrong with it. As soon as I saw it I wondered why I had never seen anything like it elsewhere. The fact that the little friend matches the pillow pocket is just the best. Lovely.
June 5th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I.Bloomin.Love.This.
Love it… so so cute!
June 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Love this! Very cute!
June 5th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
this is the cutest thing i’ve seen in a long time – love it!
June 5th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
That is a fantastic idea! I’ll have to make one for my kids!
June 5th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I did something similar a while back. More a decorative pillow than for sleeping.http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuttifruiti/2830624408/in/set-72157615863916662/
June 5th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
it’s adorable. and i think, often, about how long it takes me from first idea to first attempt.
June 5th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
We started out our daughter with this small size of pillow and probably won’t move to a standard size until she moves out of the toddler bed.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
so cute! I love the cheerful colors.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
My kids would have absolutely loved this idea.
June 6th, 2009 at 12:15 am
aw, that really is too, too sweet.
June 6th, 2009 at 7:07 am
My kids would love these cases! You may think about a cheaper version in cotton, but also the luxury version in linen as well. I’ve been able to find great quality linen for about $8 a yard on line. Maybe you could stitch an initial somewhere on the lux version. As for size, my kids went straight from kid to double bed. Restlessness. And went straight to adult pillows. This is a great idea – the. Piping is a great touch too!
June 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
Just wonderful! My girls are ALWAYS squirreling things away under their pillows: lucky charms, mini books, rocks, drawings, foreign coins…you name it, it’s been under there. But a pocket to keep these things near them in the night (instead of slipping down under their bed) would be too awesome. The size of the pillow is great too. Not only for home, but also as a takealong pillow for daycare or day-long playdates.
June 6th, 2009 at 9:02 am
So awesome — I love it. I love seeing things I have never thought of before.
June 6th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Oh my goodness, the cuteness, it is overwhelming!
I love the idea of having a little “friend” tucked into a pocket on your pillow. I used to sleep with a slew of soft toys as a kid (OK, I still occasionally sleep with one) and a pillow like this would have been perfect! Heck, I’d still love one! :D
June 7th, 2009 at 5:14 am
I say make both sizes – get ‘em hooked when they’re young and have a small pillow in a cot, then they’ll need a new one when they move up to the big kid bed and have a standard pillow. Seriously though, my daughter only had a small pillow for a year at most – nothing when she was really little, then into a big bed when she was 2-odd. So in terms of value for money for me as a mum I guess I’d choose a standard size. And in cotton, linen doesn’t appeal as every day bedding. I know my daughter would love a pillowcase like this, it would appeal to her on every level! Fabulous idea.
June 8th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
I am dying over this. So awesome!
June 8th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
totally adorable. and by the way: what an awesome bed. it’s like you set up a professional photo shoot there. : )
June 9th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Oh I was a finders keepers sugestor, BUT I didnt realize someone had already said it! Give it to Cassidy, she said it first!!!
June 9th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
How sweet.
I didn’t even know that pillows came in small sizes for kid’s beds. My kids went from nothing to a standard pillow.
June 10th, 2009 at 3:10 am
Oh my God – this is GENIUS.
I really want one of these – I’m always looking for somewhere to keep my hanky!
Stick at it Meg – this one’s a winner…
Leah xxx
June 10th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
This is adorable, I love it!
June 10th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
1) My toddler son uses the smaller sized pillow in his crib and it fits perfectly.
2) This idea is brilliant. You MUST copyright this, because it very well could be the next ‘thing’ (it can hold a small pack of tissues, themes: Toothfairy, Pacifier fairy, Little love notes, etc.) and you came up with the idea. Don’t let someone else see it and make off with the profits!!!
June 11th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Oh this is so sweet! I love it, could the pocket be a bit deeper?
For the bag in the last post- The Itty Bitty Bag? It’s so itty bitty!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Oh that is absolutely adorable! You have the best ideas!! I think you should do both sizes; they are probably more useful as standard sizes but the little one has a huge “cute” factor. Plus my 2 y.o. uses a small sized pillow in his big bed yet; he prefers it because it’s small like him, so you never know…and it doesn’t hurt to try both, right?
June 19th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I think “finder’s keeper” is darling and so are the pillow cases.
June 26th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
These are adorable. My kids would love them. Both sizes are a good idea because my eight year old would still use this. In fact, my husband would:)
June 28th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Best pillowcase I have ever seen. Any child would love it.
July 13th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
What a great idea! I’ve not seen anything this clever in a while. :)
July 16th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
OMG! I fell in love with it the moment I saw it! My daughter would love it to bits & carry it everywhere she goes cos that’s what she does to her current baguette shaped pillow. I think both sizes are great for little kids or bigger kids (like me). Your kids are soooo lucky!
July 20th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
this is so cute and an ingenious idea.
July 21st, 2009 at 11:35 am
it’s so darling. i love everything about it. you’re very clever indeed.
July 28th, 2009 at 10:35 am
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