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.

Posted in sewing.

40 Responses to pocket pillowcase prototype

  1. 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? ;)

  2. Frizz says:

    this is too cute for words!!

  3. I like very much!!!

  4. Kim says:

    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.

  5. Kim says:

    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.

  6. Amy says:

    I totally LOVE this pillow. And the little guy in it? Adorable.

  7. karen says:

    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.

  8. lou says:

    I.Bloomin.Love.This.
    Love it… so so cute!

  9. Kari says:

    Love this! Very cute!

  10. debbie says:

    this is the cutest thing i’ve seen in a long time – love it!

  11. justJENN says:

    That is a fantastic idea! I’ll have to make one for my kids!

  12. Belinda says:

    I did something similar a while back. More a decorative pillow than for sleeping.http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuttifruiti/2830624408/in/set-72157615863916662/

  13. emily says:

    it’s adorable. and i think, often, about how long it takes me from first idea to first attempt.

  14. Johanna says:

    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.

  15. cindy says:

    so cute! I love the cheerful colors.

  16. cherrie says:

    My kids would have absolutely loved this idea.

  17. kirsten says:

    aw, that really is too, too sweet.

  18. Jen says:

    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!

  19. Beth says:

    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.

  20. Laura says:

    So awesome — I love it. I love seeing things I have never thought of before.

  21. Eerika says:

    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

  22. Jacqui says:

    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.

  23. Candace says:

    I am dying over this. So awesome!

  24. julie green says:

    totally adorable. and by the way: what an awesome bed. it’s like you set up a professional photo shoot there. : )

  25. Heidi says:

    Oh I was a finders keepers sugestor, BUT I didnt realize someone had already said it! Give it to Cassidy, she said it first!!!