The pillow is not just under your head: Cushioned headboard with little money

Materials: GOSA SLÅN pillows (amount of you choise), fabric, sewing machine, support rod(s), supplies to hang

Description: Ikea is great and inexpensive supply store that I once again used for my project. The project started when I got the desire to have a huge tall headboard. I also wanted the headboard to be light weight and easily moveable. Couple months after, I saw pictures where a headboard was made from plain pillows. How to combine this with reasonable money to make my huge 220cm x 280cm headboard? Ikea! Ikea GOSA SLÅN pillow are very cheap way to make the cushioned style and do not weigh a lot. Why use GOSA SLÅN pillows instead of decocushions? In GOSA SLÅN there is much more filling than in some decocushions and the price is cheap too.

The pillows were inserted to fabric covers which had own individual pocket for every pillow. It is like doing cushion cover that eats more than one pillow. After making the fabric cover and inserting the pillows, I hung the whole thing with a rod to a gallery wall art hanging system. For my headboard I used 25 pillows and white sateen.

Hints to follow:
- Measurements: Remember that the fabric cover needs to be wider without the pillows than the measurement you are after. After placing the pillows, the measurements goes narrower because the puffiness of the pillow.
- The measurement in one pocket in my case was about 35cm x 45 cm.
- Pockets can be closed with buttons or safety pins.
- If you use support rod, remember to make own pocket for the rod also (like in curtains). In very tall headboards, support rod could be used also on the sides.
- To get the finish look, you might need, for example, safety pins to adjust excess fabric between pillows, especially at the sides.
- The fabric cover could be made also from pillow covers sewn in together. But in most cases, using fabric is more inexpensive.
- Hang the way it is the most suitable for you. Hanging the headboard with/to a curtain rod is also one way to make impact.
- PS. GOSA SLÅN are great also for using them as inner cushions for deco cushions.

More pictures in my blog.

~ Johanna, Finland

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Cat bed

Materials: MYSA GR�S, GOSA SL�N, polarvide

Description: Cut MYSA GR�S in half. You now have a piece of 100*150 cm. Fold it twice and stitch the ends together. This forms a ring of 25*150 cm.

Cut a piece of Polarvide to fit the ring. I have used a second piece of fabric as a contrast. You need about 50*150 cm fabric to cover the ring.

Stitch the short ends of the fabric together (inside out, so the seam is on the inside) and fold the fabric over the ring. Stitch the long ends of the fabric together (right side out). The seam on the long sides is on the outside, this is ok, since it will be covered when you attach the bottom.

When stitching the fleece of a smooth fabric like the one I used, the fleece will stretch. I put paper on top of the fleece and stitched on top of that. This way the fleece does not stretch. You can easily tear the paper of along the stitching line.

Cut a bottom for the ring from a non-stretching fabric. It should measure approximately 35 cm in diameter.

Turn the ring inside out en thread the bottom to the ring. Then stitch it using the sowing machine. When you turn the ring back the seam will be on the inside.

The bottom of the cat bed will look like photo below.

Cut two circles of fabric for the pillow which goes into the cat bed. Diameter approximately 35 cm. Stitch the circles together (inside out) and leave a small opening. Turn it right side out en stuff it with about 1/3 of the GOSA SL�N filling. Close the small opening so the filling cannot get out. Put the pillow in the cat bed.

The end result is shown in the main photo. Your cat will enjoy it!

~ Eva, The Netherlands

200 pillows for outdoor wedding

Materials: GOSA SLAN pillow, cover fabric, ribbon for tag, sewing thread, embroidery thread, doll needles, sewing machines, lots of friends to help

Description: My friend Anita needed to make 200 pillows for her son's outdoor wedding. She found these inexpensive pillows at Ikea. By cutting them in half and sewing new covers, she only had to buy 100 pillows. Several of her friends and the bride's friends worked together to sew these.

First, one GOSA SLAN pillow was cut in half crosswise. Then the open sides were stitched together, making two pillow forms.

The bride selected the fabric for the covers. One piece of fabric was cut for each pillow form and folded in half, right sides together. The bride and groom designed custom labels for the pillows using wide satin ribbon stamped and embossed with a design. Each label was folded, then pinned in place before stitching the seams of the fabric cover.

The cover was stitched, leaving an opening in one end. Then it was turned right side out, and stuffed with a pillow form. After stitching the open end shut, the pillow was almost finished.

Using 3 strands of embroidery floss and a doll needle (extra long needle with a long eye), two tufts were stitched centered in the pillow to give it a nice shape.

Now Anthony and Krista's wedding guests won't have to sit on hard concrete during the wedding ceremony.

~ KarenH, Los Angeles, California