Today is my turn on the Wistful Winds blog tour. I’m sharing with you an “oldie but a goodie”, this tutorial teaching you how to sew a reading pillow! If you like this project you may also like this Giant Pillow Cover Sewing Tutorial.
You can now purchase a PRINTABLE PDF Copy of this pattern bundled with 2 of our most popular pillow patterns!
A few years (actually I checked it was 6 years ago, where does the time go?) I made a reading pillow for my nephew for Christmas. I gifted it to him with a few of my favorite books and a flashlight so that he could “sneak” in a bit of reading after the lights were out.
Since then I’ve made a few more reading pillows, they make great gifts and can be easily personalized using the recipient’s favorite fabrics or colors. If you’re looking for a fun handmade gift for the upcoming holidays, you might want to consider this project.
Shari Butler of Doohikey Designs created an absolutely dreamy fabric line called Wistful Winds, that is now available through Riley Blake Designs. I spoke to her about it at Quilt Market since we were “booth buddies”. While there she told me some of the story behind this fabric line. I loved the fabric before, but when I heard her speak about it with so much emotion, I loved it even more.
For my turn on the Blog Hop, I figured it was high time that I made a pillow for my niece since I gift one to her brother so many years ago. Unfortunately, posting this today means that I’ve spoiled a Christmas gift, but I’m pretty sure my 5-year-old niece doesn’t read my blog *wink*.
To make the pillow I followed my Reading Pillow Tutorial with only a few changes. I created custom piping for the edge of the pillow using the bias stripe fabric in the line and I changed READ to RUBY.
If you’d like to know how to make the piping you can CLICK here. I used pre-made piping and covered it with fabric, which saved me a bunch of time.
The RUBY is cut from iron-on vinyl using my Cricut machine. You could also create a custom applique with felt or fabric. If you have an embroidery machine you could also personalize the pillow that way.
To get the full SEWING TUTORIAL FOR THE READING PILLOW CLICK HERE.
To see all of the great projects shared as a part of the Wistful Winds Blog Hop, just click on the links below. It is the last day of the hop so all of the projects are live as of today.
October 3rd: Amy Sinibaldi – www.nanaCompany.typepad.com
Kristyne Czepuryk – www.prettybyhand.com
4th: Amanda Niederhauser – www.jedicraftgirl.com
Amy Smart – www.diaryofaquilter.com
5th: Meagan Taylor/Kristi Jones – www.meagsandme.com
Christine Cook – www.stitchingrevival.com
6th: Elea Lutz – www.elealutzdesign.com
Jodie Carleton – www.vintagericrac.blogspot.com
7th: Seder Imer – www.downgrapevinelane.com
Jina Barney – jinabarneydesignz.com
10th: Elizabeth Evans – www.simplesimonandco.com
Kimberly Bourne – www.mainstreetmarketdesigns.
11th: Jemima Flendt – www.tiedwitharibbon.com
Nadra Ridgeway – www.ellisandhiggs.com
Amy Chappel – www.amerooniedesigns.blogspot.
12th Katie Skoog – www.thesimplelifecompany.com
Amber Johnson – www.alittlebitbiased.blogspot.
Tina – http://www.onelittlepooh.net/
13th: Angie Wilson – www.gnomeangel.com
Clare Horsman – www.claresplaceblog.blogspot.
Deanna Wall – www.stitchesquilting.com
14th: Melissa Mortenson – polkadotchair.com
Jessica Stewart – www.izzyandivydesigns.com
Shari Butler – www.doohikeydesigns.com/
Print Friendly 
Shari says
October 14, 2016 at 8:18 AMThis is absolutely gorgeous and thrilled it’s for your niece! I loved being boothmates with you! You are truly and inspiration to me! Thank you for your many talents!
Patti says
October 15, 2016 at 9:19 AMI made these for my granddaughters, 4 and 6. They use them to carry stuffies. Immediately the books were out and stuffies put in. ?
Melissa Mortenson says
October 18, 2016 at 2:20 PMYes, I think that’s what probably happened with my nephews. Full of legos and matchbox cars. So glad you liked the pattern.
Doja says
October 22, 2016 at 2:32 PMThat is the cutest little pillow. One of the things I can’t wait to do when I have kids is make them unique things that none of theirs friends will have. Now I must add this to my list of “things to make when I have kids”.
margaret reid says
November 12, 2016 at 11:18 AMWhy do people give us beautiful patterns , and then not allow us to print? WHERE is your PRINT FRIENDLY Button?
Terri Blank says
December 26, 2016 at 7:58 AMI love this idea for my grandkids and made each of them one for Christmas. They loved it! What a wonderful way to promote the love of reading (says the retired school librarian) with a super cute project! I learned how to do piping for the first time, too! I really enjoyed creating this project. Thanks so much for your awesome tutorials! Keep ’em coming!
dispack says
January 10, 2018 at 12:26 PMMelissa–the bunny you have pictured here with this ADORABLE pillow….where did he come from?
I love him! 🙂 thanks.
Donna Belcher says
April 11, 2018 at 9:11 PMOmg! The minute I saw these reading pillows I knew they were for my grandkids—all seven of them! Have already made four of them and they loved them. Have two almost finished and a third waiting! They are so easy and I learned something I had wanted to know for a while – how to put in an invisible zipper. Thanks a bunch! Would post pics but can’t figure out how!