Need it by Christmas? Order with Standard Shipping by Dec 17th!

Need it by Christmas? Order by Dec 17th!

Upcycled Reindeer Pillow

Upcycled Reindeer Pillow

Upcycle your way to a holiday keepsake with this reindeer pillow. Cute, cozy, and full of handmade delight, it is a thoughtful make for gifting or decorating.

Give pre-loved flannel shirts a new life by turning them into cozy holiday pillows. In this project, you’ll use raw edge appliqué, a piecing technique where fabric shapes are stitched directly onto a base fabric without turning the edges under. The exposed, or raw edge, creates a soft, frayed outline adding a charming texture and a handmade, rustic feel to your project.

Materials: 

Fabric & Base Materials: 

  • Worn shirts of various colors and textures.  

  • 100% cotton or flannel fabric for pillow front and back (consider upcycling another worn garment) 

  • Pillow Insert 

Tools & Notions: 

  • Heat N Bond Fusible Interfacing 

 

Step 1: Prep Materials 

  • Wash and press flannel shirts 
  • Cut panels for pillow fronts and backs 

Step 2: Design Motif & Create Appliqué Pieces

  • Start with a simple sketch by lightly sketching the design on plain paper. Focus on bold recognizable shapes (head, nose, ears & antler) 
  • Outline the major components by tracing over the sketch with clean smooth lines. This will create an outline 
  • Use the outline to break the design into individual pieces on separate pieces of paper. 
  • Create paper templates by cutting out each piece along the lines you drew. 
  • Place the paper pieces onto your pillow to check proportions. Adjust size as needed, make sure the motif feels centered and visually balanced on the pillow. 

Step 3: Design Transfer 

  • Choose which flannel shirt will represent each part of the design. 
  • Trace the templates onto the Heat N Bond fusible adhesive. Rough cut each of the pieces. 
  • Place the pieces of fusible adhesive to the wrong side of the flannel, follow the directions on the Heat N Bond packaging to adhere to fabric.  
  • Carefully cut along traced lines to cut out the final fabric appliqué pieces. 

Step 4: Assembly & Stitch appliqué 

  • Remove the paper backing from each applique piece. Place all cut applique shapes on the pillow front.  
  • A general rule to use when identifying stitch order, start with the biggest shapes and finish with the smallest details.  
  • Lightly press the first layer into place using an iron and pressing cloth. DON’T fuse everything at once - attach one layer, stitch then move to the next layer. 
  • After fusing a piece down, stitch around its raw edges before adding the next piece. Choose a stitch style - straight stitch close to the raw edge, zig zag or blanket stitch on raw edge. 
  • Give the entire piece a final press to smooth it and set the stitches. 
  • Hand stitch using embroidery floss any small details like the reindeer smile. 

Step 5: Eyes 

  • Mark Eye Placement 
  • Select buttons from flannel shirts and attach each button securely using several passes through the holes or use Prym Flat Fasteners (Snap or Rivet Style) and attach using the Prym Vario Tool 

Step 6: Construct Pillow 

  • Sew front and back of pillow together, leaving an opening for stuffing or insert. 
  • Trim corners so edges are sharp. 

 Reindeer Instructions: Flannel Reindeer Upcycle Pillow

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