Memory Pillow: How Do You Creatively Make One?
Memory Pillow
In a wasteful world, it’s nice to be able to repurpose a comfortable old, shirt into a memory pillow. It’s a great way to preserve old memories into something useful. We fully recommend this simple DIY project to anyone wanting to furnish their bedrooms or living rooms with something worthwile. Learn the complete, step-by-step process here.
Overview
Do you have any old shirts simply lying around and collecting dust in your cabinet? Are you thinking about repurposing it for something different, but you’re not sure how and into what? Well, you have come to the right place.
For the entirety of this article, we will be showing you how you can transform an old men’s t-shirt into a comfortable memory pillow so that you and others can benefit from having an extra pillow to sleep and cuddle with at your home.
With our guide, we will show you what kind of supplies you need to have, the quantity of each item you need, and, the detailed step by step process of making a shirt into a pillow. Create something new with something old with our in-depth guide into sewing an old flannel or button-up shirt to make it into a memory pillow.
Supplies List
Of course from what we’ve known, when doing an arts and crafts project, we must know what kind of materials we need and their quantity. But don’t worry, most of these items are basically found in your home, so you won’t have to spend too much money.
Materials Needed
- Pillow Form
- Custom Embroidered Patch for a personalized touch
- Button-up shirt or Flannel Shirt or any old T-Shirt
Supplies Needed
- Sewing Machine
- Clear Ruler
- Sewing Scissors
- Straight Pins
- Cotton Thread
- Stuffing
- Large Cutting Mat (preferably bigger than the front side of the pillow)
- Fusible Interfacing
- Iron and Ironing Board
Measurements Needed
When it comes to sewing, precision is key to making the best-looking pillow. Measure the dimensions of the shirt and follow our chart below to see how to accurately make cuts on it, all of which are in inches.
| Pillow Form | Front Side (one cut) | Back Side (two cuts) |
|---|---|---|
|
14 x 14 |
14 x 14 |
14 x 10 |
|
15 x 15 |
15 x 15 |
15 x 10.5 |
|
16 x 16 |
16 x 16 |
16 x 11 |
|
17 x 17 |
17 x 17 |
17 x 11.5 |
|
18 x 18 |
18 x 18 |
18 x 12 |
|
20 x 20 |
20 x 20 |
20 x 13 |
|
24 x 24 |
24 x 24 |
24 x 15.5 |
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
STEP NO. 1 – Cutting of the Shirt
The first step is always crucial. However, if you pay attention to our guide, you’ll be done in no time.
What you’ll need:
- Shirt
- Large Table
- Cutting Mat
- Ruler
- Scissors
Process:
- Set your cutting mat on a large, smooth, and balanced table.
- Put the shirt on top of the cutting mat.
- Grab your scissors and cut the shirt into two pieces (front and back).
- Depending on the size of the pillow that you want (in this case, we’ll be using a 16 x 16 measure as a guide), use your ruler to cut the shirt again, only this time you need to measure it at 16 inches wide and 16 inches long. You should have two pieces that are equal in size.
STEP NO. 2 – Using the Fusible Interfacing
First off, what is a Fusible Interfacing? A Fusible Interfacing is an extra layer of material that can help give your garment shape and support. It is attached to the fabric by using a combination of heat, steam, and pressure. That may seem complex, but don’t worry, we will show you how to do that below.
What you’ll need:
- Fusible Interfacing
- Iron and Ironing Board
- Scissors
Process:
- Using your scissors again, cut the fusible interfacing just a tad smaller than the two pieces of fabrics that were once your shirt.
- Set up the ironing board and place one of the shirt pieces on top with the bottom side up.
- Next, place the fusible interfacing on top of the shirt piece. Make sure that the difference between their sizes is only a few centimeters apart.
- Grab your iron and start ironing the two materials until the fusible interfacing is fully attached. Then do the same thing to the other piece of shirt.
Small piece of information: Using a fusible interfacing is totally up to you. It is not needed to create the refurbished memory foam pillow that we’re making. It does, however, provide a sturdier grip and feel to the pillow itself. But, again, this section is dependent on your preferences.
STEP NO. 3 – Adding the Embroidered Patch to Give the Pillow More Personality
Again, this section entirely depends on you. You may opt to put a custom embroidered patch and you may not. However, if you’re planning to give this pillow to someone, adding that custom-made embroidered patch gives it a more personal, homey vibe that will definitely make that person’s day.
What you’ll need:
- Custom Embroidered Patch
- Straight Pins
- Sewing Needle
- Cotton Thread
Process:
- Place it on the front side of the pillow, and you can put it anywhere that you like, just make sure it’s not close to the edges of the pillow because it will be ruined when we sew the two shirt pieces together.
- Grab those straight pins and pin the patch on the desired location.
- Next, with your sewing needle and cotton thread, slowly sew around the borders of the patch until it is completely sewn into place.
STEP NO. 4 – Sewing the Two Shirt Pieces Together
Are you excited? We’re nearly there. Only a few more steps to go until you have yourself a new pillow. Hang in there.
What you’ll need:
- Straight Pins
- Sewing Machine
- Scissors
Process:
- Get the two pieces of the shirt and lay one on top of the other with the bottom sides facing upwards.
- Grab those straight pins again and pin them all around the edges of a shirt. Note: leave a space that is big enough for your hand to fit inside so that you can turn the case inside out later on.
- Set your two pieces of the shirt in place on the sewing machine.
- Use a straight stitch first about a half an inch from the edges and slowly work your way around the pillow, while avoiding the open space for your hand.
- Sew the two pieces of shirt again, only this time using a zig-zag stitch and a bit closer to the borders. This is to prevent your pillow from raveling.
- Grab your scissors again and carefully cut the four corners of the now pillowcase.
- Reach into the small space with your hand and turn it inside out. Be extra careful not to ruin the stitches.
STEP NO. 5 – Time to Make into A Legitimate Pillow
Now’s the fun and easy part. You’re now finished with MOST of the hard part, congratulations! You can pat yourself on the back. But we’re not done yet. So, let’s grab the stuffing and make this pillowcase into a pillow. Note: you can use any kind of stuffing that you want. It’s really up to you.
What you’ll need:
- Stuffing
Process:
- Carefully fill your pillow with the stuffing. We recommend that you start on the corners and slowly work your way towards the center.
- Stuff your pillow to your heart’s content. It can be as fluffy and soft as you want it to be; it’s entirely up to you. Again, make sure to do it carefully and slowly.
STEP NO. 6 – The Last of the Sewing Process
This step is a little time-consuming as you need to be precise so that your pillow will be extra durable. Although this is the last step, and we will guide you with every stitch. Only a few more sewing and you or someone else will have a new pillow to cuddle at home.
What you’ll need:
- Sewing Needle
- Cotton Thread
Process:
- With the sewing needle and cotton thread, sew the opening of the pillowcase. We highly recommend using the invisible stitch or the ladder stitch technique, so that the stitches won’t be visible. If you want the stitch to be more durable, use two threads instead of one.
- Grab the hem and fold it inside.
- Depending on which stitch technique you use, it’s vital that you do it slowly and on opposite sides of the opening.
- Slowly stitch the opening until it’s fully closed. Then simply knot your thread and cut it.
Now you are officially done and have an additional pillow to use whenever you take a snooze. Enjoy having the benefit of the steps you learned today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Basically, when making a memory pillow, all you need is a large piece of fabric, sewing kit, sewing machine, and some scissors. However, the making of the pillow is the hard part. Fortunately, our guide above will show you all the steps you need to create your very own memory pillow that’s more personal and, not to mention, affordable.
Conclusion
We are all currently living in a wasteful world. Plastics are dominating the industries. That is why global warming comes at no surprise at all. However, we can still help the environment in our own little way, and recycling is one of the major ways to do exactly that.
When we recycle old things, we won’t need to put them in the waste bucket and say goodbye. Rather, we can repurpose them, not only to help the environment but also to save you a few dollars in the process. It’s a win-win situation, protecting the environment and your bank account all at once.
This is what our article today is meant to inspire. Use your old shirts again, but for another purpose. You can turn them into rags, washcloths, or in our case, a pillow. All you need is a bit of imagination and, of course, patience.
Overall, recycling should be taken more seriously. This is the only planet that we can live in. Who knows what could happen when we keep on destroying our natural resources? We hope that our article today inspires you to reuse some old clothes or any old items that you find just lying around your home. Let’s all create a healthier environment, not just in our homes, but also on our planet as well.
