Travel Pillow

One of these little pillows makes any trip more pleasant. You can use one to catch a few winks on a plane or put behind your back when it's tired from driving.

They're not just for travel, of course:

• Send your college student off with one. Make the pillow case in school colors. 
• These smaller pillows are just the right size for kids to take to day care for nap time. 
• Expectant mommies love these to prop legs and knees to get comfortable at night.

The finished size of these pillows is 18" X 12", and the pillow cases are made to fit them. This size pillow is also a common size that you can purchase ready-made, so you can make the pillow case to fit a purchased pillow form if you'd like.

My mom wanted one. I put a ruffle on hers...

...and used pink gingham for the body of the pillow.

Pillow
You'll need about a little less than a half yard of 45" fabric for the pillow.

1. To make the pillow, cut 2 rectangles, 19" X 13" each.
2. Right sides together, and using a 1/2" seam, sew three sides together, leaving one 13" side open. Finish the raw edges of the three sewn sides with zigzag stitching if desired.
3. Clip the two sewn corners. Press seams open. Press under 1/2" of the unsewn edge.
4. Turn pillow right side out, and stuff to your desired firmness with polyester filling. I use about 6 ounces per pillow.
5. Your open seam should have 1/2" pressed under from step 3. Put these edges together and pin. Stitching close to the edge, sew the edges together. You could also slip stitch this closed by hand if you'd like. Your pillow is done! Now make a cute pillow case for it.

Step 5: Stuff pillow, then sew the open end closed.

Pillow Case
You'll need about a half yard of 45" fabric for the pillow case.

1. Lay out your fabric and fold with selvages together (this is probably how it was cut from the bolt). Cut a piece 13.5" wide:

How your cut will look with actual fabric. You can get 3 pillow cases from about 1.25 yards of fabric.

2. You now have a piece of fabric that is 13.5" wide and about 44" long. Fold with right sides together.
3. Using a 1/4" seam, sew the two longer sides closed. Finish the raw edges with zigzag stitching.
4. You now have one edge open. This is where the pillow will go in. Press under 1/2", then another 1". Stitch close to the edge. Turn right side out and press. You now have a great new pillow case for your travel pillow!

Finished side seam and hem, steps 3 and 4.

Goin' out west?

Pack your bags!

Travel Pillow may have been taken to some of these fun parties.

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