Sewing reading cushions - instructions for a sewn book cushion
- Material and preparation
- The pattern
- Sew reading cushions
- additional tips
- Quick guide
How to easily sew a practical book cushion yourself. From the series "Things I did not know I needed before I had them". Absolutely absolutely indispensable: a reading pillow. I also think it has potential to overtake the reading bone, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. In fact, I did not know how practical such a book cushion is. Although I rather use it for the tablet.
So today I'm showing them how to easily and quickly sew a reading pillow yourself. The applications are very diverse, but mostly I really use it to read - whether on a tablet or in a book. My children already like to use it and so I will probably be able to sew some book cushions.
Difficulty level 1/5
(also suitable for beginners with this step-by-step guide)
Material costs 1.5 / 5
(Depending on the choice of materials a very favorable project, already from EUR 5, - feasible)
Time required 1.5 / 5
(including cutting, filling and sewing up to 1.5 hours)
Material and preparation
The material selection
In principle, this material is not suitable for stretchable fabrics, otherwise the book cushion will become too labile. But if it has to be absolutely this special jersey fabric, then iron it in advance on the left side of the fabric Webeinlage, so then also stretchable fabrics are used, if you want to sew a reading pillow. I chose cotton weave with a Tante Ema motif. For example, you can get beautiful woven fabrics here: woven fabric. The best are the slightly thinner fabrics made of 100% cotton. With a little skill but also the heavier fabrics can be processed well.
The amount of material
If you want to sew a book cushion, you do not need much material. It suffices a piece of fabric with 62 x 42 cm (lying rectangle - be careful with the motif direction!), Which can also be composed of smaller pieces of fabric (Patchwork - Remaining utilization).
In addition, you will need scissors, yarn in the appropriate color, possibly yarn in a contrasting color for the decorative stitching, a few pins, an iron and a bookmark . For closing the turning holes, I use the ladder stitch, which is sewn by hand. For this you also need a hand needle . You can also close them with the sewing machine. I took a flower border for the bookmark. The length should be about 40 cm .
TIP: You can also use a purchased or homemade cord that you decorate with beads to thread or braid jersey noodles. Be creative and ideally use remnants from other sewing projects.
The pattern
Sewing the sewing pattern for book cushions is very simple: A rectangular piece of fabric measuring 40 x 60 cm plus seam allowances. Thus 42 x 62 cm are enough.
TIP: Take care when cropping the motif. If you have chosen a fabric with a motif that has a top and bottom, it must be right in front of you from the beginning. Therefore, I have deliberately chosen such a motif for my sewing example, so there are no misunderstandings! So make sure that the motive later on the finished book cushion is not "upside down".
Sew reading cushions
It is sewn
For the whole project I used a simple straight stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 mm. Place the piece of fabric in front of you so that the motif is "correct". The width should be at 62 cm and the height at 42 cm . Fold the rectangle right to right (ie with the "nice" sides to each other) so that the material break is vertical.
Now there is an upright rectangle in front of you. Right top right IN the Stoffbug comes the bookmark (the top of the bookmark).
I put it on the outside so you can see the position better, but it is BETWEEN the two layers of fabric in the break and sewn. At the bottom right, use a pin to mark the fabric center (the material break). In addition, measure an opening on the left edge of at least 7 cm and mark it with pins.
Now sew the top edge with the bookmark and sew the beginning. The distance to the fabric edge should be about 1 cm (corresponding to the seam allowance). At the corner, lower the needle into the fabric, lift the foot and rotate the fabric 90 degrees. Then sew until the beginning of the turning opening and sew. Sew again after the turnaround and sew to the end. Also sew the end of this seam.
TIP: For a more exact result, iron the seam allowances apart.
Now place the seam exactly over the middle of the fabric (shows picture above with the caption: "marking with the pin in the break") and fix both layers of fabric with two pins, so that nothing slips. Now lay the upper part of the fabric in a square so that the seams (seam allowances) are exactly on top of each other.
Measure 7.5 cm from the top at the top, which is ¼ of the square (30 cm / 4 = 7.5 cm) and draw a horizontal line.
Sew together the two fabric layers (the triangle) along this line. Then shorten the seam allowance to about 1 cm.
Mark at the lower edge on the left side a turning opening with at least 7 cm and sew the underside up to this opening together. The beginning and the end are sewn again.
Cut off the seam allowances at the bottom corners at an angle so that no bumps form during turning and filling. Turn the reading pad over and shape the corners nicely. Iron at least the bottom 10 cm of the book cushion.
Now draw two lines parallel to the lower edge: the first after 7.5 cm and the second after 8 cm. Now stitch these two lines with a simple straight stitch or use a beautiful decorative stitching. If the seam is a little wider, it does not matter.
Now fill both cushion parts with filling cotton. Test while filling with a tablet or book again and again, how bulging it should be, so that it can be optimally used for you.
When you are satisfied, close the two turning holes with a ladder seam or a magic seam by hand. In the section "Well ironed is half won" in our article "Dinkelkissen make yourself", you will find the instructions how to sew a ladder or Zaubernaht.
And now your new book cushion is ready!
additional tips
To give you a particularly long-lasting pleasure with your reading pad, you sew the seam allowances or cut them back to about 0.5 cm with a zig-zag pair of scissors. You can also frame it with a cotton bias tape.
Although many do not like to hear it, ironing is half the battle! If you iron a lot during sewing, you can work more precisely and it will be less forgiving. Especially in the case of the hand seam, the stitches are more accurate due to the ironing edge, and you practically no longer see the seam from the outside.
Quick guide
01. Cut fabric for the reading pad with seam allowances.
02. Fold in vertical use, sew top edge with bookmark, side edge with turning opening.
03. Lay seams on the break, sew off ¼ of the resulting square and cut with 1 cm NZ.
04. Sew lower edge with NZ.
05. turning, molding, ironing.
06. Stitch from below at 7.5 and 8 cm or sew decorative stitching.
07. Fill both cushion parts.
08. Close the turning openings.
09. And done!
The twisted pirate
