All Things Dog Blog

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Not too creative, artsy or crafty? It's okay. You can still make a cute puppy-themed pillow for your couch or a gift for your dog-loving friend. There's just something about a hand-made gift that says "You're special to me".

This pillow requires no sewing, no glue, no drawing or painting. All you need is a pair of sharp scissors, some fleece fabric in a cute dog print (or anything else for that matter), and a good movie to watch while you make your masterpiece.

You're probably asking "How much fabric?" That's easy. The lady that measures your fleece for you can help. Just pick out the pillow form first, than select the fabric you like for it. When you go to the cutting area, the clerk will be able to help you. Tell her you're planning to make a Tie-Pillow and need enough fabric for the pillow you have selected. Hand her the pillow form. She'll tell you how much you need and may even offer a few other tips. Here are mine:

Before the clerk makes the 'cut', check the remnants area for any possibilities. You can save big on those last portions of fabric from a bolt.
Wash the fleece according to the directions on the cardboard bolt it came on. Tumble dry on low.
Now fold the fabric in half, with the finished edges together, opposite the folded middle section.
Cut along the fold, so that all four sides are cut.
Cut an arrowhead-shaped piece out of each of the 4 corners, to make your tying easier.
Lie the pillow in the middle and cut slits through both layers, directing them toward the pillow, leaving a small border of uncut fabric around the pillow. You'll want your slits to be about 1 inch apart, but you don't need to measure them for perfection.
If your fabric seems way too large, no matter. You can trim the ties after you're done. They're actually easier to tie off when they are longer, so this may be a plus. Also, you can have some fun cutting them at different angles to make the fringed area a little different. Have fun with this!
Start by tying the four corners of your pillow. If it is a round or oval pillow, select 4 equally spaced locations to tie off first. You can use a square knot or any type of knot that assures both sides are double knotted for security.
Now tie your knots, working your way around from center to center, between each set of already-tied knots, until you've tied each set.
When you're satisfied that no ties are left untied, go around the pillow looking for peekaboo holes where the pillow is visible. You can take a tie from two side-by-side knots and tie these together to cover visible holes.
Finally, trim the ties in whatever fashion suits your fancy.

By now the movie should be over and you'll have a new pillow to give as a gift or enjoy in your own home. I made mine small for airplane travel. Hopefully I won't be dreaming of chewy bones. Happy tails!