Emoji Pillow

Let's make an emoji pillow!  I have seen these in the store, and they are really popular.  

This project is easy enough for a beginner crocheter and can be made in a weekend.  I actually crocheted most of this while watching television.  The round pillow pattern can be found in the Teach Me to Crochet book by LeisureArts.com.

The cover of this book says "Simple lessons designed with kids in mind", which is great because sometimes even us adults need someone to break things down to the simplest form for us. 

Here is the lesson for the round pillow.  It uses a half double crochet stitch for the project.  I had never done a half double crochet so I loved that there are great photos to show you step by step how to do this stitch.  There are even views to show the steps for a right handed person or a left handed person . . . most of the tutorials I have seen online just show right handed examples, so if you are a lefty you will love this book.

The lesson tells you exactly how many rows, or rounds, to do for each color but it also let's you know that you can vary this to make a solid color pillow or use all variegated yarn to allow the yarn to create the pattern.  This is great that the book is teaching us to use the basic pattern for an inspiration and let our own creativity take the project in the direction we want it to go in.

 I followed the pattern and created my two circular shapes for the front and the back of the pillow.

Next I used some scrap fabric and quilter's batting to create the center stuffing for the pillow.  I made mine out of a bright yellow to match the yarn to help camouflage it.  You could also purchase a pillow form or even make this to cover an old round pillow you have.  This center piece will also help to keep any of the stuffing from poking through the holes between the crochet stitches.

Now it is time to assembly the pillow . . . but before I do, look at the three circles together . . . if I were to vary the sizes of the circles, this could be a cute Mickey Mouse pillow!  (looks like I have an idea for ANOTHER project!)

With the stuffing piece sandwiched inside, to a whip stitch all the way around the outside of the pillow to attach the front to the back.  While I was doing this I found it hard to hold the front, back and stuffing piece in place so I removed the stuffing center and did the whip stitch around half of the pillow . . . then I put the center back in to do the second half.  This made things more manageable to hold on to.

If you wanted to stop here you could.  I think a bed or couch would look really cute with several bright colored round polka dot pillows in various sizes on it!  Or put a giant M on the front of this and you have M&M pillows!  Make it in green and and a giant eyeball and it is a Mike Wazowski pillow!

(again . . . looks like I have some future project ideas coming!)

Next I decided to use my Cricut to cut some Oly Fun fabric for the face of the pillow.  I used my George and Basic Shapes Cricut cartridge to make the heart and circle.  For the settings I used a deep cut blade set at 5, with the speed and pressure all the way down to the lowest setting.  I also used a multi cut of 4.  I cut the two heart shapes at 3 1/4" and then I cut a black circle at 7 1/4", which I cut in half for the mouth.

Next I used some Fabric Fusion to glue the face pieces to the front of the pillow.  Fabric Fusion had a good hold but dries soft so that the shapes would not feel stiff and hard.

And there you have it . . . an emoji pillow!

I think he turned out adorable!  You could make a whole collection of these with the different emoji faces on them.  

Make sure to check out the other crochet projects in the books from LeisureArts.com and let them inspire your next crafting project!

To check out some of my other crochet projects, click HERE