Five:

Pinch both corners together, pin and hand sew. Repeat on other side

Six: pull pins from the stuffing opening and push stuffing into the ends to get a nice shape...get rid of all the wrinkles.
This is also why you need to pull the stuffing out of the points before folding over points and sewing ends.
...attach tassels.

Seven: The next to the last thing you do, is hand sew the back seam closed. Note on the above photo, i use heavy twine thread and a curved needle. Once you get used to a curved needle, you'll love it. It's not essential but much more difficult if you don't use a curved needle.

Eight: Get a cup of coffee, sit back and admire your handy work.

Thanks so much, Joann! You really make it seem easy. I can't sew anything, and don't have a sewing machine, but I think I'll try this!

I have copied all of this, so that when I start this project I will have it handy. You are so sweet to share, and what a lovely pillow it is.

P.S. Is that a chamber pot on the lovely glass table? It looks to be. What is growing it? More questions, Joann. You know, you have too many talents, so the questions never end.

Lovely, magazine-worthy photos and backgrounds, too. Thanks, Joann.

Tammy, I'm happy for you, if you've never sewed before, this is a great beginner project. You can sew the seams by hand with a straight needle, just use small tight stitches, the curved needle comes into play to sew the ends together and sew the stuffing opening close. These bolsters can be made for any size. The one I just showed you finished at 13" long x 18" all round, Remember I cut the fabric about 18 x18". If you want it longer, then cut it longer.
Pictured below is the next bolster I'll show ya'll how to do (when I get some time) it's a sunburst bolster. I made these bolsters shorter and fatter.

Thank you wooderlander. :)

Now Patricia, You sure have a good eye. I'm no expert on pots chamber or otherwise. Last year I did pick up one in an antique store for our daughter. She has a few and has put mine in her Living room with a plant in it and it looks wonderful.
I picked up this pot up at a yard sale. I asked the woman how much and she said 1.00...so I flinched (cause the price was so cheap) she saw me flinch and said oh ok, 50 cents!
LOL ...before I go any further my son is a flinch-er. He has it perfected, he automatically flinches and the second price out of every ones mouth is always cheaper. He cracks me up...
My friends tell me he's a 'cheap off the old block!'
The same son gave me this bonsai schefflera (sp?) plant about 10 years ago. I just transplanted it in the round brown pot cause it fit into the "chamber pot" ... Prior to this the plant was in a bonsai dish. I am currently on the lookout for another chamber pot for my seven year old Ming alera (sp?) bonsai in our living room. I know I can find one on ebay, but part of the fun is the hunt!
I'm also looking for a big pot for my orchid in the Living Room (it's been in bloom since June) right now it's in one of my big kitchen bowls.

Oh My.
I've admired the pics of all your (you and your hubby) woodwork and now this!

I am in the process (verry slooooow process) of finishing up my M.Bedroom and on an extremely tight budget right now.
I know that I will have extra fabric left from the window treatments so your instructions are going to come in very handy and are SO Appreciated!

The instructions are printing out as I type this, complete with your photos.

Your works, all of what you do, is wonderful, simply wonderful!
Thank you so very much!

Thank you Amity, It makes me happy to inspire and to help people. The triangle pillow is another easy as pie pillow,
just cut two identical triangles, turn face down and sew together leaving a small opening for stuffing, Turn inside out and stuff, sew opening shut and add tasles. There are two in the above photos and this is the other one I have three all together.
Here's the other one.

Note: the one on the sofa I sewed completely by hand while watching TV one night! So anyone without a sewing machine...
you can do this as well. :)

Joann:

Wow! That is just brilliant! Just brilliant!

Thanks so much for posting the directions. As of tomorrow, I'll be ripping apart and reconfiguring a couple of my amateur bolsters so that I can get this far more professional look.

Do you perhaps have a preferred online source for bullion, gimp, tassels and that sort of stuff? I used to have stores near me, but they are closing at an alarming rate. Any suggestions on where it can be purchased?

Thanks again!

Hi gillianma,
Sorry, I know of no on line source for trims etc. I have a wonderful place near me on Long Island
(a wholesale warehouse) that I buy all my fabric and trim from.
Hopefully there are others that cab help you.

Joann

What a fun house! Beautiful work, Joann!! Thanks for all the inspiration :)

You have great pillows and I love your bonsai!

Thanks Joann! This is so helpful. I feel like I can actually make one now. I really like your style. All the fabrics you use are great. Where do you find them?

You can also take the same amount of fabric or make it a bit bigger so the pillow will be wider, sew the rough edges under (fold under 1/4" and then again another 1/4") on the width (Looking at the pictures, this would be the sides on the right and left). Fold the whole thing in half lengthwise so the rough sides are toghether and sew the whole length of the pillow (again, looking a the photo, you would be sewing the top part of the square). Then flip the whole thing right side out and use something to tie off the one end, stuff and tie off the other end.

Kind of like this....

Here is a link that might be useful: tied bolster

Cool! I'm going to try that! I love pillows and I love tassels. Great pillows Joann - I, too, like the triangle ones.

tina

Thanks Squirrelhaven and cattknap, tina,robbyrob.

I found this huge wholesale fabric warehouse in an industrial park, not far from me. The are wholesalers but also have a section in the front for retail. Since I cleaned my desk, I can't find their business card for the address, however after work today, I'll look it up and get back to you and any other Long Islanders that buy fabric (you'll never pay retail for fabric again)
Sweets is right, cutting the fabric wider or longer will give you different size bolsters.
The size I cut 18 x 18 -- made a cushion 12" long x 18 around,
that is the size I wanted for the chair.
When we made the sunburst ones for the living room sofa (pictured above) I cut the fabric wider...the living room
bolsters are 13" long x 23 " around...you can see in the photo that it's a fatter bolster. It also has a fabric covered button in the center that the tassel hangs from.

If anyone makes the simple (I call it an envelope bolster)
please post it here.

Happy sewing...

Joann