Make Your Own Fruit Slice Pillows: Simple Sewing Tutorial

1 1/2 yards cotton or velvet-look fabric in your color of choice
1/2 yard white felt
1/2 yard colored felt (orange, green, yellow for citrus; red for watermelon)
Black felt sheet for seeds (watermelon, kiwi, dragonfruit)
Cotton cord for piping
Scotch tape
Sewing machine
Needle and thread

1. Cut your fabric pieces: two 14″ circles, two 2″ x 4″ strips, and four 22″ x 2″ strips cut on the bias (diagonally). To save fabric, fold the cloth and cut circles at the top and a 44″ x 4″ strip along the fold; then open and cut four 22″ x 2″ bias strips.

2. Cut felt details for each fruit:

• Citrus: one 10″ white circle plus eight colored wedges
• Watermelon: one 10″ white circle, one 9″ red circle, and black seeds
• Dragonfruit: one 10″ white circle with a wavy edge and black seeds
• Kiwi: one 6″ white circle and black seeds

3. Stitch felt pieces together and then stitch them to one fabric circle to create the front panel. Use the sewing foot edge as a guide for an even stitch or get closer to the edge if comfortable.

Assembly order suggestions:

• Citrus: stitch wedges to the white circle, then stitch that to the fabric circle.
• Watermelon: stitch seeds to red felt (do this early rather than at the end), stitch red to white felt, then stitch to the fabric circle.
• Dragonfruit: stitch seeds to the white felt, then to the fabric circle.
• Kiwi: attach the white felt to the fabric circle and stitch seeds around it on the fabric.

4. Prepare the side/siding: stitch the two 22″ x 4″ strips together lengthwise to make one long side piece. Set aside.

5. Make bias piping: take two bias-cut strips and join them at an angled seam. Press seams open, fold and press one short edge under 1″, then fold the strip lengthwise and press. Repeat with the other two strips.

6. Insert the cotton cord into the long folded channel so it starts at the folded 1″ end.

7. Pin the piping raw edge to the right side of the front circle and baste in place with a zipper foot, stopping about 1″ from the end. Trim the cord ends to meet, tape them together, tuck the raw fabric end into the folded end and finish basting closed. Repeat for the back circle.

8. Attach the side piece: pin the long side to the front circle (piping sandwiched between side and circle). Leave excess side fabric hanging—don’t trim yet. Start stitching about 1″ from the short edge and sew around the circle.

9. Bring the short side edges together, pin, and stitch them with a 1/2″ seam so the side fits the circle evenly.

10. Pin the back circle to the other edge of the side piece, right sides together, leaving a 4″ opening for turning.

11. Turn the pillow right side out and stuff it to the desired fullness.

12. Close the opening by hand with a slip stitch. Your fruit slice pillow is finished.