two small squares is all you need...

...to make a bean bag, doll pillow, sachet or a pin-cushion!  This little project is perfect for a brand-new sew-er, or for anyone who likes to combine fabrics and have fun with color.  (See the variations at the end of the post.)

Supplies needed:
Two 5" squares of fabric
Cotton or polyester stuffing
Needle and thread
A 16" length of ribbon
Sewing Machine

***For the sake of the photographs, I am using bright red thread on this project.  Normally I would be using white or a color that doesn't show up as much.

With right sides of the fabric together, sew a 1/4" seam around the square, leaving a 2" opening for turning:

Clip the corners of the square close to the stitching (but not close enough to cut the thread!) so that when you turn your piece right-side out, the corners will be nice and pointed:

Turn your square right side out using a crochet hook to push out the corners:

Stuff the square firmly and then stitch it closed:

Now you simply tie on the ribbon to make it pretty:

 

Variations:

***Instead of stuffing, fill the square with beans or rice to make a bean-bag.   You will only need to fill it 3/4 full.  Make a bunch of these to create a fun game!

***While you are adding the stuffing, pour in 1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers or cloves to make a sachet.  These make great gifts!

***You may use your ribbon-tied square as a pin-cushion.  All sew-ers need a place to stash their pins!  These also make great gifts.

Happy sewing!

Comments

[Christin]

Oh I can already tell that I'm going to LOVE this site! I have three girls. In their head, a perfect day is full of crafts. :)
fun stuff...

[Fiona@Dragonfly-Crafts]

Great little tutorial.
This is such a great site for little or beginner sewers.

[Beck]

Oh, lovely! Do you have any recommended books for learning how to sew?

[Kristina in AZ]

Thank you for taking the time. My four girls and I will get started today. The Lord will Bless them today through your work.

[Anna]

What a great and simple project. I like the bean bag idea!

[Lynn]

Thank you so much for sharing this!!

[Linda]

Very cute and a great learning project for kids. I made one similar to this a while back. On mine I used embroidery floss to divide the square into quarters. I came up through the center and went around each side and pulled it tight so the corners sort of puffed out and then sewed a button down in the center. Hard to explain, LOL.

[Robin in New Jersey]

Very nice Randi. My girls love making these. We have so many doll pillows it's crazy! I think I'll encourage them to make them into little sachets for their gramas.

[N]

This is a great tutorial, but the problem I have as a beginner at sewing is - how do I sew the hole shut so it isn't visible? I can never get that straight, even though I've looked at loads of tutorials - that step is always missed out.