Vintage Cocktail Napkin Pillow

A little while ago I snagged a couple of vintage cocktail napkins from one of my favorite shops, NeatoKeen, on Etsy. I have kind of a chicken theme in my kitchen and thought the Les Enfants napkins would be perfect to frame and hang in my kitchen. I do love chickens, and french chickens, well, I couldn’t resist! I was in need for a gift for my momma for Mother’s Day, and knowing she loves chickens and all things Francaise, I decided to make her a pillow with one of my napkins. Cocktail napkins being rather small, I decided to piece it into a frame block of other fabric. The result was super cute, and the process is easy!

Here’s What You Need:

*Cocktail Napkin

*Scrap Fabric

*Fabric for Backing

*Pillow Form

*Trim

*Zipper, or velcro

*Sewing Machine and Thread

Instructions:

The first thing you need to do is measure your napkin and pillow form and decide how to make your strips. The napkin I had was roughly nine inches and my pillow form was a 14″. So I took the napkin and took out the seam allowance, so that mad it 8″ for a half inch on each side. So 14 minus 8 was 6″. Divide that in half and add your seam allowances back in. So, 6/2 is 3″ plus seam allowance on each side would be 4″. You want to make two bands the width of your napkin. In my case 4×9, and the other two to be the length of the pillow plus allowance, in my case 4×15. Cut a backing piece to be 15×15.

Start by laying the bottom band to the bottom of the napkin with right sides together and stitch together. Do the same thing with the top band and top of the napkin.

You should end up with a long piece with a fabric band, the napkin, then a bottom fabric band. Press the seams to the side of the band so it doesn’t show through your napkin.

Now you need to stitch up the sides. Lay the right side band to the pieced napkin and band right side with right sides facing. Stitch up the seam. Do the same thing with the left side. Press seams to the bands. You should end up with a napkin framed in by your four bands and a total piece that measures 15×15.

Top stitch around the napkin on the bands close to the seam, stitching down the seam allowance as you go.

Stitch the trim if you have any to the right side of the backing fabric close to the edge. I have to appologize but my other process photos are lost at the moment. So you need to now stitch up your pillow, but you need to add your closure first. In my case I had a zipper. I stitched the right side of the zipper on one side to the right side of the front pillow piece. Then I stitched the other half of the zipper to the right side of the back pillow piece. You can follow the directions on the zipper packaging too which can be very helpful if you are not familiar with zippers. Once your zipper is stitched in you need to finish sewing up your pillow. Stitch all the way around the pillow starting and ending where your zipper starts and stops. Clip your corners and turn the pillow case right side out, then insert your pillow form.

Isn’t it cute! My mom flipped over it, and it now sits on the little chair in her red sunroom, just as I photographed it. You can find vintage cocktail napkins online at places like Etsy or Ebay, or you can sometimes find them at flea markets and antique malls. I think they make great pieced pillows. It gives a whole new meaning to the term “Happy Hour!” I hope you all will give it a go sometime yourselves.  It’s such a fun project and can be made in under an hour too! I will be back next week with another fun DIY. Until then….

Happy Crafting!