Materials:
pillow form
soft, leather-like material
leather lacing
hole punch tool
pencil
scissors
non-metal mallet
stamping mat or sturdy surface
conchos and beads
Steps:
- Determine the depth of the flange. Most are two to three inches depending upon the size of the pillow.
- Cut four leather lacing strips measuring the length of one side of the pillow plus five to 10 inches, depending upon the size of the pillow.
- Use a pencil to mark the depth of the flange with a pencil on the wrong side of the soft, leather-like material. When deciding where the holes will go for the leather lacing, experiment with a ruler or yardstick. Aim to indicate the same number of holes on all sides and to space them as evenly as possible.
- Mark dots for the holes along the pencil line drawn in step 3.
- Place the pillow front over the pillow back on the cutting mat so that they're right sides are together and their edges are lined up.
- Using a mallet and a hole punch tool, punch holes on the marks. The holes should be bigger than the leather lacing so they can be laced without using a needle.
- Place the pillow front over the pillow back, with the wrong sides together. Begin at one corner, and insert the lacing though the holes, weaving in and out.
- When at the end of one side, pull the leather lacing through so that there is an equal amount left over at both ends. Lace two more sides in the same manner.
- Insert the pillow form, and lace up the last side.
- Finish the pillow by stringing conchos and beads on the extra lacing left at each end, and tie them off.
)
