Día De Muertos Memory Pillow
Hello! I’ve been making pillows this week, but not just any pillows. I’m calling these “Memory Pillows” and they are made with gorgeous fabric from the Amor Eterno collection designed by Crafty Chica for Riley Blake Designs.
This vibrant collection has a beautiful meaning behind it. Here is how Craft Chica described it:
Amor Eterno is all about eternal love and its relation to Día de Muertos. Día de Muertos is a 3,000 year-old Mexican tradition that honors our loved ones who have passed away by celebrating the cycle of life. It’s meant to be joyous and colorful, never scary. The sugar skulls represent death and the sweetness of life. There are many customs such as creating an ofrenda to a loved one. This collection was created by me and my husband Patrick, as a way to share the beauty of a tradition. We have been creating and celebrating Día de Muertos for many years and it’s exciting to share it through this fabric collection!
I love this fabric line for so many reasons. My grandmother was born in Mexico, so I feel a strong connection to the country. Growing up in Southern California, I was always aware of this tradition and found it so interesting.
I decided to create two simple pillows that would properly showcase the gorgeous colors and designs in these fabrics, while embracing the meaning of the tradition.
I used the free Reading Pillow Tutorial on the Polka Dot Chair BLOG, which I love. The instructions are easy to follow and these pillows come together FAST. However, I am calling these “Memory Pillows,” because I made these with the idea that family members could slip notes or letters to loved ones that have passed in the pocket. Or maybe the pocket could hold special momentos.
The first pillow features the Main fabric and the Skulls fabric. I am totally in love with the sugar skull and wanted to showcase them in some way. I love how this tuned out! I added simple store bought piping around the edges for a nice, finished look.
I also added the piping along the top of the pocket. Here you can see a close up of some of the artistry in these fabrics. LOVE it!
I also added the ribbon handle as instructed in the Polka Dot Chair tutorial. It is both a fun and functional accent.
One more look at this pillow….so lovely!
For the second pillow, I used the Stripes and the Cats and Dots fabrics, along with a bit of 1/8” Riley Blake Gingham for an accent print. I love the idea of having a special pet pillow. It is so hard losing a beloved pet, and this might just be a sweet, therapeutic way to remember that special cat or dog.
I love how these three fabrics play together!
Instead of traditional piping, I created a simple faux piping on this pillow.
The corners look neatly folded, but even that is “faux.”
Take a look at this video to see how easy it is to add faux piping to your pillows and other projects.
I love both styles of piping, and both are much easier to incorporate into your project than you might think, so I hope you give it a go!
Thank you for stopping by today! You can get the FREE Reading Pillow Tutorial HERE.
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Amor Eterno by Crafty Chica is coming soon to your favorite local quilt shops and online retailers, so preorder yours today to get your hands on this beautiful fabric. Happy Sewing!