So, I started out with what was left over from Dad's shirt. I'd already cut out all of the pattern pieces for the bear, so all I had was the upper part of the shirt, to include the collar, and the cuffs. With Tom's help, we decided on a layout for the pillow and after looking for pillow forms at Joann's, decided that the 12" x 16" would be perfect (a 16" x 16" pillow would have worked if I hadn't already cut the shirt up for other purposes).
I tried to look up patterns on the internet, but only found ideas of what other people have done, so I tried to put together a bunch of ideas that I liked. With the shirt having already been cut up the sides, I open it up and cut the shirt into a rectangle shape, with the collar being off center. The rectangle was 17" x 25" to allow for a seam allowance. I also fastened the button at the collar and traced the inside on a piece of fabric that would have been discarded. That was cut out with about ½ inch all around.
So, what I should have done first, but ended up doing about halfway through, was attach thc cuff. I pinned it in place and sewed it down. Next, I think, should have been attaching the collar piece. It's there so that when the shirt is placed over the pillow, you don't see the pillow through the neck. It was probably the most complicated part of this project. I also cut out the tag, which Tom was insistant on as probably being the most important part of the shirt-pillow, and sewed it onto the collar piece in the approximate place that it would be seen in if the collar piece wasn't there.
Then, I folded the shirt in half, with the wrong side out, pinned it in place and sewed up the sides. Next, the bottom was pinned and sewn. I unbuttoned the buttons, turned the shirt right side out and squeezed the pillow into the shirt. Reaching in, smoothing out some imperfections and rebuttoning the shirt completed the project.
I hope that my brother likes it!
