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How to Make a Ball Pillow

Not only are pillows useful items both for comfort and décor, they can also be fun toys. Make a ball-shaped pillow out of colorful and soft fabric and see how much fun your kids can have with it. Ball pillows can be made in many different sizes and then used for a variety of different games. Make a small ball pillow and play a fun and harmless game of softball. Or, make a larger ball pillow and enjoy playing kick-ball. Learn how to make a ball pillow and see how much fun you will have with it.

Things You'll Need

Paper
Pencil
Tape measure
Scissors
1/2 yard knit or fleece fabric
Sewing machine
Sewing notions (pins, thread, scissors)
Drinking glass
Fabric pen
Fiberfill
Needle
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  
  Make a paper pattern for the ball, following the example image. A large ball pillow might be 10 to 12 inches tall and a small ball pillow may be 4 to 6 inches tall.
- 2
  Fold your fabric onto a flat work surface with the two selvage edges together and the wrong sides facing out. To find the selvage edges look for the fabric edges that are uncut (typically there will be printing along the selvage edges). Place these edges together, place the fold nearest you, and the selvage edges away from you.
- 3
  
  Pin the pattern piece to the double layer of fabric with the pattern piece parallel to the selvage edge. Cut around the pattern piece to cut out two pieces of fabric.
- 4
  Repeat Step 3 two more times to result in six pieces cut from your fabric.
- 5
  Use the bottom of a drinking glass to draw a round circle shape onto the wrong side of the fabric. The circle pattern must be 1/2 inch larger in diameter than the desired finished circle size. Cut two circles for the top and bottom of the ball.
- 6
  Lay the six fabric pieces in a flower shape to see how the ball pattern will be sewn together.
- 7
  Make a pile of fabric pieces in the order they need to be sewn together. Sew the first two fabric pieces together with right sides facing each other and using a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- 8
  Stitch the next fabric piece to the first two with right sides facing each other and continue adding the fabric pieces until all six have been joined in a row.
- 9
  Sew the first fabric piece to the sixth fabric piece with right sides facing each other and using a 1/2-inch seam allowance, except leave a 3-inch gap that will be used for stuffing the ball pillow.
- 10
  Turn the ball pillow right side out.
- 11
  Stuff the ball with fiberfill through the gap that was left open. Stuff the ball quite firmly for best results.
- 12
  Hand stitch the gap closed and with small whip stitches.
- 13
  Fold under 1/2 inch of the raw edge of each circle shape and press to keep the fold turned.
- 14
  Hand stitch a circle to the top and the bottom of the ball with small whip stitches. Knot the thread and clip close to the knot when finished sewing.

Plush Toys