Piped Star Pillow

This pillow is identical to the Flat Star Pillow, or you could also do it with a Pieced Star Pillow.

Materials needed:

1/2 yard material
Batting/stuffing 
2 inch by 82 inch strip of contrasting fabric
84 inch of cording (I use corded elastic)
Small scrap of contrasting material (or small scrap of the main material)
Two 1 1/8 inch cover buttons (found in the notion section)
Long needle
Thread
Star pattern foundation piece

Trace the star pattern foundation piece five times, with the shorter ends pointing together, making a large star. 
This will be your star pattern

 

Cut out two stars using the pattern. 

We’re going to make the piping first.  You’ll need your zipper foot on your machine.
  
 

Place your cording into the center of the wrong side of the long fabric strip
 
Fold over on top of the cording, with the cording at the folded edge

Use your zipper foot to sew a straight stitch the length of the strip/cording right up against the edge of the cording

 

Secure with a bar tack at both ends
 
Now you have a big ol’ strip of piping.  YAY!

Pin the piping to the top side of one of the stars, matching raw edges
 
With your zipper foot still in place, sew along the corded edge of the piping, securing the piping to the one star

Get your other star.
Right sides together, layer the two stars, matching all points 

  
 
Starting about one inch down from one of the five points, sew all the way around the star, leaving about a four to five inch gap open for stuffing

Snip all five corners, up to, but not through, the stitching to release some of the fabric tension
Trim all five points up to, but not through, the stitching, to make a cleaner point when turned
Using open gap, turn to right sides.  Use a thin, blunt point to get the points properly turned, if necessary 

 

 

Begin stuffing.

You want it to be stuffed pretty full, especially in the points.  To make it easier to sew in the buttons at the end, though, I found it helped to stuff less right in the middle of the star.

 

Using your needle and thread, hand sew the gap closed

 

Using the cover button kit and your scraps, make two buttons, 1 1/8 inch

    

Time to sew the buttons on. 
I found it best for me to tie the end of the thread to one of the buttons.

      

Sew the buttons into the center of the star, pulling REALLY REALLY tight and securing as you go.  This was the hardest part for me, but when you get it…

You’re done!