How to make Thrift Store pillow covers

I had a CRAZY day yesterday.

I started out doing an interview for LondonPreneurs (more on that to come).
While I was out and about, I thought I'd see if I could find the toys that my girls are begging and pleading for - Littlest Pet Shops.
Not just any Littlest Pet Shops - nope, that would be too easy - they want old LPS and they only want dogs and cats.

The problem with this is that you can't buy them in regular stores.  You can only get them used at garage sales or thrift stores, or pay a fortune through Ebay if they are considered "rare".

So yesterday I hit two different thrift stores in the hopes of coming across these elusive, but oh-so-coveted, toys....

No luck on the LPS front...

BUT

I did find these treasures:

Nope, I don't need any more clothes.
These are for CHRISTMAS!
Christmas pillow covers to be exact!

This may be the easiest sewing project you ever do.

1.  Find button-down or zip front shirts that are wide enough to cover your pillow.

2.  Turn the shirt/sweater inside out and sew straight lines under the collar and inside of the arm areas.
For this sweater, I just needed to sew across under the armpit because the side seams were perfect for the pillow I wanted to cover.

3.  Sew the hem of the shirt together closing up the square of material.

For this black velour I needed to sew across and down the sides so that the pillow cover would be square. 

4. Open up the zipper or buttons and turn right side out.

5.  Insert your pillows and you're done!

Once I saw this plaid pattern I knew I needed black and red shirts to tie it all into a theme.

Isn't that fantastic?! 
I have the buttons/zipper showing on the black and red one, but flipped the plaid over so the buttons are on the back.

Easy, washable and these shirts cost me $3 each at the Salvation Army!

My hunt for Littlest Pet Shop toys was called to abrupt halt with a phone call from the school letting me know that this happened:

Turns out some wall had the gumption to up and attack her!

(A baseball bat did that to me when I was about 10; like-Mother-like-Daughter) 

It all worked out in the end.  Tooth is temporarily bonded, I have new Christmas pillows to show off and perhaps one of you blog friends is looking to get rid of old Littlest Pet Shop toys?  (E-me!)

Bear in mind that I'm now broke from the Dentist bill, so only contact me if you're selling them cheap.  lol

Have a great one!
  
 




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