This sewing project is an awesome one for kids! Today, I am going to show you How To Make A Travel Game Pillow! If you hit the road a lot as a family, you know how important it is to be comfortable and prepared. I’ve found that, in particular, if I can make it easier for my kids to be in the car it is better and more fun for all of us. This little travel lap pillow is awesome! Plus, the customization options are endless. This project uses simple fabric and a cookie sheet as the base. You can choose fabrics to suit each kid, plus the size and type of cookie sheet. I found the Costco ones are definitely the most durable. The dollar store cookie sheet actually bent in my car when one of my kids knelt on it. This sewing project is great for advanced beginners and beyond. I had so much fun making this and my kids absolutely love it! Well worth it! You’ll need quite a few supplies to pull this project off, so be sure to consult the list below to make sure you have what you need.
One thing I want to point out is that this project call for both fabric and regular craft scissors to cut the velcro. You do not want to use your fabric scissors for anything other than fabric or they could dull. Pick out your fabric and let’s get started!
What You’ll Need:
- ½ yard fabric (if you want your top panel print to face the same direction, you’ll need 1 yard)
- 30 inches of sew-on Velcro
- Baking sheet (I used an 11” x 17” Costco baking sheet – $4, and a dollar store 9” x 12” cookie sheet)
- E6000 glue
- Matching Thread
- Fiber fill (Poly-fil)
- Turning tool or chopstick
- Pins
- Fabric Scissors
- Craft Scissors
- Optional Rotary Cutter & Mat
- Measuring tape
- Thread nippers
- Sewing machine
- Fabric marker
- Steel wool and gloves
How To Make A Travel Game Pillow
Start this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial by washing, drying, and ironing your fabric. This will help prep the fabric for your project by acting as it pre-shrinking process so you don’t mess up your stitches later. And since you’ll be using this when you travel, you’ll definitely want to wash it 🙂 Once you have done that, we can measure and cut out your fabric. Measurements will vary based on the size of the cookie sheet you chose. For an 11” x 17” sheet, you will need (1) 12” x 18” rectangle and (1) 17” x 25” rectangle.
Fold the larger rectangle in half lengthwise and then in half widthwise. You should have all four raw edge corners stacked together.
Measure and cut a 3” square from these corners – this is where a rotary mat, cutters, and acrylic ruler come especially in handy!
Now on this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, fold the fabric one corner at a time so the raw edges of this tiny square line up. Pin or clip to hold.
Stitch each set of corners together with ½” seam allowance, stopping at about ½” from the raw edges. Set this piece of fabric aside.
Next on this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, we will work on the attachment side. Cut two 15” strips of Velcro. Separate the pieces and set the rough sides aside.
On the 12” x 18” rectangle, lay out the soft pieces of Velcro so they are 5.25” apart. Using a thin line of hot glue (only in the center of the Velcro), glue the Velcro to the fabric.
Sew the Velcro onto the rectangle very close to the edge of the Velcro strips. Stitch in a rectangle all the way around the 4 sides of the Velcro. Take care not to stitch through any hot glue – your machine will not like that!
Now on this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, we need to create the pillow! Lay the Velcro-sewn rectangle face down on top of the boxy piece you created first. Make sure all of the raw edges match up exactly. Pin only one side of each corner and pin or clip all of the sides. You’ll need to wiggle the fabric around on each corner to get it to sew flat
With ½” seam allowance, stitch the fabric pieces together. Be sure to leave a 4”-5” gap for turning. Backstitch well at the beginning and end of sewing.
When you go around corners, stitch until you get to ½” from the end. Then, leaving your needle down in your fabric, lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90 degrees.
Also, carefully flip the corner under the fabric so you don’t sew through it. Sew down the next straight side with ½” seam allowance and repeat this process for each corner.
Next on this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, turn the fabric right side out through the gap you left. Use a turning tool to press out all edges and corners.
Fold in the raw edges of the gap ½” and press well.
Through the opening, stuff your pillow. You don’t want it to be too full because the tray will wobble too much. After stuffing, pin or clip your hole shut.
Sew the hole closed by topstitching very close to the edge. You can hand ladder-stitch this if you don’t want to see the seam, but it will be under the tray and you won’t see it anyway.
As we near the end of this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, we need to attach the Velcro to the tray! Using a small bit of steel wool (while wearing gloves!), rough up the surface of the bottom of the cookie sheet where the Velcro will need to attach. This will allow the glue to stick better.
Using your pillow as a rough guide, lay the Velcro out and mark where it will need to go on the tray using a sharpie.
For the final step in this how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial, glue the strip of Velcro to the tray using E6000 glue. You’ll need to make sure there are no gaps in the glue so it won’t buckle. Press the Velcro flat as you go along. The glue will not dry instantly, so you can move it around if needed. Then lay something flat and heavy on top of where there are any buckled spots to hold it while it dries. Be sure something flat and heavy isn’t going to stick in any leftover glue! Allow the glue to dry for at least 24 hours.
And that’s it! Now you know how to make a travel game pillow sewing tutorial! Once the glue is dry, you can attach your pillow and use the lap desk! These are great gifts, can be personalized for each child, and work GREAT on road trips! (I just used them for my 5 kids and they loved them! They could use them as the desk, but then detach the pillow from the desk when they wanted to take a nap.)
If you liked learning how to make a travel game pillow, make sure to pin it to your favorite Pinterest board or share it with friends on social media. If you decide to make this simple project on your own, make certain that you take a picture afterward and tag us on social media as we love seeing the fabrics and color choices that people use!
How To Make A Travel Game Pillow
Sew this fun little pillow for your next road trip! Simple and so nice for coloring and drawing!
Materials
Tools
Instructions
- Measurements will vary based on the size of the cookie sheet you chose. For an 11” x 17” sheet, you will need (1) 12” x 18” rectangle and (1) 17” x 25” rectangle.
- Fold the larger rectangle in half lengthwise and then in half widthwise. You should have all four raw edge corners stacked together.
- Fold the fabric one corner at a time so the raw edges of this tiny square line up.
- Pin or clip to hold.
- Stitch each set of corners together with ½” seam allowance, stopping at about ½” from the raw edges. Set this piece of fabric aside.
- Cut two 15” strips of Velcro. Separate the pieces and set the rough sides aside.
- On the 12” x 18” rectangle, lay out the soft pieces of Velcro so they are 5.25” apart. Using a thin line of hot glue (only in the center of the Velcro), glue the Velcro to the fabric.
- Sew the Velcro onto the rectangle very close to the edge of the Velcro strips. Stitch in a rectangle all the way around the 4 sides of the Velcro.
- Make sure all of the raw edges match up exactly. Pin only one side of each corner and pin or clip all of the sides.
- With ½” seam allowance, stitch the fabric pieces together. Be sure to leave a 4”-5” gap for turning. Backstitch well at the beginning and end of sewing.
- When you go around corners, stitch until you get to ½” from the end. Then, leaving your needle down in your fabric, lift the presser foot and turn the fabric 90 degrees.
- Carefully flip the corner under the fabric so you don’t sew through it.
- Sew down the next straight side with ½” seam allowance and repeat this process for each corner.
- Turn the fabric right side out through the gap you left. Use a turning tool to press out all edges and corners.
- Fold in the raw edges of the gap ½” and press well.
- Through the opening, stuff your pillow. Pin shut after.
- Sew the hole closed by topstitching very close to the edge
- Rough up tray with steel wool and glue velcro to tray
- Enjoy!