Make a Pillow from Recycled Tshirt Craft | Janome Sewing Machine Review

I received the Janome Fast Lane Fuchsia Portable Sewing Machine for review. My first thoughts on the machine is that it really looks so attractive and fun – with its hot pink and yellow colors. Its also small, making it easy to carry around and portable.

Like it? Repin it on Pinterest!

I love that the Janome Fast Lane sewing machine has stitch options listed right on the machine, next to the setting wheel so there is no need to search around for an instruction manual once you are ready to get started.

Fast Lane has built in storage too! On the front of the machine, there’s a little drawer where you can store your pins, needles, thimbles, tape measure and so on. This is a great addition to the machine making it easy to have everything you need right there in one spot. And since it’s portable, everything is ready on-the-go!

Janome Fast Lane Fuchsia Portable Sewing Machine Review

These bright, colorful machines are as great to display when not in use as they are to sew with. Only weighing five pounds, it’s easy to take you machine with you wherever you may travel! Looking for a child friendly sewing machine? This is without a doubt the best option. Not only is there a Derby Line machine for everyone’s favorite colors, but the presser foot is specially designed to prevent little hands from finding their way underneath the needle. Don’t be fooled! This machine is not a cheap toy likely to break and plagued by poor stitch quality. It can create some fantastic work for children of all ages. Whether this is a first sewing machine or a travel machine for someone who can’t ever be too far from their hobby, you can certainly count on the ability to create a wide range of projects from simple hemming or garment fixes to doll clothes or furniture all the way to quilt piecing and construction. Believe in your creativity and see where Janome’s Derby Line can take you!

What comes in the box:

Sewing Machine
Two bobbins
Needle
Needle Threader
Foot Control
Power Supply Cord
Instruction Manual

Pros:

Attractive color (six color options available)
Light weight, and portable design.
10 stitching options with easy settings
Informative step-by-step instruction guide (with pictures) detailing how to thread the machine, sew, stitch, ect.
Added storage in the machine.
A great starter machine for teens, and those just learning how to sew.
Its not too loud to use when your hubby is sleeping in the next room 🙂
Inspires creativity in younger kids! It looks *fun* and it interested my little girl right away. She has been coming up with all kinds of different things she wants to make like doll clothes and blankets, gift bags, and hair accessories.
Its kid safe with the added finger guard of the sewing foot.

Cons:

It’s difficult to see when you’re trying to thread the needle, I had to use a small flashlight to help me out.
It comes with everything you need to get started besides the thread. It would have been nice to receive some basic color thread with the set. But, thread is cheap enough. lol

My final thoughts are that I love this little machine! Its a perfect starter for those like myself who are just learning to sew. Its great that I can easily pack it to my in laws so that my mother in law can teach me some new things. Its attractive enough for display in my bedroom, and its actually quite easy to use once you figure out how to thread it! I can see this getting quite a bit of use for gift making, and more crafts with my little girl. The one thing about it that sticks out more than anything is that its so affordable for even those of us who tend to be frugal bargain hunters! This is one to add to your holiday wish list!

A little about me:

In the world of sewing I am very much a *beginner*!! I have never before used a sewing machine, and am used to only simple hand sewing with a needle and thread. I can fix small rips and tears, and re-attach a button. That is pretty much all I have ever done. When I was young, my mom would sew things. She would hand-stitch designs on pillows she had made as gifts, and put together doll clothes for me. She had a lot of patience, and was a very creative lady. I unfortunately didn’t have the passion for sewing as she did, so I never asked her to teach me. I want my own little girl to know how to do these basic things I never learned myself. So this DIY Tshirt Pillow Sewing Craft was a great start for both of us! I knew I wanted to do start with something simple, with easy lines and that was easy to follow; so that the final product wouldn’t be a complete disaster. After it was completed, we were so excited because it actually came out really great! It is nowhere near perfect, and the stitching is crazy in places, but we set out to make a cute and functional pillow, and that is just what we did! 🙂 We loved our time spent together too, and will remember it for years to come. Isn’t that really what it’s all about!?

How to Make a Pillow from Recycled Tshirt Craft

Items needed:

A plain or print t-shirt in the size appropriate for the pillow size you want (kids pillow – kids shirt /adult pillow – adult shirt, etc.)
Optional: I used a plain shirt, and added a design I cut-out from a 2nd shirt to sew on. I used the back of the 2nd shirt to make a pocket. Get creative! 🙂
Seam ripper
Scissors
Thread
Stuffing – re-use stuffing from an old pillow, or you buy it pretty cheaply at a craft supply store, or Walmart.

Instructions:

Get your machine ready to sew with your chosen thread, and settings.
If you have chosen to place an image on the pillow from another shirt (like me) cut out the image from about 1/4 of an inch from its outline.
If you are using the remainder of the shirt for a pocket, flip it over and cut out a square about 1 1/12 inches bigger than you want the size of your pocket to be.
Set your cut image, and pocket fabric aside.
For your pillow – rip the seams of the t-shirt sleeves, and remove them. Clean up any loose threads by pulling them out.
Use scissors to cut one side of the t-shirt upward to the sleeve hole.
Lay your shirt out flat, and cut off any extra underarm fabric that might be sticking out. You want a line up the sides as straight as possible. Set aside.
Now its time to make your pocket! Start by folding about half an inch of one of the sides under evenly and sew a line down the entire length.
Repeat for the opposite side, as well as the top, and bottom of the pocket. Now you should have a nice clean edged, and pretty square to use as a pocket.
Now, place your pocket on the shirt side you want to be the back. Make sure it is centered, and away from the bottom. And keep in mind the shirt will *pucker* once we fill it later.
Sew it on making sure to leave the top slit open.
On the opposite side of the shirt you are using as your front, you will now place on your image.
Sew around the image completely making sure its nice and snug all the way around.
Now we are going to sew up the side that you cut up to the sleeve earlier.
Turn the shirt inside out, so now your image, and pocket will be on the inside of the shirt.
Lay your shirt out flat, and match the sides as straight as possible.
You want to sew a straight line up the entire side you cut about 1/4 of an inch away from the edge.
Now you want to sew up the arm whole area on the opposite side. I just went ahead an repeated the same line upward as I did with the previous side.
For the top of the shirt you want to tuck the shoulder, and neckline into a line as straight, and even as possible. and sew across.
Now you want to close up the bottom of the shirt with a straight line with the same 1/2 away from the edge, only this time we are going to leave a 2-3 inches open for the last steps.
After you have sewn the bottom leaving the small hole, turn your shirt inside out.
Now your shirt should be a square shape, with your image on the front, and the pocket on the back.
Begin filling your tshirt with the stuffing, add as much in as you want! My little girl likes her pillows kind of squishy, and not so firm so we left some room in there.
After you have filled it up full, now you want to close the hole up. You can use the sewing machine for this, or go ahead and do it by hand.
That’s it!! Enjoy your newly made pillow, and remember that imperfections add character! 🙂

Make a Pillow from Recycled Tshirt Craft | Janome Sewing Machine Review