Simple Sewing Activity: Pillow Mattress

If you ever need to keep your kids busy for a long period of time, this is the project for you!

These pillow mattresses are super useful for sleepovers and movie nights. They're simple to put together (you just need to know how to sew a straight line) and they provide an excellent opportunity for kids to personalize their own, keeping them engaged for hours.

You Will Need:

• 3 or 4 white pillowcases, depending on how tall your child is
• 3 or 4 pillows to fill the pillowcases once they are sewn together
• thick ribbon 
• sewing machine and thread
• fabric markers

Instructions:

1. Sew each pillow case to the next by overlapping the long edges 1/4 inch and sewing with a zig zag stitch.

2. Sew 14" inch pieces of ribbon on the open ends of each pillowcase, lining them up on the front and the back so they can be tied together in a bow. This will keep the pillows from sliding out of the pillowcases during use.

I folded over the ribbon edges twice and sewed with a zig zag stitch to keep the ribbon from fraying.

3. Fill the pillowcases up with pillows, tie the cases shut and let your child design and draw and colour. The pillows keep the child comfy while they draw and they keep the colour from bleeding through to the other side of the pillowcase. 

The colouring process may take days, even weeks. My children even turned their mattresses over a few months later and coloured the other side! We have used both fabric markers and permanent markers, both have worked well.

4. When the pillow mattresses are not in use, they roll up and can be stored away in the closet or under a bed.

These mattresses make great sleepover guest beds or comfy additions to family movie nights! We have even used ours in a tent for camping!