Filling corners

Hiya.

Had a few questions about my pillow finishes.  The filling is Silky Soft.  I've used sawdust but I worry about any staining that may happen from the wood fibers so I line with muslin.  Also helps with the dust.  Crushed walnut shells are perfect for berries and small items but it does shift.  Corners for the ones filled with nuts or dust are always stuffed with the poly fill.  Not sure if anyone else does that but I prefer it.  I've gone so far as to use quilt batting strips to outline the shape before filling the body.  That outline helps minimizes the shifting and allows for a tight pack.

I did a post many years ago about the Steam and Smash which is how every one of the pillows are finished.  By steaming the fill as you go along, it creates a dense and more even finish.  I didn't like how the centers were puffed which pulls the sides in.  

The first fill goes into the corners.  I have a old letter opener that is not sharp or perfectly flat which prevents a poke through the backing or the linen.  I slide it against the inside of the sewn edges to smooth out any seam allowance bunching, then add fill.

Once the corner is stuffed, insert and push the metal blade to hold it in place, steam press it.  I need to steam several times to get the density I want with this Silky Soft.  Other products can almost melt and get flat and hard quickly.  This product doesn't and takes several attempts to decrease the puffy.

Continue stuffing the body and steam as you go, adjusting where needed.  The blade is only used for the corners. A final pressing when the pillow is done.

I purchased corner tools and inevitably created a hole with just about all of them. I have two old metal nail files that have an oval tip which work also.  Any plastic will of course melt with the heat.  Even if the corners are not steamed before filling, the center once smashed will help prevent that square from becoming an X.  Using the envelope method to close (this post) 

gives good access from the back to the corners if you're not happy with them.  Opening can be vertical or horizontal.  Using this method is great with thick quilt batting.  One or two layers cut to fit perfectly with slightly beveled edges, creates an flat even thickness with no steaming needed.  Whatever you prefer, it's all good.  My preference is dense and padded but not puffy.

Hope this answers your questions.

Still working on the Santa and deciding which one of the two chosen projects will be next.

The next several posts, no stitching involved.  Just the story of the situation which I hoped was coming to a close.  So far, it has not.  I will explain the sleepless nights and anger I can't seem to let go.  Not a pleasant story at all, read or ignore until Santa appears!

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