Are little boys really too cool for this....?!

I had planned on finishing this project prior to our trip to Florida a few weeks ago, but I simply ran out of time. However, Yanic is going to a Hockey Tournament in Toronto later this summer. So, here is my other perfect opportunity to make a travel pillow for him. I got the idea from Maya Made. She posted a really nice tutorial here.

I modified it a little bit, by adding a zipper on the back side (I know it would have been easier to simply add the zipper to the bottom of the pillow, but I don't like how pillows look that way.), a double handle, a bigger pocket so it could hold DIDJ/PSP/Leapster/etc. and some "appliques".

I used a 12x16 inch pillow insert.

My fabric pieces were cut as follows:

Front: 14x18 (basically use your pillow's measurements and add 2in to each side)

Back: 2 pieces 7x18

Pocket: 2 pieces (one can be any type of scrap fabric, as it will be the inside) 8x7

Handles: 2 pieces 4x15 (or shorter, if you prefer)

Zipper: I only had a 22 in on hand and shortened it to 14in

Fabric cut outs for appliques. I also added Yanic's player number on the pocket. Those I cut from black felt.

You basically attach all your "extras": pocket, handles, appliques and zipper before you sew the front panel to the back panel. Make sure to leave the zipper a tiny bit open before sewing all the way around your pillow. Otherwise, you will start using words you probably shouldn't when trying to turn the pillow right side out...

So, when all was said and done on this pillow I had the grand idea to make a pillow for each of Yanic's Team Mates as a Fundraiser type project: I was thinking to make one for everybody with their respective number, sell it to them for let's say 20$, keep what I spent on material and give the difference to the Hockey Association for the Team's icebill. Great idea, right?!

However, when I ran it by my husband, guess what he said: This is a girly thingy (meaning the pillow) and the kids will start laughing at it... For real???!!! I mean, we are talking about 6 and 7 year olds here. Am I really that far detached?

Well, we will see how all these oh so cool and grown-up 7 year olds will oooh and aaah over Yanic's pillow at the tournament...

By the way, this is my 94th post! Be sure to come back for a giveaway on or around my 100th post!