VW Bus Pillow

I made this fun VW pillow to go with baby #2's "adventure" themed nursery. It's great for babies - soft with lots of textures and features to look it. It could also be done in so many colours or patterns.

Skill Level: Intermediate sewer

Materials:

• Polar fleece in various colours (5 colours – black, white, grey, red + choice of van colour)
• Batting
• Thread
• Cardboard or paper
• Tacky glue

 
How to Guide:
 
Make your template
I used an old cereal box to get the size I wanted, but any piece of cardboard or paper will work!

• Draw the basic outline of your VW van.
• You may want to draw the full outline so you get an idea of what the van will look like whole, but you will only need one half for the template – this way it will be perfectly symmetrical.

• Once you get the shape you want, retrace about ½ inch around (to add room for the seam).​

​Retrace

• You will want to create separate templates for the bumper and wheels, so that you can add the ½ inch around for the seam.

​​Cut out your templates

• Cut out your templates along the ½ inch line. 

​Use your templates

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Fold right sides together.
• Place the straight edge of your template along the folded edge.

• Using fabric chalk, trace around your template.

Cut out your pieces

• Pin along the inside line of your shapes.

• Cut along the chalk line.
• Repeat a second time for each so that you have two of the same cutouts of the body, bumper and wheels.

​Body shop

• Lay out the front of your van on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Place the bumper right side down along the bottom and pin in place.
• Sew along the edge.

• Repeat for van rear.

​Wheel alignment

• Lay out the front your van on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Place the wheels right side down along the bottom of the bumper and pin in place.
• Sew along the edges.

• Repeat for van rear.

All the bits and pieces

• Using your full outline as a guide, draw the parts of the van details: the front “V”, the “VW” logo, 2 front headlights, front windows, rear lights, rear window. These should be exact size – no need to add ½ inch for the seam.
• Cut out your templates

 
*Tip - Place these cutouts on your van and make adjustments as needed to get the right size and shape. 

Use your templates

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side down.
• Using fabric chalk, trace around your templates.

• Repeat for all van details. .

Cut out your pieces

• Pin along the inside line of your shapes.

• Cut along the chalk line.

Features

• Lay the front of your van right side up and pin on your front features.

• Lay the rear of your van right side up and pin on your back features.

Sew on your features

• Line your needle up as close to the edge of your feature as possible and stitch in place.
• Repeat for all features, both for the front and rear.

• If you seam line is a little wider in some areas, carefully trim off the edges.

​Spare tire

• Lay out your fabric on a hard smooth surface, right side up.
• Fold right sides together.
• Trace and cut out a circle.
• Pin the 2 circles right side together

• Sew along the outer edge.

​Doughnut hole

• Draw a smaller circle in the middle of your tire.
• Cut out the inner circle.

• Turn the tire right side out.

​Wheels on the bus

• Lay the rear of your van right side up and place tire.
• Pin in place.

• Sew half way along the inner edge of the tire. 

​Air pump

• Fill the wheel with batting.
• Pin closed.

• Sew along the other half of the inner edge of the tire.

​VW Logo

• Lay the front of your van right side up and place the VW logo.
• Pin in place.
• Sew along the outer edge.

• Use tacky glue under the “VW” to keep in place. 

Front to back

• Place the front and rear of the van right side together and line up the edges.
• Pin in place.

• Sew the front and back together, leaving an opening at the side. 

Stuff it

• Turn your van right side out.
• Stuff it with the batting.

 
*TIP - When stuffing, fill the bumper and wheels first so that they are good and full. Try to “over stuff” a little, it will flatten in time so you want it good and stuffed to start

Close it up

• For the most seamless look, hand stitch the opening closed. 

Place in a cozy corner for snuggling