Pouf there it is

Poufs it appears, are all the rage these days.  I’ve been seeing them everywhere. What began as a trickle a couple of years ago (I think I first saw them on Apartment Therapy) has gained momentum in what feels like a comfy deluge.  I believe the gold standard remains the leather Moroccan version (quite possibly from whence this trend has emerged).  But really, they now come in all colors, patterns and even shapes.

And guess what?  You can make your own.  No really, you can.  Because I did.  And if I can make them, so can you.

A couple of years ago I (like everyone else it seems) became smitten with the oft  soft ottomans and thought that a certain set of Kitchen Gods might enjoy one or two strategically placed in front of windows.  After some scouring of the internet, I found an Amy Butler pattern for something she called “Gumdrop Pillows.”  I didn’t post my process at the time because I figured I was on the back-end of a trend…not the front.

After ordering the patterns and sufficient time on Fabric.com, I had the necessary tools.

The first one I made went into the loft.  While I have a first-rate sewing machine, I haven’t ever really advanced past straight lines.  So, on the first try, I didn’t even consider the notion that I should match-up the patterns.

Luckily, the orange brocade was forgiving and you can only see the mismatch at the seams if you are really paying attention.

The second one I made for the office for use as an ottoman.  Even using the bigger pattern, it’s still a little low, but stack another pillow on top and you are good to go.

By this time I had figured out how to match the pattern but of course, had only ordered the amount of yardage listed in the pattern and so couldn’t do it all the way around.  So, if you don’t want to cut of your parrot’s head like I do, add an extra yard or two when purchasing fabric for your tuffet.

By the time I got the to pouf for the master bedroom, I finally succeeded in working with the eight seams.  I love this fabric and wanted to make a duvet from it.  Alas, none was to be found a year later when I was ready for the task.

Kids love these things.  So do the Kitchen Gods.  Though, typical to their kind, they refused to model for this post (can you find the retreating tail?).

One word of caution.  If you do decide to make these, watch the prices on fill.  If not careful, you could easily spend $100 to give these poufs their plump.  I bought mine from Joanne’s Fabric and lucked-out that they were having a sale.  An alternate (that I didn’t think of until I was finished with all three) might be to purchase inexpensive pillows and pull the fill from those.  Be sure to pack the guts really tight to get a perky pouf.