Dog Food Bag Pillows

It's getting crazy, isn't it - the things we're supposed to recycle and reuse? Yes, it was much simpler in the days before recycling but we have to do it for our planet. It's not just milk jugs, tin cans, and plastic bags anymore, though. You're supposed to recycle just about everything so that you barely have to take out the trash anymore. Some things are fun to recycle. You don't have to go to a recycling center; you just turn those things into something else you might need or use. The perfect example is an empty dog food bag. It's exciting to turn it into a cute pillow, which is waterproof, and really easy to make.

A large dog food bag is perfect for making an outdoor pillow. Cut the top and bottom off of the bag before starting. Decide how large you want the pillow to be; it can be square, rectangular, or even round. It can be helpful to cut a piece of stiff, clear plastic to the shape and size you desire. Then, lay the plastic over the logo or other chosen area of the bag. The plastic allows you to see what design you will cut out. Draw around the plastic and cut out two exact pieces from the dog food bag.

Use thick thread and a large needle to machine-sew the two bag pieces together. Stack the two pieces so that their right sides are facing each other then sew nearly all the way around the arrangement. Leave a nice-size opening to allow you to turn and stuff the pillow. After sewing, turn the bag right-side-out. Use cotton, foam, or even scraps of fabric, to stuff the pillow. After you have it stuffed nicely, sew the opening shut.

If you want your pillow to have a button, it's really easy to do. You can purchase a button-making kit at a place that sells fabric and/or notions. Cover two, same-size buttons with circles cut from the dog food bag.

Slide the button shank onto a piece of button twine. Bring the ends of the thread together and thread them both through the eye of the needle. Push the needle through the center of the pillow. Pull the threads through and remove the needle. Slide the second button onto one of the threads, position the button in the center, then tie a knot in the two threads. Conceal the knot under the button and trim the threads.

The dog food pillows are just so adorable and perfect for using outdoors. They're so durable that you'll use them for many years to come. When they wear out, though, it's really easy to make another set.