The Cookie Pillow

The basic Cookie Pillow can be made in several ways. I will explain my preferred method with a few variations in materials. I prefer to start with a circle of plywood about 3/8" thick. Thinner than that( ¼") and it tends to warp. Thicker (½") is very heavy but works well too. Size preference varies usually between 16" and 25" with 20" and 21" being most common. If plywood is not convenient then 1 or 2" ethafoam insulation works too. This may be obtained from building supply places and can be cut with a sharp knife.

With the wood base I prefer to drill a hole in the center for use with a pillow stand. It allows you to pivot the pillow around on a short dowel peg and prevents it falling off even when slanted. This is not practical with ethafoam base, as the hole would distort with very little use.

Once you have obtained your base the next step is the muslin inner pillow. I lay my fabric on the floor and trace around the base with a pencil. I cut out 2 layers of fabric on the outside edge of pencil line. Then I stitch a ¼" seam and an 1/8" seam inside that for extra strength. Both seams should leave an opening of about 6" on one edge and backstitched. Once you turn your muslin circle inside out you can commence stuffing.

I recommend fine wood "sawdust" for this purpose. I like the remnants left by a table/radial arm saw best. Not the curls left from planing. Make sure the wood does not contain bark or pitch will stain your pillow and thus your work. I sift it with a cat litter scoop (clean of course) to remove the occasional wood curl which makes inserting a pin into the pillow more difficult. You should partially fill pillow to a thickness of about 2". I then pin the opening with safety pins or close-pins and lay the pillow down on the wood base.(If ethafoam is used do this step on sheet on floor and don't fill as much) I use a rolling pin to pound and roll the sawdust as compactly as possible. I even walk on the pillow without shoes to get it as firm as possible. I also try to slightly mound it slightly thicker toward the center ending up with ½" to ¾" of compressed sawdust on edges and about 1" in center. If necessary adding more sawdust.

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