All our projects here at Sew4Home focus on the fabric, because the right combination of color and design makes all the difference between a project that turns out so-so and one that is decidedly so-cool. But every so often, a fabric arrives in our hands that demands to be made into something particularly unique. Such was the case when we received a pre-release Layer Cake of Moda's upcoming collection Get A Clue With Nancy Drew®. We were right in the middle of creating the pillow projects for this week's Pillow Personality with Fairfield Processing series. Senior Designer, Alicia Thommas took one look at this collection, and memories flooded back of hiding under the covers with a flashlight to read just one more chapter of The Secret of the Old Clock or The Clue of the Velvet Mask. And so... today's Secret Pocket Pillow was born – our Retro Pillow Personality. Hidden in the pillow's four patchwork quadrants are four pockets to hold your most secret treasures.

"Tick Tock, Cap'n... Tick, Tock... someone is coming!" I don't know about you, but I spent a good chunk of my childhood hoping, wishing, dreaming I could fly like Peter Pan. I never actually jumped off the roof of the garden shed, but... I climbed up there and thought about it! Today, our Pillow Personality is: Playful. We've created a wonderfully sneaky crocodile, our homage to the creepy croc in Peter Pan who was forever stalking Captain Hook. Minky Dot and low nap fleece are the perfect pair for the top and bottom of Mr. Croc. Two widths of rick rack form his teeth and spine. And, we chose Fairfield's luxuriously silky Poly-Fil® Supreme Fiberfill as our stuffing. The texture is wonderful for toys, plus it's washable and non-allergenic. Although he looks complex, our crocodile takes just a little while. And, the pattern is a free download! "I was never to see Peter Pan again. Now I tell his story to my children and they will tell it to their children, and so it will go on - for all children grow up... Except one."

A bench cushion is one of the top projects new sewers list as the decorating puzzle that finally got them thinking about making something on their own rather than buying. Standard bench cushions are certainly available in stores, but I think we can all agree that they never, ever, ever fit right. This is a hard-and-fast truth, just like Jamoca® Almond Fudge is the best Baskins-Robbins® ice cream flavor is a truth (don't cross me on this one... I used to work there in high school!). Our cushion was made to fit a 18" x 48" wrought iron bench. This is a pretty standard size, but remember, the beauty of this project is to make a custom cushion that fits YOUR bench! Simply measure the width and length, then adjust our measurements up or down accordingly.

No pillow series would be complete without a little something for the furry members of the family. Our plush pet bed uses two layers of Fairfield's NU-Foam® for a soft yet stable cushion. Official test-pup, Sandy the Welsh Corgi, declared it to be the perfect place to catch 40 (to 400) winks. There's an easy-to-insert plastic zipper in one side so you can remove the cover and toss it in the wash. The finished size is about 27" x 36", which makes it good for a small to medium size dog or a couple giant cats. You can expand, or reduce, the dimensions as needed to best fit your best friend.