Adirondack Chair Neck Pillows
Adirondack chair neck pillows. I first saw them at a high-end garden center in Seattle about 8 years ago—my husband, John, had just made me 2 beautiful Adirondack chairs to go with a new fire pit for my 50th birthday. I loved them!!! I was even able to talk him into building 2 more to use for when we had friends over!
Adirondack chairs are surprisingly comfortable for wooden chairs. The angle of the seat is great for your lower back, the wide arms are perfect to rest a book, snack or drink and the high backs make them a perfect place for catnaps!
While I liked the concept of the head/neck pillows I had seen at the garden center—the design left a little to be desired as they hung over the back of the chair, weighted down with sand to keep them in place. Fast forward to 2017. As I began to use outdoor fabric to make window awnings for T@b™teardrop trailers, I had remnants to play with to design the perfect neck pillows.
As is typically the case, the design evolved. I started with fabric, pillow forms and polyester strapping with a plastic buckle. Concerned about the water-resistance of pillow forms, I substituted some poly batting I had left over from several poufs I had made a few years back. The strapping didn't quite work either as the geometry of the seats made gravity work against me. A test with elastic from my window awnings proved successful.
After a bit of trial and error, I made two sets for us and we used them successfully for the summer. In late summer, I made up about 30 sets to list in my Etsy shop. Ok ... timing is everything ... listing a summer item when most people are gearing up for winter ... oh well.
Surprisingly, I have sold more than I had expected. It appears they are an all-season item in some of the warmer parts of the US.
I currently have them on sale in my SHOP for the holidays ... you never know.And am contemplating a tutorial to share with everyone if there's enough interest. And I have now created a TUTORIAL for those of you who are DIYers!
What's been your most fun creation outside of quilts this year?
All the best,
Lisa
While I liked the concept of the head/neck pillows I had seen at the garden center—the design left a little to be desired as they hung over the back of the chair, weighted down with sand to keep them in place. Fast forward to 2017. As I began to use outdoor fabric to make window awnings for T@b™teardrop trailers, I had remnants to play with to design the perfect neck pillows.
As is typically the case, the design evolved. I started with fabric, pillow forms and polyester strapping with a plastic buckle. Concerned about the water-resistance of pillow forms, I substituted some poly batting I had left over from several poufs I had made a few years back. The strapping didn't quite work either as the geometry of the seats made gravity work against me. A test with elastic from my window awnings proved successful.
After a bit of trial and error, I made two sets for us and we used them successfully for the summer. In late summer, I made up about 30 sets to list in my Etsy shop. Ok ... timing is everything ... listing a summer item when most people are gearing up for winter ... oh well.
Surprisingly, I have sold more than I had expected. It appears they are an all-season item in some of the warmer parts of the US.
I currently have them on sale in my SHOP for the holidays ... you never know.
What's been your most fun creation outside of quilts this year?
All the best,
Lisa
Came over to read about the neck pillows but WOW!!! Love your new blog look!!
ReplyDeleteThis neck pillow project is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I recently got a couple of Adirondack chairs for our backyard, and while I love how they feel, having a bit more neck support would make them even better. Your creative process is so relatable—starting with something you saw in a store, improving the design, and making it your own. I like that you used leftover poly batting instead of store-bought pillow forms, especially considering outdoor conditions. The elastic solution instead of straps is genius, too—it sounds so much easier to use and more secure. I appreciate how you shared the ups and downs of your design journey, including selling them on Etsy at the “wrong” time. It’s a reminder that sometimes great ideas take time to find their audience. I’ll be making a neck pillow for my chair after reading this. Thanks so much!
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