# Short introduction to the use of sewing machines/Sewing labs/Dreamo/Research and development

In this section will be added research about new materials and development of design.

## Materials

The materials used for pillows are pillow inserts (fillers) and fabric. Experimental: When feathers are used a pillow thicken is used to prevent the leathers to cross through the fabric.
Another benefit of using organics materials that were produced without carcinogen materials will eliminate the risk of develop cancer due toxic substances, keeping you and your family free of congenital diseases.

#### Pillow external fabric

Fabrics are measured in yards, each yard is equivalent to 36 inches. The wide of the material is stated are measured in inches and are shown on the side of the materials were are packed or placed, many materials had a wide of 40 or 44 inches wide that is more than enough for our project, since the wide of our pillow is 30 inches, so we only need to calculate how much fabric we will buy for the length of both sides of the pillow and the line that will connect them (and allow the expansion of the pillow).
The size for the materials is at least the length of the pillow, the pillow we will make will have a length of 50 inches, in this case We need at least 2 sides to make a pillow, so we will have to buy in this case 3 yards of material or 108 inches, in order to not be short of materials during the middle of the sewing process.
Sources: Fabrics can be bought in many places and fabrics stores.
During the selection of the material we can choose the color of the material, the softness of the material, the type of material. In this case I choose one with the following details:
Color: Honeydew Fabric: 100 % color. Wide: 44 inches (the material came with this wide). Length 3 yards or 108 inches.
Other options: Cotton, wool, feathers Goose, etc.

### Pillow inserts

Inserts or fillers (infills) used in dreamo pillows are 100 % Kapok, 100 % cotton or 100 % wool or kapok filling.
Experimental: If feathers are used, a thicker fabric is used called ticking.

#### Kapok filler

Kapok trees has been source for pillow fillers for centuries.
Advantages:
* Natural
* Can be bought in an hypoallergenic presentation (where less synthetic chemicals are used for its production)
* Kapok does not poke the pillows and does not need a thicken inside the pillows.
* Low price.
Disadvantages:
Sources:

#### Cotton

Recommended 100 % cotton organic without bleach, but any option could be used. Benefits: Is breathable. I went to a fabrics, arts and crafts store and bought a few yards... Bleached can be used but organic materials without bleaching are less allergenic.
Advantages:
* Can be bought in an hypoallergenic presentation (where less synthetic chemicals are used for its production)
* Cotton does not poke the pillows and does not need a thicken inside the pillows.
Disadvantages:
Sources: Cotton stuffing can be bought by pounds in department stores, fabric stores, etc.

#### Wool

Can be obtained from Alpaca, sheep, goats and other animals.
Advantages: Can be bought in an hypoallergenic presentation (where less synthetic chemicals are used for its production)
Disadvantages:
Sources: Cotton stuffing can be bought by pounds in department stores.

#### Feathers (experimental)

The options are duck and goose down and feathers. We can classify them in down and feathers, where down of birds is a layer of fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers.
Goose feather. They are very soft, provide a great cushion and can easily move in any direction inside the pillow at any time.
Advantages: Allow a modifiable distribution of the material inside the pillows.
Disadvantages:
* Feathers can be allergic to humans.
* A Ticking fabric must be used to avoid feathers poke users or exit the pillow trough the fabric having the risk of going into the lungs and produce pneumonia or disperse particles and feathers trough the rooms.
Sources:
* Filling Feathers can be bought in department stores.
* Can be bought either in department stores or be bought as a pillow on sale (when they are 75 % off) and use the infill a pillow with a shape and design adapted to your anatomy.
* As alternative, can be used feathers from a traditional squared pillow.
Warning: Pillows that use feather as insert or filing/cushion material can pass though cotton fabric and release allergens and feathers over the bed or room that are being used, in some cases could feathers can exit the pillow the first day of use and could be a possible cause of pneumonia in extreme cases. For this reason ticking fabric (also made with cotton) must be used to prevent the feathers to pass though cotton fabric and release allergens and feathers, this will keep the feathers inside the pillows.

## Designs
### Tongue shaped

The tongue design is made to occupy the area where the human body sleeps, a difference form the horizontal-rectangular design that covers the user head area without neck or upper spine support.

### Half body model

This was the original version of the pillow, it gives cushion to the following areas:
Head,
Neck
Upper back
Back,
and Butocks.
but need to be tested to see the effects of the pillow pressure toward the lungs and it's effects in the respiratory processes of the users.
For now the current model or version for the book is the ones that covers head, neck and upper spine.

#### Measuring and cutting the area of the pillow

Measure the areas for your body, put yourself in a sleep position and take the following measures:
a.- The distance from the top of your head to the end of your buttocks (close to your legs):
In my case: 35 inches is de distance your head to the end of your buttocks. In your case: ____ inches
b.- The distance of the wide of your whole body from one side to the other side: In my case: 24 inches wide. In your case: ____ inches wide.

#### Cutting the upper and lower fabrics for the pillow

Cut 2 rectangular pieces for the pillow, this will be the upper and lower area of the pillow, it will be a square that covers your whole upper part: 35x24 inches. In your case: ___ inches x ___ inches
Warning: Pillows that use feather filling must contain the pillow with Pillow Ticking (also made with cotton), since they prevent the feathers to pass though cotton fabric and release allergens and feathers though its use since the first day of use with the possible cause of pneumonia in extreme cases. If feathers are used, these material measuring and cutting will be for the pillow thicken and after that an additional cotton layer can be added if desired.

#### Measures for the sections of the pillow

Measure the following distances:
The distance from the end of your buttocks to the start of your buttocks (upper part): In my case 7 inches. In your case: ___ inches.
The distance from the start of your buttocks to the start of your ribs: In my case 6 inches. In your case: ___ inches.
The distance from your shoulders to the start of your ribs: In my case __ inches. In your case: ___ inches.
The distance from the start of you neck to your shoulders or upper back. In my case __ inches. In your case: ___ inches.
The distance from the top of your head to the start of your neck (or your chin) In my case __ inches. In your case: ___ inches.

#### Adding 3 inches to each of the previous measures

To each one of this distances or segments you will add 3 inches, this will allow 1.5 inches up and down freedom degree, this will be 10, 9, etc.
In both of the big rectangles (top and bottom of the pillow) mark the area where your neck starts, taking in count the 3 added inches...
In my case it is 10 inches from the buttocks towards the head or 25 inches from the head towards the buttocks.
From this part you will mark a line towards the center of the head or upper part, then you will draw a semicircle from the left side going to the top part of the head, then towards the other side of the pillow,
This will be the drawing of a semi-circle that will be the supporting area for the head (not a triangle), cut this part with scissors, this will give the pillow a tongue shape (instead of a rectangular shape), while at the same time will allow us to eliminate unnecessary material and eliminate any heat excess.

#### Measuring, cut and marking the sides of the pillow

Cut 2 long rectangles for the sides of the pillow:
They will be 50 inches long and 3 inches tall; It was original 35 inches, but we will added 3 inches for each one of the 5 segments where we added material. This will allow us to have excess material in case of needing it during the sewing of the pieces, this will avoid to be short of material in this part.
This long rectangles will connect the top of the pillow with its bottom, it will be their intermediate area that connect both sides, and will allow the infill to be dispersed towards the sides. The initial shape of this 2 long side pieces will be a rectangle, in this case 50x3 inches... the long can be changed, this will be the distance from your buttocks to the top of your head.
Initially these were two long rectangle, 50x3 inches, but now we will modify this long rectangles in some areas to give them a high of 3 inches or a lower part of 1.5 inches, this will allow the infill to be dispersed towards the sides rather than keep it pushing towards the head, neck and back, according the anatomy of our body.
It will give the pillow a height of 1.5 inches in the areas that we want to increase material or pressure and 3 inches in the area that we want to reduces material or pressure in order to give more cushion when is needed or reduce pressure in areas of the body closer to the bed. The use of this will allow the proper distribution of material, reducing pressure and increasing comfort and cushion, for this we will mark dots in this rectangles:
* In the lower extreme or lower part mark a dot from the base of the rectangles to its top, that is 3 inches, then add the following dots:
* In the position center of your buttocks (in my case around 5 inches from the extreme of the rectangle) mark a dot at 1.5 inches from the base of the rectangle.
____ inches + ___ inches = ____ inches.
* Mark a dot 1.5 inches from the base of the rectangle at the spot where is located your the beginning of your lower rib.
____ inches + ___ inches = ____ inches.
* Mark a dot at 3 inches from the base of the rectangle at the spot where is the center of your neck .
____ inches + ___ inches = ____ inches.
* Mark a dot at 1.5 from the base of the rectangle at the spot where is located the crown of your head since this area is the closed towards the bed.
____ inches + ___ inches = ____ inches.
* In the other extreme, upper part or initial position of the rectangle (area for the top of your head) this segment will have 3 inches, add a dot if you wish, it is not necessary since is the top of the rectangle.
____ inches + ___ inches = ____ inches.
Remember to add the 3 inches of freedom to each segment.
This rectangle is 35 inches long and 3 inches tall, both extremes will be 3 inches, and now we will connect the marked dots with curves or lines, connect them freely, it does not need to be perfect.
Finally cut the rectangle following the marked line, repeat this or make this steps at the same time in the other 35x3 inches rectangle.
This long rectangle will connect the upper part of the pillow with the lower part of the pillow, and it's function is are the follow:
The areas of the body that are closed to the bed will correspond to the areas of the rectangle 1.5 inches tall, this will reduce the area for infill and forcing the infill to go to the other areas reducing pressure from the head and giving space to the body in these areas: Crown of the head, area from the shoulders to the ribs and buttocks, while at the same time will align or level all parts of the body. This reduce material and pressure in the center of the crown of the head, and upper back area.
The areas of the body that are far from the bed will correspond to the areas of the rectangle 3 inches tall, this will increase the area for infill, allowing the expansion of this areas and giving cushion this areas: Lower extreme, upper extreme, neck and area between buttocks and ribs, while at the same time will align or level all parts of the body. This will increase material and cushion approaching and when reaching space of necks curvature, and lower back curvature.
In most of pillows to top and bottom sides are sewed together, that does not allow and easy distribution of the infill and just keep pushing the infill towards the center of the pillow, towards the head, neck and back, in an awkward way giving pressure and material where is not needed.
A third long rectangle can be added for the lower part, this will be the long of your shoulders, in this example 24 inches x 3 inches, we can cut a 30x3 segment in order to not be short of material during the sewing of the segment.
Do not worry of mistakes, even the cut or shapes are not perfect, the 3 inches will allow or compensate the mistakes of the design.

## References

* ↑ Book: Árboles emblemáticos de Venezuela,2013, ISBN 978-980-235-044-5, pages 34-37

## See also

* Short_introduction_to_the_use_of_sewing_machines
* Dreamo
* Dreamo origin - The design of a new pillow paradigm