Pillow Talk

I’ve been making pillows like crazy lately. I’ve totally got pillows on my mind. I’ve been sewing, taking lots of pictures as I go and then writing about how I did each one. I proclaim February “Pillow Month”. Each week I’ll share what I’ve made with lots of notes and pictures. I would love to hear back if you’ve tried any of them and I would love to see your pictures.

In between the pillows of my own I’m going to toss in a few pictures of lovely pillows I’ve noticed along the way. Perhaps they will be a source of inspiration for you.

This first pillow (on the right) is about as simple as it gets. I had this beautiful fabric even before I had the sofa. I love the gold and silver metallic for an icy winter look. For this pillow I used 1/2 yard of fabric and an 18” down/feather pillow insert. Instructions follow:

Cut 2 18” squares of fabric. Pin edges and begin stitching on one side just after a corner. Stitch all around, ending after just rounding the last corner. Trim off corners for ease in turning.

 

 

Turn right side out. Roll pillow for easier insertion. Once inside, shake pillow and pull pillow form to corners. For added fullness you can stuff pieces of fiberfill into each corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stand pillow with open seam facing upwards. Pull seam taut and pin opening. Stitch, hiding stitches into seam. Remove pins and shake.

There you go! This pillow literally took me 20 minutes to make and that included stopping to photograph along the way.

Have fun with this. Take your sofa cushion to the fabric store and pick out something to liven up your living room. As a decorator once told me, a collection of fresh new pillows can instantly change your room. If they’re this easy to make, why not give it a try?!

 

Notes:

• If you choose to put in a zipper, put that in first along the bottom seam. A 16” zipper works best for an 18” pillow.
• I always make sure I’ve sewn around each corner, rather than leaving the whole side open. It’s way more difficult to hand stitch the corners and make them match. It’s just a bit more work squeezing in the pillow form, but well worth the effort.
• If you don’t have a sewing machine, this pillow could be made by hand. I’d use a strong thread and keep the stitches nice and tight.

Comments

[Janet]

Check out this other blog:http://www.mygirlishwhims.blogspot.com/
I showed my how-to pillow post on her space.Fun!