Creating Cool Pillows for the Whole Family

If you want to refresh the look of your living room, den, bedroom, or anywhere else without a great investment of time or money, creating cool pillows that the whole family will enjoy looking at and cuddling with is a perfect place to start. Whether you are handy with a sewing machine or can only sew a straight line, if you can stencil on fabric, or are creative in finding pieces of cloth that can be turned into pillows, here are some ideas to get your inspiration flowing.

If you are no expert with a sewing machine, making a throw pillow is a good way to get satisfaction from a DIY project that looks nice and doesn’t require too much in terms of sewing skills. Here are the supplies you will need to create an easy pillow cover:

• One yard of the fabric of your choice (you may be able to get two pillows out of it).
• Transparent ruler or fabric tape measure (you may also want a cutting mat)
• Scissors
• Simple sewing machine

Here is how to get this done:

Size

Start by deciding on the size. If you already have a pillow that you now wish to make a cover for, measure the pillow and think about whether you want the new pillow to feel fuller. If that is the case, cut your fabric exactly as large as the current pillow which will be stuffed into this new cover.

Fabric

Measure the fabric. A good idea is to buy a less expensive cut for the back. If your fabric for the front has a motif such as a bunch of flowers, measure the pillow around the design so that it will end up centered. Once you have that first square, place it on top of the less expensive fabric and cut an identical square out of that. Cut the less expensive square in half since this will serve as a doorway for the old pillow to slide in through. You may also want to cut off the corners before you start sewing in order to keep the corners from bunching up when the outside of the pillow is turned out.

Once you have your fabric cut, it is recommended that you iron it. This way your pillows will look professional and crisp once they are finished.

Sew

Hem the two sides of your back pillows. Fold the hem down one inch and iron it. Keep on sewing until you have the square finished. Turn it so the nice fabric is out and stuff it.

If you buy plain fabrics to make the pillow, recruit your kids to help you decorate them. You can start with some laminated burlap or felt and cut a silhouette such as an animal or a fruit, for example. You can trace the cut by hand and just glue it onto the blank pillow. Or you may also use some rope and twine to glue on some letters or words. You can also create designs that you can iron on using heat transfer paper.

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Getting the kids involved in creating their own personalized pillows & pillowcases is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon and the result will be enjoyed by all for a long time.

Published in: DIY | Author: Lynn