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A Little Pillow Talk
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When we fixed up the living room after the flood repairs and renovations, we put neutral covers on our couch and loveseat. Rory and I found some really pretty pillows to brighten them. Since there is not yet any decoration at all on the walls, the pillows really made a big difference. We decided that having seasonal pillows would be something we could have fun with while changing the feel of the room a bit from time-to-time.
It was late spring when we got our lovely pillows, and we haven’t changed them yet. our major budget constraints has kept up from being able to purchase four pillows at $25 to $35 a pop. But last Friday, Rory and I went out to the Sugar Plum Christmas Boutique (you can read more about Sugar Plum here). We didn’t expect to purchase anything. We just went out to look around and have some fun, which we did. Then, we found a 3-1/2 yard remnant on sale for $4.50 … I quickly estimated if that would be enough to cover my pillows and decided we couldn’t pass it up.
At home, I scrounged through my mother’s old sewing stuffs and found thread and snaps, as well as some leftover ribbon that I’d been saving. I measured the pillows and came up with a formula for how much material I would need to cover each pillow and just how I would go about sewing it. This is what I came up with…
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DIY Pillow Covers
How Much Fabric Is Needed:
- Measure Your pillow all the way around both length and width.
For the Length:
- Add 1-1/2 inches for turning and sewing edges.
- Add another 6 inches for overlap.
My pillows are square. they measured 33-1/2 inches. So here’s the formula for figuring out how to cut my fabric. 33.5 + 1.5 + 6 = 41 inches
For the Width:
- Divide the all around width measure by 2
- Add 1-1/2 inches for side seams
- Add 1/4 inch for stuffing room
33.5 / 2 = 16.75
16.75 + 1.5 + .25 = 18.5 inches
So, I needed to cut 41 x 18.5 inch pieces of fabric .
How To Sew The Pillow Covers:
- Start with the short edges of the fabric. Turn fabric right-side down. Fold edge over to the wrong-side of fabric (about the width of the sewing foot). Stitch.
- Turn the edge over again and Stitch. This will keep raw edges from being exposed. Do both short edges of fabric this way.
- Fold the fabric length-wise, right-side out, so there is 6 inches of overlap. Pin and stitch each side. (I lined up the edge of the sewing foot with the edged of the material.)
- Once both sides are stitched, turn the pillow cover inside out and stitch the sides again.
- Flip pillow cover right-side out. Your sewing is finished!
Options:
You do not need to use anything to seal the overlap flap closed, but you could use snaps (like me) that would be hidden, velcro, buttons, or even ribboning. The possibilities are endless.
This is a basic, simple pillow cover that you can embellish how ever you like. I decorated my pillow with a fall ribbon.
**NOTE – my ribbon was wired, so I pulled the wire out of the ribbon before sewing it around the pillow. Since I will be using these pillow covers for Christmas as well as Thanksgiving, I did not attach the ribbon to the pillow cover, but rather just sewed it around it so that it will slide off when I want to change the decoration. I hand stitched the ribbon at the edges so you cannot even see where I stitched.
So, for $4.50 Rory and I have new Fall pillows just in time for our Thanksgiving celebration!
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Do you have any money saving decorating ideas?
I’d love to hear your ideas for pillow decorations.
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~Lorelai
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I love your pillow cover idea! They are beautiful!! I just crocheted some pillow covers myself because life is too short for boring pillows!
Ha! I love your reasoning!!! 😀 but since I don;t crochet, I had to resort to a more basic idea…
This pillow case looks very pretty 🙂 sounds easy to make too 🙂
It really was very simple! I glad you think they turned out nicely. 🙂
How festive your pillows look and you make it look so easy. No excuse to not have our homes look great for fall.
It really was simple to do. And it didn’t take all that long to sew up either. 🙂
You are so incredibly creative! It always amazes me. Love the pillows!
Thanks, Rhonda! I’m very happy with how they turned out. 🙂
These pillow covers look really simple to make. I love the idea of changing the ribbon with the season! 🙂
We thought it would great to change out our throw pillows for the seasons… this sure makes it an easy and economical way to do it! 🙂
This is such a great idea, Lorelai!!! You are brilliant!!!
Thank you! “blush” I’m really glad you like them. 🙂
I think they are adorable! I love seasonal pillows. I have Christmas ones, but I want to do some for the Fourth of July my other favorite holiday. Can’t wait to see what you do with them next.
I am excited about being able to change them up. We will most likely use this same green gingham cover for Christmas with a different adornment. I haven’t decided exactly what as yet. 🙂
Your pillow covers are lovely. If I could sew I would try this for sure. And your ribbon is just the thing for fall. Beautiful!
I love this ribbon! I’ve used this ribbon for years on several other things around the house for Fall (including my refrigerator door handle), so using it on the pillows ties everything together very nicely. I was glad I had enough of it leftover to do these pillows. 🙂
The ribbon idea is SMART! Change it up for the holiday! Pinning!
Thanks for the pin, Carli! I love things that can be changed for other holidays. 🙂
I really need to break out my sewing machine to make these. I love the cool addition that the ribbon adds to them.
I hadn’t used my sewing machine in years! It was kind of fun to sew again. I really love the ribbon too… thanks! 🙂
Pinned to my DIY board. LOVE the ribbon idea, what a great way to make the pillows work for every season.
It saves on storage too! Thanks for the Pin. 🙂
I love the ribbon idea too! Those pillows are adorable. I wish I could sew.
This project doesn’t take much skill… that’s why I could do it. 😉 Give it a shot, you’d be surprised.
Wow, I love it! They are so cute and I can’t believe you did it that cheaply. I’d love to have a sewing machine, maybe someday 🙂 You are so crafty!
Well, it would have cost a little bit more if I didn’t already have the snaps, thread, and ribbon, but those things are inexpensive anyway. Glad you like them! 🙂
Those pillows look so festive and seasonal. I love that you can change the ribbons! Pinned!
Oh, thank you, Anita! I’m excited to see what all I can do with them. 🙂
Your pillows look great! You should link some of your posts to DIY blog hops. They’re very god!
What a great idea, Bonnie. Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
Oh I love this idea! I’m sharing with my mom!
Glad you like it, Katherine. Thanks for sharing with your mom! 🙂
I think budget constraints lead to creative ideas. This certainly did for you! Your talents and creative eye always make me smile. I’ve been saving old shirts (husband’s flannel) to patch together some winter pillow covers. I think saving some old jeans may be put in my ‘recycled’ fabric pile too. Do you have a ‘freecycle.org’ in your area? great way to find FREE goodies too. Can’t wait to see your ‘winter’ pillow makeover next 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 Reusing flannels and jeans–great idea. I’ve never heard of “freecycle.org” what is it?
What a great idea Lorelai. I never thought of putting the ribbon around them, or of using wired ribbon and removing the wire. Terrific. These are really cute and what a great buy! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Regina. Wired ribbon isn’t for everything, but the wire can be removed easily. 🙂
Super easy and awesome idea for changing out the ribbons for the season! I love love love finding cheap little things to add some personality around the house.
I am with you there, Missy! It totally made my day when we found that fabric so inexpensively! 🙂
This looked like a simple yet festive way to get everyone in the mood!
I know, right? Even the couches have a little Fall pizzazz! 🙂
These pillows are.so cute! I have made pillows for years but never thought about using ribbon this way!
I’m glad you like them, Linda. Do you have any great tips to share from all of your experience?
Lorelai,
This was a great idea! Please teach me out to sew a straight line! Lol I am determined to make a flannel snow man for my mantle piece for Christmas. Great job!
Thanks, Alicia! I tend to use the side of the foot or the lines on the plate beneath the foot for guidance, but there is an attachment that screws into the plate that has an edge that is a guide. You might ask about one for your machine. 🙂
Very nice & festive! I need to get my mom’s sewing machine out & try using it – I’ve really got the crafting bug…
Thank you. 🙂 My mom gave me her old sewing machine when I got married… she had a new-fangled fancy one. Then, she said the one she gave me was way better. HA! I do love it, even though I don’t use it as often as I would like or maybe should.
Those are too cute! I’m going to be honest. I won’t be able to do it. I have never been good at sewing although my mom was a great seamstress. May have to get you to do one for me. 🙂
I could do that! I was happy with how the turned out. 🙂
The orange ribbon makes your pillows so different. They look more fresh and cute.
Thanks, Adelien. I love that fall ribbon. It was leftover from some other decorating I do around the house for Autumn. 🙂
What a great idea about adding ribbon to pillows! TFS
I totally enjoy be able to change up my pillows at little to no cost. Fun, fun, fun! 🙂
Lorilei, these turned outs so cute! I have such a huge pillow fetish and own WAY too many. Anymore when I make a seasonal pillow I make it to cover a pillow that I already have. It’s so nice to just slip it off afterwards and have a flat thing to store instead of another pillow. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Pillows are such an easy way to add to your decor, and you’re right… this is a cost and storage effective idea. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Hey, I remember this post! I still love it!!! Thanks for linking up over at the #homematters linky party! Remember, we’ve moved the party to FRIDAY! We hope to see you then!
I will be there! 🙂 I always look forward to your party.
These turned out great! Thank you for the step by step instructions. I’m so happy to be part of the #HomeMattersParty with you!
Those are adorable – what a great way to keep using something that either doesn’t match anymore, or just needs a pick-me-up. I love it!
Isn’t that the truth, Jamie! So glad you like it. 🙂
$4.50? Girl you are killing it! I love how you were able to add a little spice to your room… pillows are a great way to change up your style for the seasons while keeping the bones of the room the same! Love the interchangeable ribbon! Thanks for linking up at the Welcome Home Wednesday Link Party! Can’t wait to see what you link up next week!
Thanks, Betsy! 🙂 I’m loving your new party.
So nice Lorelai! I love how you did the ribbon to be able to change it up with different holidays.
Thank you for being such a great “host mama” for the #HomeMattersParty. We’ve learned so much from you!
I love the idea of adding a ribbon to pillows to embellish them! Lately, I have been on a pillow sewing mission, but no embellishments what so ever. TFS
Ribbons provide so many great options! Give it a try, Oliva. 🙂
Is it really time to start thinking about fall again, already?! I love fall, but am not quite ready to let go of summer yet.
Great idea with the pillow covers though. Not only does that make it easy to change them seasonally, but it saves a ton of space when storing them until next year.
I’m really enjoying co-hosting the #HomeMattersParty with you this month.
It really does save money and space! I love being able to use things for multiple purposes. 🙂
I make a lot of pillow covers so that I can swap the form out for holidays. Love how you made the ribbon so that you can slip it off and do the same! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I love things that can have a multi-purpose, and decorating for each holiday is so fun to do! 🙂
These turned out great and I love that you can change them up for the seasons. What a bargain too. I LOVE find the right thing at the right time for the right price. Yay you! They are perfect.
Thanks, Michelle! 🙂
Great tips! Thanks for co-hosting the #homemattersparty and allowing me to co-host with you.