Clever Pillows
Cute as a button and easy to make, these decorative pillows bring charm to a chair, bed, or any corner that begs for a little cushy comfort.
These indoor-outdoor pillows are such a snap to make, you'll have plenty of time to sit back and enjoy a cool drink.
Sporting fun fabrics, buttons, and rickrack, this trio of patio pillows becomes a cheerful plump-up for outdoor furniture. Choose durable and affordable materials, such as terry cloth, cotton knit, and pique. The dressmaker details provide the finishing touches.
What You Need:
- Medium-weight solid-color and print fabrics
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Purchased square pillow forms
- Clothes iron
- Sewing machine
- Sewing thread
- Buttons or rickrack
Slipcover Pillow Instructions
- From one solid-color fabric, cut two squares 1 inch larger than the pillow form. With right sides together, sew the squares together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance and leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out and press to make a pillow cover. Insert the pillow form into the pillow cover, and slip-stitch the opening closed. (If desired, skip these steps and start with a purchased solid-color pillow.)
- From a contrasting print fabric, cut a panel twice as long as the pillow cover plus 1 inch and two-thirds as wide as the pillow cover plus 1 inch. Press the long edges of the panel under 1/4 inch twice to hem; topstitch. Fold the hemmed panel in half crosswise with the right side inside; sew the short ends together to make a slipcover. Turn right side out. Slide the slipcover over the pillow.
- Measure around a pillow end from one side edge of the slipcover to the other; add 1 inch. Cut two rickrack pieces that length.
- Remove the slipcover from the pillow; sew the rickrack ends to the hemmed slipcover edges to make straps. Slide the slipcover over the pillow, and loop the straps around the end.
Flange Pillow Instructions
- From one fabric, cut two squares 5 inches larger than the pillow form. With right sides together, sew the squares together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance and leaving a large opening for turning. Turn right side out and press to make a pillow cover.
- Sew around the perimeter of the pillow cover 2 inches from the edges, leaving an opening that matches the outer opening. Insert the pillow form into the pillow cover. Use a zipper foot to sew next to the pillow form, closing the inner opening and creating the flange. Slip-stitch the outer opening closed.
- Sew buttons to the corners of the pillow cover
- Or sew rickrack around the flange's outer edges.
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