Even if you think you can’t sew a pillow cover, I promise you can make this one. If you have a sewing machine and can sew a relatively straight stitch, you can make this Easy Sew Christmas pillow cover in less than 15 minutes. Really. I made five of them and by the time I got to the last one, I made it in under five minutes!
First, you need a pillow. Now you can go to the craft store and buy an over-priced pillow form. OR I’ll let you in on my secret. I shop at Home Goods frequently and every time I enter that store, I make a bee line to the clearance aisle to check out the pillows. There are almost ALWAYS pillows marked down to $8 or less. I don’t care what the cover looks like. I’m just interested in the pillow form inside. The clerks must be wondering what the heck my home decor is like since I’ve come out of there with some interesting covers! Another tip for the more experienced sewists: if the pillow cover has a zipper, I take it out with a seam ripper to use for future pillow covers that I sew in a zipper.
Here is what you will need to make these Christmas pillows:
- 18″ square pillow form
- 45″ wide fabric
- scissors
- sewing machine
Here’s my pillow. Yep, a Home Goods clearance shelf find.
Next, you will need fabric. I was in JoAnn’s looking for exactly this fabric. Red with white polka dots. And it was on sale! $1.99/yard. I bought 3 yards and had enough to cover 5 pillows.
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos to make your own pillow cover:
Center the pillow on one end of the still-folded fabric, leaving about 1-1/2″ of fabric extending beyond the edge of the pillow. (see photo above)
The excess fabric will be to the left of the pillow. (see photo above)
Make a small cut into the fabric about 1-1/2″ away from the right edge of the pillow.
At this point you can rip the fabric from the salvage edge to salvage edge to achieve a straight line. If you’re uncomfortable ripping the fabric, go ahead and cut with scissors instead.
Unfold the fabric and and then refold into thirds with the right sides of the fabric facing in. Adjust the folds until the width measures 18″.
Pin the raw edges together on both sides and sew a half-inch seam on both sides.
Turn pillow right-side out . . .
. . . insert your pillow and you’re done!
I love how they look on the green sofa with the pom-pom throw.
And they coordinate nicely with my tablecloth curtains!
It’s looking like another red and white Christmas at Create & Babble! The Holly Jolly sign fits right in.
I love the simplicity of your pillows. I would recommend ripping a straight line no matter how well you think the cutter did; so many fabrics are not “printed on the straight” and this way I know my cloth is square!
Silk sheets have never been my thing; they’re just too slippery. But a pillowcase is perfect.