[ DIY ] The Super Easy Pillow

Let’s make a pillow! Making new pillow case covers is one of my favorite ways to update a space. Nothing makes your sofa or bed pop like a couple of pillow in a fun new print. PS – I do this a couple times a year on average so you know it must be easy and quick. I never have a lot of patience for complicated projects.

Your Tools:
- pillow inserts, fabric of your choice, measuring tape, matching thread, sewing machine, scissors and straight pins.

Step One:
- Get your fabric and cut out one long piece. I use the Ikea feather inserts that are 18″ x 18″ square, so the measurements I use here are based on that. For the fabric, I used a thrifted ikat print sari scarf in a pretty deep blue. I cut a piece of fabric that is about 19″ wide and 46″ long. This was about half the width of the scarf I had purchased so it worked perfectly for me. (Note: I serged the short ends but only because I have a serger. It’s not totally necessary to finish them unless you have a flimsy fraying fabric.)

Step Two:
- This is the super-easy “envelope” part. Take your scarf and fold each end in. Be sure to fold the right sides together! (My scarf was double sided so it made no difference for me.) Create a square that is about 19″ x 19″. You will have some excess fabric, so fold those parts over one more time (this will hide your unfinished edges).

Make one of the big folds slightly deeper than the other so that the whole thing overlaps. This will create the envelope when we flip it over. The important things are to create a square and an overlap of at least a few inches in the back. (The larger the overlap the better just FYI.) Pin each side together, folds and all. You can iron it now – or wait until the end. The above photo shows one side folded in. It’s about 11″ with a 2″ fold at the end.

Step Three:
- Sew! This is the easy part. Sew two straight lines. Yup. That’s it. I used a 5/8″ seam allowance but you can use 1/2″. I didn’t take a photo of this but I’m pretty sure you can guess what it looked like.

Step Four:
- Flip the whole shebang right-side out. (If you’re feeling fancy you can clip the corners down to make them sit more cleanly but you totally don’t have to.) Slip your new envelope case onto your pillow form and sit back to admire your handiwork.

This is the basic method but of course you can get fancy with these. I’ve put button closures in the back.  I’ve faked in extra seams to make them look like a normal pillow. This particular fabric had a border, which I used as a stripe detail at the fold in the back (not pictured). Get creative! My only advice is to really take your time at the folding and pinning stage. Make sure you get that part right and the rest will take care of itself.

If you are looking to give your space a dose of style- whether you are splashing out or on a budget – drop me a line. Check out my Hire Me! page for more details.