Annoucement: I recently made a biggggg mistake and managed to delete all of my blog photos. I am working to get them all back up asap. Please bear with me, and if you have any questions on tutorials, please feel free to email me and I will try to help you out as best as I can...Thanks!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Tutorial: How to make or recover a throw pillow



For the last few weeks, I have been recovering an outdoor couch and making matching throw pillows for my cousin (pics coming soon!), so I thought it would be the perfect oppurtunity to post a quick and simple tutorial for those of you wanting to start sewing.




If you are using a pillow form, measure the height and width from seam to seam, making sure to pull the tape measure so that it fits snuggly over the pillow.  Also, if your pillow form is new, and doesn't feel like it is well stuffed, I would suggest subtracting at least half an inch from the measurement.  This pillow form looks nice and full, but if you squeeze it, it doesn't feel very dense.  My final product looked good, but I suspect that as they get squished with use, and the poly-fil gets all squished together, they will start to look sort of droopy....they actually already were a little until I fluffed them up.  Making the cover a little too small would help with this.  And if you are going to be stuffing, your pillow with poly-fil, stuff it good!  You don't want it to be hard...it's supposed to be a pillow, but when you think it's stuffed enough...add a handful.


Once you have got your measurements (mine was 20 x 20) add 1" for seam allowance, and cut two squares.



Pin them together with right sides facing on three sides.  If you are using a pillow form, leave the entire bottom open.  If you are stuffing with poly-fil, leave a 4" opening in the center of the bottom.



Stitch all the way around, pivoting at the corners.  It may help to mark your pivot points with a disappearing fabric marker.


Cut the corners at an angle.


I don't have a pressing/tailor's ham (these help to press rounded surfaces or hard to reach seam allowances), so I rolled up an old towel and wrapped ponytails around it.  I also, made a smaller one using a hand towel.


Press all the seams open, using a pressing ham (or towel) for the top seam.  If you are filling with poly-fil, you probably have to use the pressing ham for all the seams


Fold the open edge up on half inch, and press. 


Turn the pillow RS out, and use something pointy, like a chopstick (nothing too pointy...learned that the hard way...fyi:  BBQ sewers do NOT work!) to turn the corners all the way out.  Stuff in the pillow form or  fill with poly-fil.


Use a ladder stitch to close up the opening....



And your done!


Upcoming Tutorials:

Easy Lined Drapes
How to {Properly} Sew on a Button
What the Heck Are All These Feet For?

If you have any sewing questions, please email me!




1 comments:

www.apronsandapples@blogspot.com said...

Great job! I am working on a tutorial for those ugly attached seat and back outdoor cushions. I should gat that done. You inpired me! kristy from www.apronsandapples.blogspot.com

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