How to Button Tuft a Pillow

Make a hand-tufted pillow using basic craft supplies.

When you are decorating your home, you can end up spending a lot of money on fancy room accessories, such as button tufted pillows. Alternatively, you can make your own using a few basic sewing materials, bought inexpensively from any arts and crafts supply store. Making a button tuft pillow also lets you perfectly match the colors of the pillow to the colors in your room.

Things You'll Need

• Cotton fabric
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Straight pins
• Needle
• Cotton thread
• Cotton batting
• Button, 2-inches in diameter
• Embroidery needle
• Embroidery thread

Instructions

1. Cut a rectangle from cotton fabric using scissors that is 12-by-24 inches.

2. Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise with the right sides together, and pin around the edges using straight pins. Leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

3. Sew around the pinned edges using a needle and cotton thread, leaving 3-inch unsewn. Remove the straight pins and turn the form right side out.

4. Fill the pillow with cotton batting until it is plump but not taut. Turn the edges of the opening in by 1/2-inch and sewn it closed.

5. Place a 2-inch wide button onto the middle of one side of the pillow, and sew it in place using an embroidery needle and embroidery thread.

6. Insert the embroidery needle into one hole of the button, and push it straight through the pillow and into the fabric on the opposite side.

7. Pull the needle so that the thread cinches the button into the pillow. Sew a stitch on the other side of the pillow, then insert the needle back through the other hole on the button. Repeat this process three more times.

8. Knot the thread onto the underside of the pillow, then cut off any excess thread with scissors.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep sharp scissors, straight pins and needles out of the reach of children.

References

• DIY Ideas: Tufted Chair Cushion
• Online Fabric Store: Making Amy Butler Pillows, Part III