How to Make Pillows Out of Flannel Shirts

Fashion a pillowcase out of a flannel shirt.

The plaid print and texture of flannel shirts adds a cozy, woodsy feel to home decor. If you have a closet full of old flannel shirts you no longer wear but want to recycle, consider making them into pillowcases for throw pillows. Use them as fall accent pillows or to adorn a couch or bed in a rustic cabin.

Things You'll Need

• Flannel shirts
• Small throw pillow form
• Coordinating thread
• Sewing machine
• Extra fabric
• Pins
• Measuring tape
• Fabric scissors

Instructions

Basic Button-Front Pillow

1. Iron a clean flannel shirt to remove any wrinkles. Button the shirt and turn it inside-out.

2. Lay the pillow form you wish to cover on top of the middle section of the shirt. Ensure the buttons are centered on the pillow.

3. Pin the front and back of the shirt together to mark where to cut the fabric, allowing for a 2-inch border around the pillow.

4. Remove the pillow and machine stitch all four edges together using a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

5. Turn the shirt right-side-out and unbutton it to insert the pillow form.

Pocket Pillow

1. Use a shirt with a front breast pocket. Button it up and turn it inside-out.

2. Arrange the pillow form so the pocket remains on the front of the pillow. Pin and cut the fabric and sew up the edges as previously directed.

3. Designate the pillow as a "tooth fairy pillow" to be used when a child loses a tooth. Have the child insert the tooth into the pocket so the tooth fairy can retrieve it and replace it with money or a treat.

Tips & Warnings

• These pillows make great Fathers' Day gifts or made of a lost loved one's shirts and can be given as bereavement gifts.

• Insert fresh herbs or potpourri into the pocket to freshen up a room.

References

• Country Living: How to Make Buttoned Up Pillows