How to Add Store-Bought Heavy Trim to a Pillow

Heavy trims are added to give pillows a custom look.

Designers often add heavy trim and details to plain pillows in order to create the exact look they want. Usually they purchase the pillows and then pick out the trims with the person who will be adding the trims to the covers. You can achieve this same custom look for a fraction of the price by doing the sewing yourself. It is helpful to have a sewing machine that can sew thick materials and several feet selections to sew across trims that look best with embroidery style stitching.

Things You'll Need

• Pillows
• Seam ripper
• Iron and board
• Trims
• Pins
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Needle and thread

Instructions

1. Open the seams of the pillow with a seam ripper. Be careful not to tear the fabric. Remove the cut threads and discard.

2. Iron the covers from the back side along the seams to flatten the seams. Place the covers right side up on the work table. Pin the trims in position along the sides or in the pattern on the pillow that you want preserving the existing seam allowance.

3. Sew the trims to the covers. Use a zig-zag foot to sew across trims that have sequins, heaving beading, rhinestones or other fragile materials. Sew in the ditch for trims that have a stitching area. Sew through rope trims and along the sides for very large ropes. Always position fringe trims with the fringe away from the sewing machine.

4. Place the covers right sides together and sew three sides together. Clip the corners of the seam allowance to ease the bulk of the fabric or trim. Insert the pillow form and hand sew the fourth side closed using a cross over stitch.

5. Hand sew down the ends of any trim pieces. Add further detail trims that are too large for a sewing machine by stitching them onto the pillow by hand. Go over the pillow by hand to make sure all of the trim is secure. Any loose sections can become caught and tear off the trim.

Tips & Warnings

• Add welting type trims by sewing them to one cover. Welting is a fabric wrapped cord. These trims fit inside the seams. If you sew to one cover first, it is much easier to sew tight to the cord when you pin your second cover in position. This will provide a better finish. Always start and finish 1-inch from the end of the trim overlap. Rip the welting cover back 1-inch and cut the cord to butt the beginning cord. Fold the ripped cover over the joint to hide the ends of the cord. Finish sewing.

References

• Sewing Project Tips: How to Sew Ends of Satin Twisted Cord Trim on Pillows; Marian Lewis