How to Make Appliquéd Throw Pillows

Perhaps you just bought a new couch or you want to dress up your old couch, but you don't want to buy any new throw pillows. The simple solution is to make your own.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 ½ yards of the fabric of your choice
• 8-inch by 10 inch pieces of fabric that resists fraying
• 18-inch square pillow
• Thread
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Straight pins

1. Cut pieces for the pillow case when you make an appliquéd throw pillow. Once piece should be a square that's 19 inches on each of the sides, and two pieces that are 19 inches by 15 inches.

2. Find a design from which you'll make your appliquéd design, and transfer the design onto paper. This design can be one simple piece, or many pieces together. Cut out the design with scissors.

3. Pin the template to the fabric piece that is 19 inches square. You can place it anywhere you like on the pillow, whether it's centered, off set, or on the edge.

4. Sew the fabric piece of the pillow either by hand or with a machine. Try to sew as close to the edge of the fabric design as possible, but not too close to the edge that you'll cause the fabric to fray. Add the other pieces of the design to your pillow front, and attach them in the manner described in the above step.

5. Fold over the long edge of the 19-by-15 inch piece of fabric and press it with an iron. Fold it over again by 1 inch, and press it again. Stitch along its edge with the machine. Do the same for the other 19-by-15 inch piece of fabric.

6. Attach the back piece to the front piece of the pillow case so that the rights sides of the fabric are facing each other. Sew along the outside of the pillow, leaving open where you will slip the pillow inside the case. The smaller piece of the pillow back should overlap about 6 inches.

7. Trim any access, turn the pillow case right side out, and slip in the pillow.

Resources

• Here is an example of an appliquéd pillow.
• Expert Village has a series on making appliquéd pillows.