How to Make a Leather Fringed Pillow

Pillows are fun and easy projects for those just learning how to sew, but they're even more fun to embellish and personalize. Adding a leather fringe to a simple knife-edge pillow gives the pillow a whole new look and lot of personality. Leather fringe should be available by the yard or by the roll in various colors at your local fabric store, or it can be purchased from specialty shops online. The instructions in this tutorial can also be used for lace, cording, or other types of fringe.

Things You'll Need

• Pillow form or batting to stuff the finished pillow
• Fabric twice the size of your pillow plus 1 inch on each side
• Leather fringe (add the length of each side of your pillow plus 1 inch)
• Thread to match the pillow
• Needle for hand-sewing

Instructions

1. Cut two pieces of fabric 1 inch larger than your finished pillow in each direction. (If you are using a 14-inch x 14-inch pillow form, your fabric will be 15 inches x 15 inches.)

2. Lay one piece of fabric with the right side of the fabric facing up. Lay the fringe on top, aligning the edge of the band on the fringe with the edge of the fabric. Lay the other piece of fabric with the right side of the fabric facing down, aligning the edges with the other piece of fabric and the fringe. Pin through all three layers. Work with the corners to get the fringe to lay as flat as possible. The ends of the fringe should overlap by at least half an inch.

3. Using a seam the same width as the band on your fringe, start about one-third of the way from one corner and sew toward the corner. Ideally, where the band meets the fringe should be where your seam falls. When you get to the corner, stop the sewing machine with the needle down and turn the fabric to sew down the next side. Repeat this process, stopping a few inches from where you started. Leave several inches open for turning and stuffing the pillow.

4. Clip the corners and turn the pillow right-side out. Use a knitting needle or ball-point pen to push out the corners, but be careful not to poke a hole in the fabric.

5. Stuff the pillow with batting or insert the pillow form.

6. Using a needle and thread, whip-stitch the opening closed.