How to Make a Pillow Cover Out of a T-Shirt

Turn a t-shirt into a removable pillow cover.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to add warmth and flair to a piece of furniture, or to change the look of a room, is by adding a few throw pillows. For a one-of-a-kind pillow that expresses your individuality, cover a pillow (a 20-inch pillow form is a standard size that is easy to find at sewing and craft stores) with a removable pillow cover made from a favorite t-shirt.

Things You'll Need

• Iron
• Pencil
• Cardboard
• T-shirt
• 20-inch pillow form
• Scissors
• Sewing machine, or needle and thread
• Sewing pins
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Iron a clean t-shirt and inspect the front and back of it. Your shirt must be free of holes, rips or snags.

2. Draw a 21-inch square on the cardboard. If you don't have cardboard, newspaper will work just as well. Place the square on the t-shirt and trace around it. Measure and cut a 13-by-21 inch rectangle using the remaining portion of the t-shirt. Make a second pattern with cardboard or newspaper if that's helpful. Cut out the square and the rectangle.

3. Fold one edge of the rectangle over 1/2 inch. Press it with the iron and stitch it in place. Lay one of the 21-inch squares right-side up, and lay the other square right-side down on top of it. Next, lay the rectangle piece, right-side down, on top of that. Secure all pieces with pins placed near the edges.

4. Sew around all edges leaving a 1/2-inch border or seam allowance. Back-stitch the corners for added strength.

5. Turn the pillow cover right-side out and press the seams with the iron.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a pre-washed t-shirt for this project. Using a brand new, unwashed t-shirt may result in shrinkage if you decide to wash your pillow cover.

• To sew a pillow cover for a different size pillow form, adjust the measurements so that your cover piece is 1 inch larger than your form on all four sides. Adjust the measurements of the back pieces so that your outside flap (the hemmed rectangle-shaped piece) is a little more than half the width of the back of the pillow.

References

• Apartment therapy: Sew an Envelope Back Pillow
• Cottage Magpie: How To Sew A Throw Pillow Cover in 10 Easy Steps