How to Cover Cylindrical Pillows
Cylindrical pillows, oftentimes called bolster pillows, are great for supporting your lower back while sitting at a desk or watching TV and for supporting your neck while you are sleeping. While you may be perplexed when you first look at a bolster pillow and try to figure out how to cover it, there is actually one very simple procedure that will result in a colorful, easy-to-remove, a-snap-to-make bolster pillow cover. One piece of fabric, a sewing machine and some ribbon will do the trick. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Fabric
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Razor blade
- 1/4-inch-wide ribbon
Instructions
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1
Measure the circumference of the pillow, which is the measurement around the body of the cylinder. Add 1-1/4 inches to that measurement. This is how wide you will cut your fabric. Measure across one of the circular ends of the pillow, across the length of the pillow, and across the other end. Add 3 inches. This is how long you will cut your fabric.
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2
Cut a rectangular piece of fabric according to your measurements. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise with the right sides of the fabric --- the side of the fabric you will see when the bolster cover is on the bolster --- facing each other. Pin along the edge, using straight pins placed 3 inches apart perpendicular to the edge.
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3
Sew the seam, using a sewing machine. Place the seam 5/8 inch in from the edges. This 5/8 inch is called the seam allowance. Two seam allowances account for the extra 1-1/4 inches you added to the measurement of the circumference of the pillow. Remove the pins before the sewing machine needle gets to them.
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Fold one end of the cover 1/2 inch toward the wrong side of the fabric. Press. Fold over the end once more. Press. Sew the folded edge down with the sewing machine. Place the seam as close to the bottom folded edge as you can. This folded edge makes the casing for the ribbon that will hold the cover together. Do the same thing on the other end.
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5
Turn the bolster cover right side out. Use a razor blade to cut the stitches on the inside of the end of the cover. You only need to cut the inner ½ inch of stitches that extend from the length of the cover into the folded-over end. Do the same thing on the other end.
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6
Insert the bolster into the cover and center it along the length of the cover. Pull the ribbon at one end of the cover tight and tie it in a bow. Now you have one end and the length of the bolster covered. Pull the ribbon at the other end of the bolster cover closed and tie it in the same way. Now your bolster is covered.
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