How to Sew a Round Pillow

Sew your own round pillows as extra seating and to spice up your throw pillows.

Add interest and texture to your bed and throw pillow arrangements with round pillows. Unlike traditional square pillows, you can use several kinds of fabric for round pillows, meaning you can use up small fabric pieces. You may also create tufted and untufted round pillows, or even bolsters. Once you master the art of sewing in a circle, you'll be hard-pressed to go back to square pillows. Round bolsters make comfortable neck supports while large circular pillows can double as floor pillows.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Mathematical compass
• Flexible measuring tape
• Stick pins
• Sewing machine
• Fiberfill batting
• Needle and thread
• Decorative buttons (optional)

Instructions

1. Spread out your fabric with the wrong side facing up. Choose a size for your pillows. A 12-inch diameter gives you plenty of soft resting space without overpowering your furniture.

2. Add 2 inches to your pillow diameter and adjust your compass to half that measurement. For instance, for a 12-inch diameter pillow, adjust your compass to 7 inches. You need a larger seam allowance for circles so the fabric can adjust itself.

3. Place the point of your compass on the fabric and draw two circles. Cut out both circles.

4. Measure the circumference of one of your circles and add 1 inch to the measurement to determine how long the fabric strip for the sides of the pillow will be. For instance, if your circles measure 28 inches around, the fabric strip must be 29 inches long.

5. Decide how thick you want your pillow and add 4 inches to that measurement to determine how wide the strip for the sides of the pillow will be. For instance, if you want a 4 inch thick pillow for a pillow with a circumference of 28 inches, your strip should be 8 inches wide. Draw and cut a strip 29 inches long and 8 inches wide, in this case.

6. Draw a chalk circle 2 inches inside the edge of the right side of each fabric circle to mark the seam allowance. Draw parallel chalk lines 2 inches inside the edges of your fabric strip to mark those seam allowances, as well.

7. Place the edge of your fabric strip against the edge of one of your circles, matching up the chalk lines on each. The right sides of both pieces of fabric should be touching each other.

8. Pin the strip to the circle along the edge. If your strip doesn't want to curve, snip 1 inch wide and long fringes into the edge. Pin and stitch below the fringes.

9. Stitch the strip to the first circle with your sewing machine, removing pins as you go. Pin and stitch the second circle to the strip, leaving a 4 inch opening in the seam.

10. Reach inside the pillow and turn it inside-out, revealing the right sides of all of the fabric. Stuff the pillow with fiberfill batting and stitch the opening closed with needle and thread.

11. Sew a decorative button to the center of the pillow, if desired. Push the needle all the way through the pillow, slipping a second button onto the back of the pillow. Pass the needle between the two buttons, pulling tight, to create a tufted effect.

References

• Upholster: How to Sew a Round Bolster Pillow
• Denver Fabrics: Pillow Shams
• All Free Crafts: Round Pillows