How to Make A Throw Pillow With Fringe (aka Novice Sewing!!)
Sewing 101
Today, I want to share an easy project that adds alot of design bang for your buck to your home and furnishings. Throw pillows are one of the easiest things to sew, whether you are experienced at sewing, are a novice, or have never even used a sewing machine. My Mom sewed alot when I was young, and was very good at it. I tried sewing in Home Economics class in 8th grade, and my memory of making a dress ( yes, a simple dress… A-line, I believe ) was not a pleasant one! I cut a square somehow out of the hem, and I remember the teacher making me work longer to fix it while everyone else moved on to cooking class. NO FUN! That may explain why I never wanted to learn to sew until last year. When I started my decorating business, I wanted to try making pillows and easy panel curtains. My Mom had made duvets, curtains, and pillows for her home, and helped me make some for my homes over the years, and I wanted to be able to make custom items, as well.
Image via mandyspath.wordpress.com
I’m decorating a Master bedroom for a client, and needed some throw pillows, but had been having a hard time finding the right shade of soft teal/pale turquoise/Robin’s egg blue for pillows. I haven’t been able to find them in stores or online! One day, I saw some Liz Claiborne fabric at Joann’s and thought it would make gorgeous throw pillows. The color palette we’re using is cream, tan, cranberry red, and soft teal.The textures will be velvet, matelasse, burlap, and linen. The cranberry red is an accent color,and is brought in through Chinoiserie fabric made into pillows that I found at an antique show.I showed the soft teal fabric to my client, and she loved it. I was trying to stay within our budget, so I decided to make the pillows myself. I’ve made plenty of pillows for my home, but these were for a client… I needed them to look really good…really professional.
So, here goes. I’m going to show you how a pillow form, some beautiful fabric and trim, and a sewing machine can give you a custom look, at a fraction of the cost of retail pillows.( This is not always true, as you can find beautiful pillows at places like Home Goods, T.J. Maxx, and Marshalls for reasonable prices) But if you want custom pillows that are well made, many times you will have to either have them made, or make them yourself. The hardest part will be deciding which beautiful fabric to choose. And how to operate your sewing machine. After that, it really is not difficult.
Supplies needed:
- Fabric
- Coordinating thread
- Coordinating trim/piping/etc ( optional )
- Clear thread
- Pins
- Down pillow form ( I prefer down because it keeps its shape, and doesn’t get flat like the polyester fiberfill kind )
- Sewing scissors
- Sewing machine with bobbin threaded with coordinating thread ( just trying to write this for those who have never sewn or may need step by step….)
- Seam ripper ( a necessary evil, unfortunately )
First, I bought a pillow form at IKEA. Great quality and inexpensive. The size I bought was a 20 x 20. You will need approximately 2 yards for 2 pillows this size. Add about another half a yard if you want to add piping for trim.
I cut my fabric 23 x 23 ( no real rhyme or reason for 23″, just wanted it close to 20 x 20, while allowing for seams and hem ) That was my FIRST cut. ( 23 x 23 )
I like to hem my pillows with Stitch Witchery for clean, straight edges. Just turn the bottom edge under, and iron according to the instructions on the package. Some Stitch Witchery are different widths, and some require a steam iron, while others call for a dry iron. Just read carefully for best results!
Fabric after Stitch Witchery was ironed on. This will be the “bottom” of your pillow. This will make sense in a few more steps.
After you iron on the bonding for the hem, cut the fabric closer to the pillow’s actual dimensions. I cut mine 21 x 21; some people like to cut them true to the dimensions of the pillow ( 20 x 20 for a 20 x 20 pillow ) I like to allow a little room for error, especially since I’m adding trim. Down pillow forms are forgiving- another reason I like using them:) I laid the fabric as a pillow that was finished, but not sewn, would appear. You want the hem, or “bottom” of the pillow to be facing each other on both fabric pieces.
How gorgeous is this trim? I found it on clearance at Joann’s, and it matched the fabric perfectly. I knew it would give the pillows a much more finished look. I got about 4 1/2 yards, but I ended up needing a little more. I based the amount of yards I bought on the 20 inch pillow x 4 sides =80″ and divided that by 36 to get 2.2 yards. Then I multiplied by 2 pillows to get 4.4 yards. THAT WAS NOT ALLOWING FOR ANY EXCESS!! And the moral of that story….always buy a little extra! I wondered why I was short only a few inches just on one pillow…..the pillow was not perfectly 21 x 21 like the other pillow. So by trimming off the excess fabric, I had enough trim, but barely. You know what they say…. measure twice, cut once. Very true!
I loved the trim edging so much, that I wanted it to show. With fringe trim and some other types, you sew the edges on the inside, and all that is seen is the ball trim or fringe when finished. I decided to first sew the trim to the edge of the fabric ( on the correct side of the fabric ) on all 4 sides. This was only done on the front of the pillow.
This fabric is by Liz Claiborne and is called “Bovary Spa.” It is 100% polyester, is 57″ wide, and sewed incredibly well! It almost feels like velvet, and I love the tufted button appearance. It would make a beautiful upholstered headboard, as well! Beautiful.
This is what the finished trim sewn on will look like…. ( I spy a Weimaraner!)
Pin the right sides of the fabric together, making sure the bottom, or hem, is facing the other bottom/hem on the other piece of fabric. The sides you used Stitch Witchery on should be facing outside on both sides. This may seem basic or common sense, but I just mention it to save you from having to do it over.
Things were going swimmingly until I finished sewing and started to turn the fabric inside out and realized I had screwed up! Oh the frustration of doing something so simple the wrong way, just because you were so eager to finish! So I ripped out 4 sides of seams with my seam ripper. UGGGHHHH!!
After that was behind me, and I had ripped and cut all the little threads, I repinned the pillow with right sides together, this time with the hanging fringe trim on the inside. Be careful when pinning to get this out of the way- it makes sewing so much easier, and it allows the hanging fringe trim to, well, hang!! I sewed about 1/4″ seam allowance around 3 sides, and when I got to the bottom/hem, I sewed about 1/4 of the way, left an opening for the pillow, and then sewed another 1/4 of the way on the other end. Make sure you backstitch to secure your stitches!
Now here is my latest little secret to making beautiful, professional looking pillows! A former upholsterer friend told me to insert your pillow, and whipstitch it closed with this clear thread. It works beautifully! ( although very hard to thread and see without reading glasses….and even WITH reading glasses.) But the results are well worth it.
Oh, I love it! It looks so good in my chocolate brown living/dining room, but it isn’t for me…. No, this one is for my client. I hope she loves it, I’m very happy how it turned out, despite my moment of frustration. My point is that YOU can do this, too. I am completely a self-taught seamstress. I have learned what I know from watching YouTube, reading tutorials, and asking friends and my Mom how to do certain things. There are many ways to sew a pillow, but to me, this yields the easiest, prettiest kind.
I love the way the down pillow is full and not skimpy- looking. Making your pillows close to the dimensions of the form is key for plump, beautiful pillows that keep their shape. I will probably never use anything but down for throw pillows again!
The great thing about making your own pillows and curtains, is that there are so many beautiful fabrics to choose from, and you can get a custom look so easily. That’s completely worth it to me! So go and create something beautiful! You can do it!!
What projects are you doing right now? Leave me a comment, or send me an e-mail! I’d love to hear from you. Have you ventured out and tried something new? The feeling of a job well done is a great one.
Have a beautiful day!
Lisa Wilkinson says
March 27, 2015 at 2:55 pmnice instructions and beautiful result….love the Weim too! I’ve always had weims and of course they have to be wherever you are!
mimirobins says
May 29, 2015 at 2:38 pmThank you, Lisa! Aren’t Weims the sweetest breed? Just love them! 🙂
Karen Kernan says
July 13, 2016 at 2:12 pmHi Melanie,
Was just looking for some idea and found this excellent posting. But what really caught my attention was the red and white fabric with the birds. It is the first time I’ve seen something that could replace my 30 year old(!) curtains. Can you tell me the manufacture and pattern number?
Thanks
Karen
mimirobins says
July 25, 2016 at 2:49 pmHi, Karen!
I honestly don’t know details on that fabric because I bought the pillows for a client at an antique show. I’m sorry! You could try taking the photo to a high end fabric shop and asking them or try to do a Google search for “chinoserie fabric.” You can also enter a photo in the browser on a Google search. Hope this helps you! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Melanie