Pretty pieced pillows

Fancy throw pillows can cost an arm and a leg, but you can grab a few beautiful fabrics and make your own for a fraction of the cost. You choose the fabric combos and shapes and sizes. Piece together fabrics for variety and visual interest. You can make several pillows in just a day, and change the look of your whole room.

Supplies

(Click fabrics for direct links for purchase at Warehouse Fabrics Inc.)

I find that when I decide to piece things together, I do best when I wing it. When I try to plan and do math, things always come out wonky or I decide spontaneously to change what I’m doing. Therefore, I don’t have precise instructions for these pillows. I did different fabric piecing on the fronts and backs of each pillow, so it’s really like having six pillows when it comes to variety. You can make do with a half a yard or less of five or six different fabrics. It really depends on how many pillows you want to make and what sizes you want. Pick a couple that you like the most, and get more of those. Then choose a few to complement those in smaller quantity. Pick some trim and get sewing!

Finished pillows, front and back

Adding trim

To add trim, such as pom-poms, pin the trim and one pillow side right-sides together (in this case, the trim was different on each side; often it won’t be) with the edge of the trim lined up with the edge of the fabric. Notice how at the top I left extra trim to overlap. Here, it goes off the edge of the pillow and crosses. Baste around the entire perimeter, making sure pom-poms stay out of the way.

Now add the other side of the pillow so the pillow pieces are right-sides together and the trim is sandwiched in between. Push any pom-poms or beads or whatever you’re using out of the way of the needle and sew the pillow pieces together. Leave a space on one edge through which you can turn the pillow right-side out. Trim the corners and turn. Stuff with polyester stuffing and slip stitch the opening closed by hand.

Mix and match