Decorative Pillows — No Sewing Machine Required :)

There are a few simple rules in life:  1. Honesty is the best policy, 2.  If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all,  3. when in doubt, leave it out, and 4:  You can never have enough pillows.  I’m sure most men will have trouble accepting No. 4, but it’s TRUE.   Pillows add a sense of colour, texture, and coziness and help make a space more inviting.

With this in mind, I’ve decided to focus this week’s blog on décor pillows.   I’m sure you’ll find this DIY easy and affordable and the best part is that you don’t need a sewing machine to create designer pillows.   

To tackle this DIY,  you will need the following materials:

• Three skeins of embroidery thread (I doubled the thread to create a thicker stitch — I think it looks better).
• Needle
• Two napkins (I purchased two, 17″x17″).
• One pillow form or polyester/down stuffing. (I used a 16″x16″ pillow form).

 

 

Tip:  Rather than buying a new pillow form, a more cost effective alternative is to visit a home décor store and look for a single pillow that does not have a match; often pillows that don’t come as a pair are cheaper.   

 

Step 1:

• Iron the napkins to remove all creases and line up the edges.
• Thread the needle and make a very long tail.   Tie the ends together.
• Begin to sew a blanket stitch at the corner of the napkins.  Don’t know how to sew the blanket stitch?  Check out the easy to follow video below.

Step 2:

• Continue sewing the blanket stitch along three sides of the napkins leaving the fourth side open to create a pocket.
• Insert the pillow form or stuffing into the pocket and shake to ensure the stuffing is evenly distributed.

Tip:  If you want your pillow to look casual, add a little less stuffing and “karate chop” to create a V (another designer trick to add visual appeal).

Step 3:

• Finish sewing the last side and tie-off your thread.

All done!

Tip:  The next time you are in a home décor store, look for Christmas napkins.  They often come in packs of  4 and can be turned into gorgeous holiday-themed decorative pillows for a fraction of the cost.  They also make great gifts!