Style and comfort go hand in hand when I’m designing a space. Whether it is a bedroom or the outside, a bit of texture could transform an austere space into an inviting retreat. Pillows in vivid colors and attractive patterns are among the easiest ways to do this.
But there’s no need to spend a lot on them at your local home decor store — rather, save some pennies and create these versatile cushions yourself. Does the thought of sewing give you an anxiety attack? Don’t worry, even a beginner like me had it easy with this project. Here’s how I did it.
Meg Padgett
Two yards of cloth made two 13-inch-diameter cushions (before stuffing), and there was enough left to make a pillow cover for a 16 x 16-inch pillow.
Meg Padgett
Materials
2 metres outdoor fabricPipingSewing machineRegular point sewing machine needlesAll-purpose threadHeavy-duty thread3 1/2-inch needle(2) 60-1 1/2-inch half ball cover buttons(1) 32-oz. Tote and (1) 12-oz. bag poly fiberfill
Meg Padgett
Outdoor cloth is great for both indoor and outdoor decorating. It will withstand abuse from the elements and maintain up to a lot of wear and tear, and it cleans easily with water and soap. Another heavy-duty fabric alternative is duck fabric, but the patterns have a tendency to be more limited.
This specific indoor/outdoor cloth is Swavelle/Mill Creek Indoor/Outdoor Faylinn Teal and is fade-, stain- and water-resistant.
Step-by-Step
1. Wash and dry the cloth. To determine the dimensions of the circle, then fold the fabric in half lengthwise so both selvedge edges are together. Measure in the fold right up into the selvedge lineup — this was 27 inches onto my cloth.
Meg Padgett
2. Next, fold one side to 13 1/2 inches — half of the period of your first dimension — and cut on the underside cloth along the edge of the top piece.
Meg Padgett
3. Twist the bottom of the cloth up into the selvedge, making a 13 1/2-inch square. Don’t be concerned about cutting the selvedge edge; we will trim that later.
Meg Padgett
4. Measure and mark 13 inches in the folded corner from one border to another.
Meg Padgett
5. Cut along your mark and remove hooks.
Meg Padgett
6. While folded, mark the center of the outside piece at the folded corner. Open both, refold the inside piece and indicate its centre at the folded corner too.
Note: Depending on the strength of your cloth, you may require reinforcement supporting the centre when attaching buttons. To give mine a bit more strength, I hot glued the wrong side of a remnant square into the wrong side of each circle’s centre.
Meg Padgett
7. Next, attach the piping. Add a piping foot into the sewing machine and sew the piping into the front side of a single circle, starting 1/2 inch from the beginning and finish 1/2 inch until the end.
A zipper foot is widely employed for this since this piping is on the small side, but I did not have one available, and the piping foot proved to be a great substitution. If you’re going to be using a zipper foot, use it in the place of the piping foot at each mention.
New to a little boggled by the different feet? Sew Mama Sew provides a fantastic explanation about what each sewing foot does.
Meg Padgett
Choose one side of the piping, rip the first seam out about an inch back and cut off the cording.
Meg Padgett
Fold the vacant piping over the other end.
Meg Padgett
Sew into place with the piping foot.
Meg Padgett
8. To bind the upper and bottom bits, set the proper sides together and pin round the body to keep them from shifting when you sew.
Meg Padgett
Butt the piping foot against the piping’s border to create for easy sewing. Don’t forget to leave about a 12-inch gap to flip the shell right side out and for satisfying.
Meg Padgett
9. Turn the shell right side out by pulling it through the opening. Stuff with polyester filler till you accomplish your desired fullness.
Meg Padgett
10. Swap out the piping foot for a normal pressure foot. Pin the open ends together and sew along the edge of the cloth as near the piping as possible.
Meg Padgett
11. Attach the buttons into the center of each side. You will want two 1 1/2-inch cover buttons, heavy-duty thread and a long needle. I used a 3 1/2-inch needle to sew the buttons right into place.
If you choose to cover the buttons, then follow the instructions on the back of the package.
Meg Padgett
12. Dual thread the needle and knot the thread. Slide the needle and thread through the marked center into the other side’s marked centre and back throughout the centre again. Repeat.
Meg Padgett
13. Pull through the button hook. Push back the needle through the centre to the other side centre and again through a button hook. Repeat roughly 6 times, tightening as you go. Tie off the thread and trim any excess.
Meg Padgett
With that, you’ve got a finished cushion.
Meg Padgett
Use such as floor cushions around a communal area, such as a low-profile table, or in the open pot.
Meg Padgett
Or use them as pillows for an alfresco nap, my favorite — outdoor movie viewing.
Meg Padgett
Here, I’ve used them to liven up a pair of Adirondack chairs.
Cushions are a great way to kick up organic furniture with a vivid color or bold pattern. While vivid colors can energize a space, a neutral palette can create a more relaxing and tranquil setting. These cushions are so easy that picking the fabric could be the hardest part.
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