Quick & Easy Pillow Tutorial
I'm finally getting around to finishing my Model Farm pillow that I started over half a year ago! I don't know about ya'll, but my brain loves small projects right now. We are going on 3 weeks of quarantine, and while my new routine looks pretty similar to my old routine, we've definitely been thrown for a loop. As we are adjusting to buying groceries online and not being able to see friends and family, we've found ourselves coping in different ways.
Pre-Coronavirus outbreak, Peter was a bartender. He hasn't been back to work now in almost a month, so he's been helping me with Lo & Behold things and trying lots of new recipes. We've really been challenged to slow down and cherish each moment. I haven't spent too much time in my sewing room, to be honest, which actually surprises me. I've been enjoying short intervals of sewing, but really, my mind can't stay focused longer than about an hour.
As many of you know, I am a NICU nurse. My hours are on the weekends... which is nice. That means I have Monday-Friday to quilt. With all that is going on in the world, as you can imagine, I've had a great deal of stress coping with all of the possibilities and outcomes that this pandemic can bring. I've tried not to talk about it too much, because my stress level is so intense on the weekends, that I really want to use my weekdays as an escape. We've found ourselves working puzzles, doing yoga, watching Netflix, and overall just enjoying each day. There are silver linings, ya'll, we just have to find them.
That being said, lets jump in and make a pillow, shall we?
Okay, so like I mentioned, I am using my Model Farm pattern for this pillow. Other patterns that you can use to make a pillow:
- Christmas Joy
- Retro Ornaments
- Metamorphosis (Pattern coming soon!)
You can use this tutorial to create a quilted pillow, or if you want to use a solid piece of fabric on the front, you can do that as well. If you are creating a quilted pillow, you'll baste, and quilt your top per usual. This means you'll have a backing and batting layer. This will protect your seams as you use and wash the pillow case.
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As a general rule, I like for my pillows to fit a little snug. This pillow top measured 17.5" square. I used an 18" pillow form. I did end up taking a little bit of "fluff" out of the pillow so that it didn't end up like a round ball. Keep in mind that you have this option as well. If your pillow form doesn't have easy access to the fluff (like a zipper), you can always use your seam ripper, take some out, then stitch it back up. Also keep in mind that your Pillow top will loose 1/4" on each side for your seam allowance. Here are some pillow forms on Amazon:
My favorite way to create a pillow is using an envelope backing. There are no zippers and its super easy to take on and off. Not to mention, it's so quick! To create your "envelope" you'll need two pieces that will be on the back of your pillow. To calculate the size of these pieces, you'll need to decide how much overlap you'd like in your two pieces. I'm saying 6" for this pillow, which is probably the most that I'd recommend. I've also done as little as a 3" overlap before.
Pillow top height in inches divided by 2 + 6"
Since my pillow is 17.5" square....
17.5" divided by 2 = 8.75"
8.75" + 6" = 14.75"
So I'll make two pieces that are 14.75" wide, by 17.5" tall (the height of my pillow). Then, on one of the 17.5" sides, fold the edge 1/4" and press a crease. I usually just eyeball my 1/4".
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Fold the edge down another 1/4" and press another crease. At this point, you can pin if you'd like.
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Stitch on this fold. Do this for both pieces. Make sure you are creating your finished seam on the long edge!
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Once you've done this, arrange your quilted pillow top and one of these pieces so that they are right sides together. Align the 3 raw edges with the backing piece and the edges of the quilted pillow top.
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Next, place the second backing piece on the other edge of the quilted pillow top. Align the three raw edges of this backing piece with the edges of the quilted pillow top as seen below. Pin both backing pieces in place.
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Head over to your sewing machine and stitch a 1/4" seam around the perimeter of your quilted pillow top. TIP: I like to stitch back and forth over the seams of my two backing pieces, just to reinforce that area.
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When you approach a corner, stop stitching about 1/4" away from the corner. With your needle down, pivot the pillow 90 degrees and continue stitching.
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Remember to secure your seams by stitching back and forth a few times.
Next, clip the corners to help decrease some bulk in your seam.
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Once you're finished, flip the pillow inside out and stuff your pillow form in the case! Voila!!
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If you are looking for other small projects, you can check out my Scrappy Quilted Coaster tutorial and my Quilted Lanyard tutorial.
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Happy sewing!
Brittany
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This post may contain some affiliate links meaning I may receive a small commission from each sell. Rest assured, I only share my favorite items with you!
