DIY: Make Your Own Throw Pillow | Beginner Sewing Project

This is a super easy, beginner friendly, inexpensive sewing project.  I used a sewing kit that I picked up for $1 at the Dollar Tree and materials that I picked up on post seasonal clearance last year to make these cute throw pillows that make me feel kind of domestic or some crap like that.

Also, y'all be knowing that I'm not about to pay the crazy high prices that they want for cute throw pillows in the store.  No thank you.



(Video tutorial will be embedded and linked below if that is more your kind of thing.)

Materials Used:

• Dollar Tree Sewing Kit ($1.00, with straight pins, thread, needles, etc) 
• Scissors (Because the pair in the kit wouldn't cut melted butter)
• Fabric Place Mats ($0.15-$.30 each on clearance last year)
• Filling (I used 100% polyester snow cover that costs around $.50 for a giant bag on post holiday clearance)

Making the Pillow: 

Note: I made an entirely new pillow instead of recovering an old one.  The directions would differ if you were making a pillow cover only.

First, lay your place mats wrong side out with the sides that you want to show on the inside as if the finished pillow was inside out.  Make sure you have them turn the correct way as well.  (AKA have the tops and bottoms facing each other so one isn't upside down.)

Line up your place mats.

Next, take straight pins, and pin in a horizontal line, every inch or so, a little above where you want to attach the mats.  You can use them as a guide as you sew.

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Once you have one side pinned nicely, thread your needle and get to sewing.

I personally did a straight or running stitch, looks like spaced out minus signs shown above, and then went back on top of it with another running stitch to reinforce it.

You want repeat the above pinning and sew 3 sides completely, and sew the 4th side together all but a 2 inch or so hole as shown in the picture above.  You also don't want to leave the hole in the corner as it might make it look strange when you go to close it later.

Knot and secure your thread and all that jazz.  Make sure the thread is especially secure around the open hole as you don't want it to break during the stress of the next step.

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Now, it's time to turn it inside out.  Basically, you have to use that 2 inch hole you left open to get the pillow case turned the right way.

Once the case is turned right side out, take a moment and appreciate how cool it looks already.

Next, it time to stuff it.  Take what ever filling you using and stuff it to the desired fullness.

I usually take a pen or chopstick and make sure the stuff get nicely into the corners as well.

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Lastly, you have to close up the last hole.

A lot of people use glue so that there are no visible stitches, but I usually use clear thread or fishing line.  I like the stitched look.  It makes it all homemade and rustic looking or some crap like that.

Thread your needle with whatever thread you want to use on the outside with a big knot on the end.  Sew your first stitch through one side so you can hide the thread tail inside of the pillow.

Sew a running stitch for the rest of the length to close the hole.  Make sure you do your best to match the unsewed parts to the already sewn parts by rolling it over the same amount and all that jazz.

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To bind off, tie a knot into your last two stitches.  Then, sew through the last hole and bring your needle through the center of the pillow.  Cut off the excess thread close to the pillow surface and pull the cover to hide it inside the pillow forever.

Enjoy your fancy looking, one of a kind, throw pillow! :D

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Video Tutorial



Or watch on youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nJ3bOLGM94