See it , Sew it (DIY)

DIY: Recover a Throw Pillow

I have been wanting to make pillows for a very long time. Although without my own house, or own throw pillows, its not easy. Luckily my sister wanted some new pillows to dress up the living room. They turned out so cute and I could not believe how easy they were to make. So here goes. My first DIY: Recover a Throw Pillow

What you need:
A pillow to recover
Fabric (I used approx 2/3 of a yard for a 16 x 16 Pillow)
Buttons
A sewing machine and coordinating thread
Measuring tape
Scissors
Pins

Step 1:  Measure the pillow + 5 inches, This pillow was 16x16 so that puts us at 21 inches.

Step 2:  Measure the added length from step 1 on the pillow case fabric. Make a cut, and rip.
Note: The width of the fabric was 45". With a 16 inch pillow, this allows us to wrap the fabric around the pillow without seems.


You should have a piece of fabric that measures 21 inches X 45 inches

Step 3:  On one of the 21" sides, fold back about 2.5 inches. Ugly sides together

Step 4: On the same side (folded edge from step 3) fold pretty sides together about 6 inches. NOTE: this is where the opening of the pillow will be, if you would like it farther than six inches from the edge and closer to the center of the pillow, make a bigger fold.

The folds should look like this:

Step 5: With the pretty sides of the fabric together, fold the opposite end of the fabric (from steps 3 and 4) until the width of the pillow is just bigger than 16 inches (the size of the pillow). Then pin the raw edges.

Step 6: Sew down the two raw edges.

Step 7: Turn the pillow inside out. Good job! You constructed a pillow case!
Step 8: Mark where you want the button holes and sew the buttons

Step 9: Sew buttons on the fabric bellow the lap. 
Then you have a beautiful finished project!