Embellish a Pillow for Mom

Do you remember those hand embroidered pillows, the ones with “Home Sweet Home” caringly written across? It takes me back to my childhood of a warm home and food prepared by a caring heart. Let’s bring some of that homebound nostalgia to our own mothers this Mother’s Day but in a more contemporary form. If you are anything like me, you probably do not have the time (or the patience!) to cross-stitch a pillow for your mom this holiday. Even if you are not very crafty, you can still present a loving gift this Mother’s Day, created by your own hands, without breaking a sweat. Now this is my kind of crafting! Quick, easy, and, of course, beautiful!

I would like to share with you some of my simple pillow embellishment ideas that are sure to please the modern mom and grandma but still keep the focus on the home and the love these women have brought to our lives for so many years. Plus all of the materials I use were found around my house, making this a very budget friendly project as well!

   

Add silk flowers

All you have to be able to do is thread a needle and tie some knots. Depending on the design and placement of the flower, I just thread through the plastic stem and use same colored thread to tie down petals.

Add fabric

Another simple sewing strategy is to make your own fabric designs to add to the pillows. Here I cut out flower shapes using pinking shears to keep the fabric from raveling. You can also do this with felt, doilies, ribbon, lace…play around with whatever fabric you have around the house to create new fun looks!



Use placemats and table cloths

Think outside of the fabric box and use other materials you have hidden away that never get used. I found this darling place mat on clearance and decided to use it to make a pillow. I sewed a piece of fabric to the back for a cute and easy project! You can also use table cloths, window treatments, old quilts, and bed sheets. I love browsing the thrift stores for fun vintage fabrics to make into new creations.



Find cheap pillows

Finding pillow forms and stuffing can be just as expensive and time consuming as just buying a pillow at the store. To find good deals, I search the clearance aisles at stores and look for pillows in colors that match my décor. Though they seem plain at first, with a little embellishment you can create an updated look. I also reuse old pillows that no longer match my home. You can reuse the stuffing or simply cover the existing one with new fabric.

With a little creativity and a lot of heart, your mother will enjoy these easy and budget friendly pillows (and I won’t tell if you say you made it from scratch!). Happy pillow making!

Learn more about Ashley here.

Find this project and many more Mother's Day crafts in the free eBook 15 Mother's Day Craft Projects from our Favorite Bloggers.