Learning how to make a pillow is a great idea for Mother’s Day. Pillow crafts are quick, easy and make perfect homemade gifts. You can practice your new skills in crochet, knitting or sewing by learning how to make a pillow from scratch, or embellish a pillow with beads, buttons, fabric paints and other materials. You can also personalize the pillow for your Mom’s tastes.
How to Make a Pillow from Scratch
Learning how to make a pillow from scratch is quite simple. You will need two identical squares or rectangles of fabric, stuffing and a needle and thread. A sewing machine is helpful but not required, especially if you are making a small pillow. You can purchase the fabric or you can knit or crochet the fabric yourself.
- Instead of purchasing pillow stuffing at the store, make your own stuffing from materials around the house. Use leftover fabric scraps, cut into small pieces, or cut old pantyhose or socks into rings and use for stuffing.
- Make a therapeutic pillow filled with rice or buckwheat. These pillows can be warmed in the microwave and used on the neck, feet or hands.
- To save money, purchase fabric remnants for your pillow craft. You will not need a lot of fabric.
- Instead of purchasing a fancy print fabric, purchase a small amount of plain white fabric or canvas and embellish with fabric paint. You can stamp, stencil or even use a rolling pin with glued cardboard shapes to create a repeating design on your fabric.
Here is how to sew a pillow from scratch: Place the two pieces of fabric right sides together (the sides that will show). Sew with a ¼ inch seam allowance all the way around, leaving a small gap for stuffing. Turn inside out, stuff and stitch the gap closed.
How to crochet a pillow from scratch: If you are not using a pillow form, you will need a tight crochet stitch for your pillow so that the stuffing does not show. Use single crochet to create a tight, sturdy material. Many crochet patterns will have you create a decorative side edge, such as with a picot stitch or lace stitch.
Crochet Kneeling Garden Cushion
How to knit a pillow from scratch: Like with crochet, you will want to use a tight stitch for your pillow squares. Stripes are a popular motif in knit pillow patterns. A knitting loom can make knitting a pillow quick and easy.
Loom Pattern: Stripe Floor Pillow Cover
After you crochet or knit your two pillow squares, you could felt the material to create a soft and sturdy material. Felting erases any imperfections. Remember that felting will shrink the squares so you will need to make then bigger to start. You will also need to use a wool yarn appropriate for felting.
Check back next week for easier crafts: How to make a Pillow Cover, starting with a pillow form, and How to Make a Pillow with Embellishments, starting with a pillow blank.
Don’t forget to check out 32 Pillow Making Crafts.
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