If you love sewing, there are tons of tutorials on how to sew a pillow or cushion out there. But, if you don't have access to a sewing machine, custom cushions may seem like a stretch. Luckily, with a few yards of fabric and a bottle of fabric glue, you can have custom pillows in no time flat.
Picking Fabric It's important to pick the right kind of fabric for your custom cushions. For a firm pillow that holds its shape well, check out decor and upholstery fabrics. These thicker fabrics will be made of stiffer cotton or cotton blend and will look more like a pillow you would purchase at a store. You can also use cotton quilting or apparel fabric for this project, but the end result will be much different. These fabrics are lighter and designed to have more movement. Making a pillow with one of these fabrics would require a much stiffer pillow insert in order for the cushion to not be smushed all the time.
Lastly, if you're going to use these pillows on your patio or outdoor setup, you will need special outdoor fabric. Outdoor fabric is made to be fade-resistant so you don't lose all of the colors in the fabric as the sun beats down on it. This fabric is also made to be weather resistant so that it stays in good shape all season long. Picking an Insert There are several different kinds of pillow inserts, and you'll want to pick one before you start making your no-sew pillow. Inserts come in varying shapes and sizes, and how you make your pillowcase will be based on the size and shape of the pillow form insert. Take a look at where your no-sew cushions will be headed and see what sizes and shapes fit the space well. You don't want to drown your furniture in fluff. Pillows are meant to provide comfort and work as a stylish accent, not take up all the space.
You can find inserts at big-box stores and craft stores. Inserts can be a little pricey, so we like reusing old pillows as inserts instead. It's a more earth-friendly way to save a few bucks (especially because the fabric can be steep). If you're reusing an old pillow, removing the old cover is optional.
No-Sew Cushion Tutorial Start by cutting a piece of fabric a little larger than your pillow form. You'll want some extra fabric on all sides. Then cut an extra piece one and a half times the length of the first piece you cut. That means if your first piece is ten inches, your second piece needs to be fifteen inches long. Take your fabric scissors and cut the longer piece of fabric in half. You'll use this to create the back pocket portion of your pillow pouch. After you cut the back, lay the fabric right side down on top of the front piece of fabric. The right sides should be touching.
Now, glue the back pieces to imitate a seam. Find the spot on the back where the two fabric pieces overlap in the middle. Fold the end of each piece back on itself so that you can see a strip of the front side on the back. Iron the seams down and then glue them.
Lay the fabric pieces back down, making sure there's a little overlap on the back pieces and that the corners of the back pieces are lined up with the front. Then take your fabric glue and glue the right sides together all the way around.
If you glue an inch in on one side, make sure your keep that distance around the entire pillow. An even glue layer will make a big difference. Let the glue dry overnight, and then stuff your pillow twenty-four hours later.
We've got to warn you, this simple pillow DIY is a no-sew sensation that you'll come back to time and time again.
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