How to make cute pillows out of your old clothes
We all have old clothes that we no longer wear. Instead of letting it stay in your closet forever, why not repurpose it for some pretty pillows? It's a great way to recycle your clothes instead of throwing them away, and you can get creative with a variety of fabric options.
- How to make cute pillows out of your old clothes and Pillows Product
Part 1 Select materials
1
Gather your old clothes. Rummage through your closet and look for items you no longer wear that would make a great color or pattern for a pillow. You should select clothing that is relatively intact as you will be reusing the fabric.
- Items that are appropriate for this project include denim jackets, flannel shirts, and long skirts or dresses that have a lot of fabric.
- Look for clothes that have interesting designs or patterns, such as flower arrangements or plaid fabric. These designs can help spice up your pillow designs a bit.
- Buckles, zippers and buttons on clothing can also be attached to the pillow. If you choose to highlight these items, cut the fabric appropriately.
- If you are missing a color to complete your design, consider visiting a thrift store or asking your neighbors if they have clothes they no longer want.
2
Choose the type of pillow you want to make. There are a variety of pillow designs, so think about the purpose of yours.
- Will it be decorative? In this case, the size, shape and fabric are entirely up to your taste. People rarely sit on accent pillows, so comfort doesn't have to be a factor.
- Will the pillow be used as a cushion? For example, will people lean against her on the couch or will the pillow be used to sleep? If so, the size, shape, fabric, and padding will all play a role in the comfort level of the pillow.
- Common small cushions are square and are between 12 by 12 inches (30 by 30 cm) and 24 by 24 inches (60 by 60 cm) in size. [1]
- Common bed pillows are more rectangular in size around 20 x 26 inches (50 x 66 cm) and up. [2]
3
Select the fabric you will use for the pillow. Once you have identified the purpose of the pillow, select the fabric you wish to use from the old clothing you collected earlier.
- Review your materials carefully. If you want to make a large pillow but only have a small amount of the necessary fabric, you may need to change plans.
- Choose clothes with softer fabrics, such as satin, silk, cotton, or flannel, if you are making a pillow that requires comfort, such as a bed pillow.
- Tougher fabrics, such as polyester or linen, are very good to use on accent pillows as their robust composition helps the pillows hold their shape and last longer.
- Tougher fabrics are also useful if you have to make a sturdy cushion for children or pets. [3]
4
Select your pillow filling. Choosing the right padding for your pillow goes hand in hand with selecting the fabric to create the perfect pillow for your needs. Different fillers lend themselves well for different purposes.
- Materials like cotton, wool, and down or duck or goose feathers are among the softest types of pillow fillings and are very good for bed pillows. Be careful when selecting these as some fillers, such as down, cannot be washed as the feathers will not dry out.
- Synthetic materials, such as polyester, foam, and microspheres, tend to be cheaper than natural materials and can vary in their firmness levels.
- Seeds and herbs like buckwheat, millet, flaxseed, and lavender can also be used as pillow fillers if you're making a decorative pillow. Note that these fillers are harder than other types and are often a bit noisy. However, certain seeds and herbs give off a pleasant scent, which can help enhance the purpose of an accent pillow. [4]
Part 2 Prepare your clothes
1
Lay out the clothes that you will use for your pillow. Choose a hard surface, like a workbench or a hardwood floor. Lay your clothing inside out and smooth it out to remove wrinkles. You must iron the fabric before starting to work.
2
Use a ruler or tape measure to measure the size and shape needed for the pillow. Be sure to add 1 inch (2.5 cm) to the pillow size to allow adequate allowance for the seams. Trace along this measurement with chalk to give yourself a guide for cutting.
- If the garment is identical in both front and back and you are confident in your ability to cut, you can trace just one measurement with chalk and use it to cut both pieces of fabric at the same time.
- You can also mark both sides of the fabric with chalk if you want. This will be necessary if you are using two different garments for the pillow.
3
Cut along the marked measurements using a sharp pair of scissors. If possible, cut the front and back of the clothing at the same time to get two symmetrical pieces of fabric. If you plan to use two different styles of fabric for your pillow, you only need to cut one piece of each garment to the correct measurements.
4
Decorate the fabric. You can embroider it , add ribbons , set rhinestones or sequins, or even paint the surface of the fabric to make the design completely your own.
- If you are painting or gluing decorations to the fabric, make sure that the paint or glue is appropriate for the fabric in question and that it won't damage the material. You may also want to choose washable paint or glue.
- Allow enough time for the paint or glue to dry before continuing to work on the pillow.
5
Join both pieces of fabric with a pin. Spread the pieces of fabric one over the other so that when you sew them, the cover is inside out. Pin along the edges of the fabric to hold the pillow shape in place. [5]
- Make sure the pieces are perfectly aligned. If you're using patterned fabric, make sure it doesn't look crooked once you stitch the pillow.
- Leave one edge of the pillow unattached so that you have room to stuff the cover once it is sewn.
6
Sew the fabric. This can be done either by hand or using a sewing machine. Sew the three sides of the cover together with pins, making sure the seam is 0.25-0.5 inches (0.5-1.2 cm) from the cut edge of the fabric.
- Consider using the blind stitch method to hide the threads in the pillow, if desired.
- The distance between the seam and the cut edge of the fabric will affect the tension of the pillow and the amount of padding you can insert. A larger seam allowance (0.5 inch or 1.2 cm) means that you will be able to insert less padding into the pillow. The opposite applies for the smallest margins (0.5 cm or 0.25 inches).
- Partially sew the fourth side of the pillow. Leave enough room on the fourth side so that you can easily insert your hand into the sleeve.
Part 3 Finish the pillow
1
Trim excess fabric from the corners if desired. A gentle 1.2 cm (0.5 inch) taper at the corners of the fabric will help reduce the sharp points on the pillow, giving it a rounder and smoother look.
- Don't cut past the seam line!
2
Remove the pins and flip the sleeve over so it is facing the correct side out. The edges of the fabric will be hidden inside the pillow, resulting in a smoother appearance.
3
Fill the pillow. Use the remaining opening in the cover to insert the filling you have chosen for the pillow. Use more or less filler depending on your preference. To achieve a uniform and level fill, do the following:
- Shreds and fluffed up the softest stuffing materials, like cotton or down. This way, you ensure smoothness while removing tough lumps.
- Start filling with small pieces in the corner of the pillow that is furthest from the opening. Do it gently but firmly. You can use your hands or a spoon or stick to help you fill the pillow.
- Fill in the following corners in the same way. Work slowly towards the opening of the pillow.
- Keep an eye on the outside of the pillow when stuffing. You should address any visible bumps or lumps on the outside of the pillow by redistributing the padding or adding more.
- Once the pillow is mostly filled, gently squeeze it. If it is too firm, remove some of the filling to your liking. If it's too soft, add more filling. [6]
- Hard fillings, such as microspheres or seeds, should not be stuffed so tightly on the pillow. Fill it about three-quarters full with the hardest filling, then test for firmness.
- Hard filling can also be mixed with other softer filling to help balance firmness. Flower seeds and petals, for example, can create an aromatic and texturally pleasant combination. [7]
- Sew over the pillow seams to create tighter seams if you are not satisfied with the level of padding possible in your pillow. A tighter seam will create a tighter and more compact environment for the padding. [8]
4
Close the pillow. Hand sew the opening used for filling when you are satisfied with the appearance of the pillow. If you're interested in preserving the ability to open the pillow, close it by sewing a zipper across the opening. This will help you open the pillow easily to change the padding in the future.
- Make sure you are satisfied with the way you have filled the pillow before closing it.
- If you're using a piece of fabric with a zipper, you can align it with the edge of the pillow so that you can use it to open and close the pillow whenever you want.
Tips
- Filler can be found at most fabric or craft stores.
- Before assembling the pillow, add a straight or zigzag stitch to all edges of the fabric if it is prone to fraying.
- The seam allowance is the amount of fabric that extends past the stitches.
Things you will need
- old clothes
- scissors
- needle
- matching thread
- common pins
- sewing machine
- filling
- decorations