I don’t sew. But I love throw pillows- they just finish a room. I even have throw pillows in my kitchen! They add a pop of color, underscore a decor theme, or just provide visual interest. So naturally, I wanted to find a way to create my own unique throw pillows without sewing. A foolproof no-sew throw pillow.
Upcycle
I created 3 designs, but the options are endless. Here I used jute to create my own unique look; I kept it simple so that I could have clean, professional-looking lines. I upcycled an old white sheet and one of my husband’s old collared shirts, but you can use any fabric that is big enough.
Size Matters
I recommend that you make the throw pillow no smaller than 12 inches on any side. This is because once you add the stuffing, it looks smaller. Throw pillows are for visual impact. The bigger the better!
What you need for this foolproof no-sew throw pillow:
- Batting, such as this
- Fabric – I used an old sheet and an old collared shirt
- Glue – fast-drying tacky glue or fast drying fabric glue (Fabric glue is made to be permanent and washable, but the tacky glue works best for the jute designs)
- Jute (for the decorations)
- A firm square or rectangular (or any shape really) object to use as a pattern for your pillow
- A few pins
Instructions
Step 1 – Cut out your pattern
- Smooth out your fabric on a flat surface. Place the object that you have selected as your pattern on the fabric. Use a pencil to gently and clearly trace the outline of your shape onto your fabric. Cut out the pattern, giving about 1 inch of space around the outline.
- Repeat for a 2nd matching piece of fabric.
- Iron your pieces of fabric smooth. Fold back the bottom edge along your traced line and iron in a crease for both pieces of fabric.
Optional – Make it fancy
- Create a design with your jute. For the ‘love’ pillow, I ‘wrote’ on the word with glue, then pressed the string onto the glue. Allow to dry for at least 1 hour before moving on to the next step.
Step 2 – Glue your fabric together
- Apply the glue just inside the traced line. On the bottom edge, leave about 5 inches of space without glue in the middle. Place the 2nd piece of fabric on top, lining up the traced outlines. Press the glue so it adheres. Allow to set for 24 hours.
Step 3 – Stuff and close your pillow
- Turn the pillow right-side-in by pulling it through the hole you left at the bottom of the pillow. Stuff it with batting; start by pushing the fluff into the corners. Be generous. A flat throw pillow just feels flimsy.
- Pin the open space at the bottom every half inch or so. Remove each pin one at a time, apply glue on one side of the fabric just inside the crease, and replace the pin. After the glue has set a bit, remove the pin (you don’t want the pin glued in permanently!).
You’re done!
Allow the glue to set overnight before using it for your next pillow fight. Post a pic of your beautiful creations on facebook or instagram! Still feeling crafty? Here are some other DIY and craft ideas.
Next week, we post the recipe for our Sangria Pie just in time for Valentine’s Day. You’ll find it on our pie page.
Pro Tips:
- I used a large desk planner, an old Scrabble box, and a calendar as different size patterns for my throw pillows. My favorite size is the Scrabble box (the blue-striped pillow).
- For my ‘jute button’ pillow, I started by applying glue in a small circle. Then I set the jute on the glue in a spiral, working my way outward and applying more glue until I thought the ‘button’ was big enough. I added another piece of string around it. Then I glued a piece of fabric over the edges of the string to hide them. Just make sure the fabric has a finished edge on that side, since it will be visible.
- For the ‘jute stripes’ pillow, I made a tassel (see below) and glued the top 2 strings onto the fabric. Then I applied glue in stripes (a little wider than the edge of the pattern), one line at a time, making sure to cover the top strings of the tassel. I cut the jute to about ½ inch longer than the pillow outline, and laid it over the glue. I kept adding stripes up to about 1-2 inches from the top of the pillow (to make it easier to glue the edges closed). When I applied glue to the outline, I made sure to apply a generous amount of glue on top of the strings of jute that overlapped with the edge of the pillow.
- For the tassel, I wrapped the string over 4 fingers about 13 times (you may need more for thinner string), cutting it so my last string hung a bit longer than the bundle. Then I carefully removed the wrapped string from my fingers, and threaded another string through the top of the bundle, tying it tightly. I tied another piece of jute about ½ inch down from the top (horizontally – like tying a belt around a waist). Knot both of these strings tightly. Cut the bottom of the loop open so that the string hangs loose. Trim the strings to make sure they have an even length.