(During DIY Month, our How-To expert Shelly will be posting a new project each week. Enjoy!)
Click to View All the Photos
Project: Fold, Stitch & Stuff Floor Cushions
Time: 1.5 hours
Cost: $22.00
Big pillows may be readily available, but what if you long for custom accessories that won't break your bank? My mock boxed cushions stuffed with standard bed pillows are so inexpensive and easy to make, you'll never want mass produced again. Once you make one, it only takes about 30 minutes to put the next one together. This project goes so fast, you can knock out 3 or 4 before noon, clean up your apartment and be ready for guests by 7:00. This is a clever way to bring unexpected color and pattern into your room.
Tools and Resources:
- 1 yard of fabric
- 2 inexpensive, standard sized bed pillows
- scissors
- ruler or measuring tape
- pencil
- pins
- 20 inches of Velcro for each pillow
- thread
- sewing machine
Step by Step:
- Fold 1 yard of 54" fabric in half, lengthwise
- Measure and cut the folded fabric so you have a doubled piece measuring 41" x 28 1/2". A standard bed pillow measures 20 x 26 inches and they will be placed side by side inside the cushion cover.
- With the edges that measure 41" long, fold each one over 1" and then another 1". Pin, press and stitch in place. This forms finished back edges where the Velcro will be centered, pinned and stitched later.
- Pin and stitch the remaining sides together, leaving a 20" opening in the center of the 'hemmed' side (the side you just folded and stitched). Be sure to reinforce the stitching (backtack) on both sides of the opening so the stitches don't rip out when you stuff the cushion cover.
- Now, adjust each corner so that you have a triangular point with the stitched seam right on top and in the center of the point.
Pin and stitch across the point two inches from the end of the point. This line of stitching is what forms the mock boxing.
- Snip off the extra fabric at the corners and turn the cushion right side out.
- Pin and stitch the top and bottom pieces of the Velcro on the finished edges you prepared in Step 3. Make sure they are placed on inside of the opening.
- To connect the two bed pillows for your cushion filling, cut along one long seam of each pillow, opeining the side of the pillow form.
- Next, measure and cut an equal number of 1" x 4" fringe on the cut edges of each pillow.
- Tie the fringe pieces from both pillow tops together and repeat for the pillow bottoms.
- Now you're ready to place your new, floor sized pillow insert into the cover.
- It is perfectly acceptable to fill out each corner with extra stuffing, upholsterers do this all the time.
- Close the Velcro, get situated, and turn on the tube.
-The pillows don't necessarily have to be tied together but it will help keep the stuffing even.
I've also used this project to make my dog a nice, inexpensive bed. The pillow inserts are easy to clean or replace. Also, to keep the pillows fresh and relaxing, add a little sachet of flax seed mixed with lavender.
For other inspiring floor cushion styles, check these out:
Roundup: Floor Cushions
Hot or Not: Maize Floor Cushions
great idea connecting two bed pillows for the stuffing
view Sassy in SF's profile
Great information! I just did a post on my need for pillows. This is a perfect project and I love the cost cutting techniques. :)
view RowdyKittens's profile
Shut UP! A friend suggested earlier today that I just make the floor cushions that I've been lately looking for, and this is exactly what I needed. I laughed at her suggested and said that I would buy the cushions and probably re-cover them.
This is so, so perfect! Thank you, AT!
view austinpeahen's profile
i love this. the colors/patterns you chose are great- where from?
view DUSKIN's profile
very clever, thank you, looking forward to more of your posts!
view southof290's profile
LOL, just made a couple of these last weekend! Only I saved a lot of time (and money) by using a couple of old sofa seating cushions and recovered those. They're a bit more sturdy...
Next on my list is to make a day bed!
view EvaInNL's profile
I recently covered my sofa pillows, using the old pillows and just covering them. I'm not too thrilled with the fabric I chose, but Wal Mart is the only source in my little town. I've looked on line for fabric, but oh my are they expensive. Does anyone know of a good source on line that won't break the bank?
Also, I'm with EvaInNL, I would love to make a day bed for my guest room, which right now is just my junk room. How about it Shelly?
view gallupgirrl's profile
Are you interested in building a day bed from scratch?
Shelly
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
Gallupgirrl, I think both of these are pretty reasonable, especially the sale prices, and they carry fabrics that are hard for me to find locally, like Mexican oilcloth (fashionfabrics) and 100% wool felt (onlinefabricstore).
http://www.onlinefabricstore.net
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com
view wvlinz's profile
I love the Kuba inspired print, who makes it?
view dolly's profile
the black and white cloth is actually mud cloth from mali, west africa, not kuba cloth. it's pretty easy to find stores that sell it with a quick google search.
view greybreaks's profile
I made my own daybed using an old Ikea Lack shelving unit I had kicking around. Total cost in Canadian dollars was $200. (About $1.99 USD) This includes wood glue, fabric, foam, lumber, screws and staples for my staple gun.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marccortez/sets/72157603782199027/
Good luck everyone!
view marc from vancouver's profile
greybreaks-you're right about the mud cloth. I have a friend who sells African art locally. She then purchases computers to send back over to the areas from which she purchases the art. Her website is www.viafrika.com. Her name is Kelly.
Also the other fabric is 100% gray wool flannel, upholstery weight. The mango colored fabric is one of the fabrics Hancock used to sell with the Laurie Smith line. It's been on my shelf awhile waiting to become something.
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
Fun! I have so many DIY projects going on this month, but I will need to add this one to the mix as well! I am definitely going to make some for my friends who regularly host UFC get togethers...all those people need somewhere comfy to sit, and something that wont break (some of the invitees tend to get a bit wild...)
view Erin Lang Norris/Yellow Canoe's profile
I just wanted to add that this would be the perfect block printed fabric project if anybody has been wanting to try that. Block printing is a fun way to customize plain fabric and you only have to print one side. That way, if you don't like it a ton, you can just flip it over!
view Erin Lang Norris/Yellow Canoe's profile
I don't understand how 1 yard of fabric which is 36" long by 54" wide can be folded so you have a doubled peice of fabric measuring 28 1/2" x 41". Do you need more than a yard of fabric for each pillow?
view altomare's profile
Pardon me. The entire piece will measure 41 x 28 1/2". When it's doubled it will be 20 1/2" x 28 1/2". If your fabric motif won't work in that direction, then you'll have to purchase more yardage. This was the least I had to use to get a 'double wide' cushion.
Erin-I love the idea of block printing your own fabric. You could use different colors of medium to heavy weight canvas.
It's usually $6.99 a yard around here and you can get it for 40-50% with a coupon at Joann or Hancock.
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
marc from vancouver - that daybed is breathtaking! Wish the pics showed the process more adequately; I would absolutely love to do that. Kudos.
view TheGoodBiGirl's profile
I like the idea I'm just thinking, wouldn't you be able to feel the little knots when you were sitting on the pillow? It seems like it would be uncomfortable. Has anyone tried making one yet?
view ShopgirlCA's profile
You don't need yard goods to make these pillows. Sheets and blankets are also sources as well as curtains you are no longer using. (Think "Sound of Music.") I've bought fabric on fabric.com. Their sample swatches are inexpensive and they have good service.
view LauraE's profile
You're so right about using sheets and blankets. Also quilted or matlasse bedspreads work well. If the fabric is med to heavy weight, the knots are a non issue. If you would use a sheet, you may feel the knots. Also, you don't have to tie the two together if you don't want to, it's just an inexpensive way to make a big pillow insert.
view ModHomeEcTeacher's profile
Shelly, yes, I would like to make a daybed from scratch.
wvlinz, thanks for the fabric links, I'll check them out.
view gallupgirrl's profile
I don't think the knots would be noticeable because they will get pressed into the filling when you sit on them.
You could also tie the knots INSIDE the pillow.
This is a wonderful DIY because I replace my four bed pillows every year. I have cut them in half and made sofa pillows.......never thought to make a floor pillow with them.
Thanks!
view ohjodi's profile
Shelley, can you tell me where you got the oblong coffee table pictured in the second thumbnail? I love it! Thanks.
view kamilotte's profile
How cute and doable.. It's such a creative idea and moreover, the pillows don't even look DIY..they look storebought.
view Drops of Jupiter's profile