Thursday, July 22, 2010

Make Your Own Pillow Forms

Ever since I made my Spray Painted Pillows for the bench on my front porch--I have been wanting to make some more for my living room.  But I REALLY needed new pillow forms.  But I REALLY didn't want to spend the big bucks that everyone seems to want to charge for those darn things!  A small square 12" pillow is around $7 at Walmart!  I didn't even check to see how much the bigger ones that I wanted were.  And I need 4 of them!!  Not gonna happen!

But Walmart was selling these babies for $2.50 each:


I was SUPER excited to save myself about $5 per pillow--with just a little sewers elbow greese!

So this is what I did.

The package says these pillows are 20" x 26".  But in actuality they were actually more like 18 1/2" wide.  So I measured down the length of the pillow 19" (I left around a 1/2" serging allowance).


I marked it with a pen and then I cut all the way through the pillow casing and the filling. 


Next I pushed the filling down a little bit and pulled the sides of the case together and pinned them closed.

Then I made a small tuck in the ends of the pillows (these pillows didn't have pointy ends and I prefer a tucked end). 


Then I serged the whole thing closed--sewing both tucked ends closed as well. (You could use a sewing machine as well and then just zig zag finish the edge.)


The only tricky part of this project is that you MUST make sure to push the stuffing far enough so that there is enough seam allowance to fit thru the serger to make a nice clean finish.  If you do--you won't have any problems.  If you don't your pillow form will pull out of the line of serging and you will have holes.

And that is it! 


EASY SCHMEASY--And CHEAPY THRIFTY!!


And I have a whole bag of stuffing left over for another project!

Now I can get to making some fun Slip Covers!!!

Linking Up to THESE Parties.

37 comments:

  1. I've done this before & you're right...cheap AND easy. Get some muslin at JoAnns when they run it for 79-99¢ a yard & make your own pillow forms with the left over stuffing...they can be as big or small as you'd like then!
    ♥hugs♥

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  2. Great idea Sharon! I too hate how much pillows cost! =D

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  3. That's a really great idea! Never would have thought to do that in a million years.

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  4. I love you for posting this idea. Wonderful!

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  5. That is a fab idea! Visiting from Something I Whipped UP.
    ~Kimberlee
    www.thespunkydiva.blogspot.com

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  6. So cool! Thanks for the great idea!

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  7. Totally neat idea. :) Love it. I'm all about bargain shopping. :)

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  8. I am in need of new pillows! This is such a great idea.

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  9. I love your idea. I have been living with flat pillows on my sofas and wanted to replace them, just couldn't afford the price. This I can do. THANKS!

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  10. GREAT way to save money! I have been loving all the pillows I've seen around and have been wanting to make some. I'm SO going to use this tutorial! Thanks for linking up to Topsy Turvy Tuesdays!

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  11. Good idea! I just altered the size of a throw pillow the same way and it was super easy!

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  12. This is SUPER helpful information! THanks for sharing your "ah-ha!" moment :)

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  13. Super smart, you are! Great money saving tip. I've never thought of cutting down the bed pillows, but I have used them their full size. haha Your idea is SO SMART, plus you have all the leftover stuffing! YEAH! Thanks for sharing! Following along now thru Whatever Goes Wednesday. Pam @ Sallygoodin

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  14. You've gotta love a thrifty project! Thanks for linking up!

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  15. Can I tell you you are amazing1 Why didn't I think of that! I have wanted to make some cute pillows but I don't want to spend money on pillow forms. Now i dont have to! You know what... I could even use some old bed pillows from the guest room...I need them more thanthey do! Thanks!

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  16. Looks like it's time for a trip to Walmart for me. And maybe it's time for me to invest in a serger!!

    Thanks for sharing your tip

    Caroline
    http://ateliercaroline.blogspot.com/

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  17. fantastic idea!

    ~Emily N. from "too Blessed to Stress"

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  18. I just had these same thoughts about pillow forms at Wal-Mart two days ago, but didn't come up with your solution! Thanks so much for sharing!

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  19. you. are. a. genius. I assumed you were going to use fabric and stuffing which is still so expensive!

    I can now have pillows!

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  20. My grandmother always saved bread bags and used them to stuff pillows that she made.

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  21. THIS IS REALLY GOOD AND CREATIVE TOO. WELL DONE JOB.

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  22. Wow what a great idea. Why didn't I think of this? I'm going to Wal-mart tomorrow!

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  23. Thanks so much for this not even on youtube I find something this easy to do Im new to sewing and making cover for this pillows will be my first project.

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  24. Noticed you have a brother 1034, I am getting ready to purchase a serger, do like the brother? Like the pillow idea

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  25. Noticed you have a brother 1034, I am getting ready to purchase a serger, do like the brother? Like the pillow idea

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  26. So excited to make throw pillows for my dorm. I was even more pleased upon finding the pillows were $2.30. Every little bit helps! Thanks, from Connecticut.

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  27. Why not just use stuffing? I make my own and that's what I do.

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  28. Thanks for sharing this idea. If you have knowledge of making bed linen please share it.

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  29. I always hit the thrift stores and find plenty of $1-$2 pillows, wash, shape and cover.

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  30. Or when getting new pillows, recycle the old ones into your wanted size.

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  31. Fantastic idea!!!! Thank you for sharing.

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Thank you for your comments!

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